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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Charles Rangel

Aired August 31, 2002 - 17:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I want to return now to our discussions about jazz great Lionel Hampton, who passed away this morning in New York at the age of 94. We have on the telephone with us now, New York Congressman Charles Rangel, who was a good friend of Hamp, as he was most notably known by those who knew him well, as well as a forever fan. Thanks again, Congressman Rangel, for sticking around. I'm glad we were able to work things out on the telephone here.
REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: OK. I'm here.

WHITFIELD: OK, very good. Well, first of all, our condolences, of course, to those surviving friends and family members of Lionel Hampton. Where were you when you got the news of his passing?

RANGEL: I heard he was sick last night. I was at a political meeting, and then, Phil Leshin (ph), his long-time friend and confidant and manager called and said that we'd lost him, but he warned me last night that it looked bad. Just last week, Lionel was at my birthday party, and two weeks before then, he was in Harlem receiving the Harlem Hall of Fame Award. And so he was active right to the last minute.

And at my party, a rock and roll singer from the old days, just as strong as ever, named Chuck Jackson (ph) saw him and got on his knees and started singing to him. So we didn't wait -- Lionel, left us, to let him know how much we loved him, and so did President Clinton.

WHITFIELD: Lionel Hampton was a receiver of so many awards and recognized because he was such a selfless, giving person, as a musician and as a philanthropist as well. Did it surprise you that a man who gave so much to jazz music still found the time and energy to give so much to people he didn't even know?

RANGEL: Well, I guess the people that I know that he has, Utah University, where scholarships are there in his name, and he and his wife built affordable housing, two beautiful developments in Harlem, the Gladys Hampton houses and the Lionel Hampton houses. And he was always giving to the different churches. And so no, he was just religious, entertainer, a friendly and outgoing, just a wonderful guy.

WHITFIELD: And he'd given $13 million for a complex in Harlem for low and moderate income.

RANGEL: That's what I'm talking about, yes. He was a great friend of Governor Rockefeller, who introduced me to him. Vice President Bush, and later President Bush, who was his buddy. And Bill Clinton. So those who had a chance to meet him instantly fell in love with him.

WHITFIELD: Did it strike you that he seemed as proud to work with greats of Benny Goodman, Satchmo, Dina (ph) Washington, just as they were honored to be working with him?

RANGEL: Well, you know, he made a great breakthrough with Benny Goodman, and together, they went to Carnegie Hall. That could have been, I don't know, the beginning of jazz being accepted as an American entertainment music.

But so many great jazz artists started off in his band and continued in his band. Quincy Jones, Eleanor Jacket (ph), Ben Webster. And so, just to be around him, you got to be great. And me, knowing him just as a kid who sneaked into the Apollo just to hear "Flying Home," to get to know him was one of the greatest honors that I've had in my political career.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Rangel, thank you very much for helping us to honor the life and legacy of Lionel Hampton.

RANGEL: Thank you for remembering my old friend.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

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