Chico Hamilton
Chico Hamilton, a subtle and creative drummer, will probably always be remembered for the series of quintets that he led during 1955-1965 and for his ability as a talent scout than for his fine drumming. Hamilton first played drums while in high school with the many fine young players (including Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, and Charles Mingus) who were in Los Angeles at the time. He made his recording debut with Slim Gaillard, was house drummer at Billy Berg's, toured with Lionel Hampton, and served in the military (1942-1946). In 1946, Hamilton worked briefly with Jimmy Mundy, Count Basie, and Lester Young (recording with Young). He toured as Lena Horne's drummer (on and off during 1948-1955), and gained recognition for his work with the original Gerry Mulligan piano-less quartet (1952-1953).
In 1955, Hamilton put together his first quintet, a chamber jazz group with the reeds of Buddy Collette, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Carson Smith, and cellist Fred Katz. One of the last important West Coast jazz bands, the Chico Hamilton Quintet was immediately popular and appeared in a memorable sequence in 1958's Jazz on a Summer's Day and the Hollywood film The Sweet Smell of Success. The personnel changed over the next few years (with Paul Horn and Eric Dolphy heard on reeds, cellist Nate Gershman, guitarists John Pisano and Dennis Budimir, and several bassists passing through the group) but it retained its unusual sound. By 1961, Charles Lloyd was on tenor and flute, Gabor Szabo was the new guitarist, and soon the cello was dropped in favor of trombone (Garnett Brown and later George Bohanon), giving the group an advanced hard bop style.
In 1966, Chico Hamilton started composing for commercials and the studios and he broke up his quintet. However, he continued leading various groups, playing music that ranged from the avant-garde to erratic fusion and advanced hard bop. Such up-and-coming musicians as Larry Coryell (1966), Steve Potts (1967), Arthur Blythe, Steve Turre (on bass, surprisingly), and Eric Person (who played in Hamilton's '90s group Euphoria) were among the younger players he helped discover. In 1989, Chico Hamilton had a recorded reunion with the original members of his 1955 quintet (with Pisano in Hall's place), and in the 1990s he made a number of records for Soul Note. He continued playing gigs and recording throughout the 2000s, releasing four albums in 2006 for the label Joyous Shout! in celebration of his 85th birthday. Chico Hamilton died in Manhattan on November 25, 2013; he was 92 years old. His last album, The Inquiring Mind, recorded shortly before his passing, was released in early 2014.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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The Complete Recordings: 1959-1962
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei Tritone am 04.08.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Recordings: 1955-1958
Modern Jazz - Erschienen bei Tritone am 04.08.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Passin' Thru - The New Amazing Chico Hamilton Quintet
Jazz - Erschienen bei Impulse! am 01.02.1963
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Sweet Smell Of Success (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack / Deluxe Edition)
Elmer Bernstein, Chico Hamilton
Original Soundtrack - Erschienen bei Decca am 01.10.1957
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Further Adventures Of El Chico
Jazz - Erschienen bei Verve Reissues am 01.01.1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peregrinations
Jazz - Erschienen bei Blue Note Records am 01.01.1975
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Man From Two Worlds
Jazz - Erschienen bei Verve Reissues am 01.12.1963
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Montreux Festival (Live)
Albert King, Chico Hamilton, Little Milton
Blues - Erschienen bei Stax am 01.07.1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Inquiring Mind
Jazz - Erschienen bei Joyous Shout! am 18.02.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chico Hamilton with Paul Horn
Bebop - Erschienen bei ACE RECORDS am 01.01.1963
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Jazz in Hollywood, 1958
Chico Hamilton, Freddie Gambrell, Ben Tucker
Jazz - Erschienen bei Stardust Records am 01.05.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Chico Hamilton And The Players
Jazz - Erschienen bei Blue Note Records am 01.03.1976
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo