Slide Hampton has been a fine trombonist and arranger since the mid-'50s, helping to keep the tradition of bop alive in both his playing and his writing. After working with Buddy Johnson (1955-1956) and Lionel Hampton, he became an important force in Maynard Ferguson's excellent big band of 1957-1959. He led octets in the 1960s with such sidemen as Freddie Hubbard and George Coleman. After traveling with Woody Herman to Europe in 1968, Hampton settled overseas where he stayed very active. Since returning to the U.S. in 1977, he led his World of Trombones (which features nine trombonists), played in a co-op quintet called Continuum, and been involved in several Dizzy Gillespie tribute projects, recording in the 1990s for Telarc.