Billboard : 03/12/1955
Score of 80

It is hard to think of any recent album in which a group of instrumentalists sound so relaxed and at home with each other’s ideas as is the case here. In addition to Hampton on vibes, the personnel consisted of familiar colleagues like Oscar Peterson on piano, Buddy DeFranco on clarinet, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums. The kicks here are not so much for any startling new ideas, but for the exploration of material that the musicians thoroly enjoyed and shook down for all its worth. If this is not caviar, it is certainly juicy roast beef and will hit the right spot with plenty of beat-hungry jazz fans.

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Cashbox : 03/12/1955

With Hamp appearing almost every week on a release by one or another record company, the public may have a hard time deciding which they’ll buy. This album permits plenty of room for free play and each artist in turn goes into a solo bit with plenty of improvisation. Hamp has a strong group including Oscar Peterson, piano; Buddy DeFranco, clarinet; Ray Brown, bass; and Buddy Rich on drums, each a star. Fans will like this LP.

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Saturday Review 
Wilder Hobson : 03/26/1955

…The Lionel Hampton Quintet (Clef MGC-642) is especially noteworthy for the leader’s vibraphone and Oscar Peterson‘s delightfully inventive piano; how he keeps it up, considering the number of recording dates he plays for the Norman Granz organization, is more than we can comprehend. The group delivers a fine, jumping Don’t Be That Way, and much dulcet business in These Foolish Things and The Way You Look Tonight. Their exploration of the possible byways around a tune is very intrepid voyaging…

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Liner Notes by Norman Granz

This is another in the series of the Lionel Hampton Quartet-Quintet albums. On this one the personnel consists of Hampton on vibes, Oscar Peterson on piano, Buddy DeFranco on clarinet, Ray Brown on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums.

It would be superfluous to discuss anything about these great musicians, since all of them are giants in their field and enough has been written about them, so that they should be old friends of most jazz fans.