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GU President Prof. Rivka Carmi, left, receives the original score of jazz legend Lionel Hampton's "King David Suite" April 22 from Maurice "Mo" Levich, Lafayette's Generations in Jazz Foundation co-founder and musical director of The Big Band of Rossmoor. Photo provided
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The original score of the "King David Suite," composed by jazz legend Lionel Hampton as a tribute to his friend David Ben-Gurion and commemorating the emergence of Israel, was donated to the Ben-Gurion Archives on the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Sede Boqer campus April 22.
The King David Suite, composed by Hampton in the 1953 with orchestration by Big Band of Rossmoor composer and arranger Frank Como, is a "third stream" work combining jazz and classical elements in a symphony that was performed by orchestras in 19 countries. Efforts are under way to perform the work again.
The only score was thought to be lost in a 1997 fire that completely gutted Hampton's New York apartment. It was rediscovered only a few years ago in the possession of Hampton's arranger, Como, with Hampton's original notes and comments.
Como's original King David score was presented to BGU President Rivka Carmi in her office by his band-mate Maurice "Mo" Levich, Lafayette's Generations in Jazz co-founder and musical director of The Big Band of Rossmoor, which performs big band jazz with members ranging in ages from the teens to the high 90s.
"I'm extremely excited and honored on behalf of Frank Como to bring this historic piece of music to the Ben-Gurion Archives where people can see and study it," says Levich. "The music lives on as a survivor of time and fire and we hope that the reformed Lionel Hampton Big Band, featuring vibraphonist Jason Marsalis, will move forward to perform it with symphonies in the future."
To listen to the music and see more pictures, visit thebigbandofrossmoor.org.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA