Chico Hamilton

[Jazz Kat]

Great drummer. I liked his first quintet, which produced Spectacular in 1955, w/ Jim Hall. Gongs East was alright, but kind of too subtle for my liking. You like?

I bought an album called A Different Journey by his third quintet I believe, with Charles Loyd. Pretty darn good. And some of his later stuff was kind of cool. Whic period do you prefer?

[Guy Berger]

I bought an album called A Different Journey by his third quintet I believe, with Charles Loyd. Pretty darn good.

That's not a bad album, but the two I've heard on Impulse (Man from Two Worlds and Passin' Thru) are better IMHO.

As far as earlier groups -- the live performances by the quintet with Buddy Collette and Jim Hall are excellent.

It's interesting to hear a young Eric Dolphy discovering his sound on the Original Ellington Suite, though the rest of the group isn't that great.

Guy

[JSngry]

Harold Land, Gabor Szabo, Albert Stinson, & Chico - now that was a group!. Don't know if it was ever a working band, but they cut two tunes for Impulse! that makes me wish there were lots more.

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

Then there's The Dealer - dated, as are most Hamilton albums, but in a way that is appealing rahter than annoying, as are most Hamilton albums.

Then they're his solo album on Soul Note, Dancing To A Different Drummer. Darn fine stuff.

Steve Potts made an album with Chico for Solid State in the late 1960s, as did Arthur Blythe & Steve Turre for BN in the early 1970s. Chico's always had an ear for talent. He and his bands are what they are, but there's usually cause to check'em out.

[kh1958]

His best work is in the last fifteen years or so--the groups with Cary Denegris on guitar and Eric Person on saxophone--this is a great and underappreciated group.

For example, Trio, Arroyo and Euphoria are three favorites with this group.

I saw this group at the Knitting Factory five or six years ago before a very sparse crowd and they were superb.

Edited August 7, 2005 by kh1958

[Jazz Kat]

I heard one of his new songs on some sampler. I believe the tune was entitled Outrageous. IDK, didnt seem that musical, but I heard he's playing great, so I'm looking for some of his newer releases.

[mikeweil]

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

Now that I finally got a copy of the Japanese Lp reissue of this .... it will be reissued on a LoneHill CD under Jim Hall's name (hah! he wasn't even on all the tracks), with the Hall / Red Kelly session added .....

[Stereojack]

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

Now that I finally got a copy of the Japanese Lp reissue of this .... it will be reissued on a LoneHill CD under Jim Hall's name (hah! he wasn't even on all the tracks), with the Hall / Red Kelly session added .....

←

The Lone Hill CD only contains the three tracks with Hall, and all of "Good Friday Blues".

[Guest akanalog]

i have two chico hamilton blue note albums from the 70s. both are decent.

steve turre is actually the bassist, not on trombone!

i can't remember who else is on the albums-i think arnie lawrence is on at least one of them.

[Rosco]

His best work is in the last fifteen years or so--the groups with Cary Denegris on guitar and Eric Person on saxophone--this is a great and underappreciated group.

For example, Trio, Arroyo and Euphoria are three favorites with this group.

←

A fine band. I'd add My Panamanian Friend (Soul Note) to that list, an album dedicated to the music of Eric Dolphy but with often surprising results.

[jazzbo]

I confess to really liking the fifties material for Pacific Jazz, and other labels, and any of the bands with Gabo Szabor and/or Albert Stinson.

[jlhoots]

Chico was excellent as a "sideman" too with the likes of Tal Farlow & Gerry Mulligan.

[Jazz Kat]

I love his brushwork and bass drum accents on Mulligan's Walking Shoes.

[clifford_thornton]

Steve Potts made an album with Chico for Solid State in the late 1960s

←

Potts? I thought his first recorded appearances were with Alan Silva and Francois Tusques in Paris c. 1970.

[mikeweil]

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

Now that I finally got a copy of the Japanese Lp reissue of this .... it will be reissued on a LoneHill CD under Jim Hall's name (hah! he wasn't even on all the tracks), with the Hall / Red Kelly session added .....

←

The Lone Hill CD only contains the three tracks with Hall, and all of "Good Friday Blues".

←

Oh - so I will get less duplication - very nice!

[JSngry]

Steve Potts made an album with Chico for Solid State in the late 1960s

←

Potts? I thought his first recorded appearances were with Alan Silva and Francois Tusques in Paris c. 1970.

←

I would refer you to Hamilton's 1968 LP, Solid State SS 18043 - The Gamut, which features "Stephen Potts" on alto, along with Jan Arnett (of Booker Ervin "fame") on bass. Not in anyway reflective of Potts' work of years to come, but there he is!

[JSngry]

i have two chico hamilton blue note albums from the 70s.  both are decent.

steve turre is actually the bassist, not on trombone!

i can't remember who else is on the albums-i think arnie lawrence is on at least one of them.

←

Lawrence did play w/Hamilton, and might be on the BNs, but the altoist I remember from them is Arthur Blythe.

[JSngry]

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

Now that I finally got a copy of the Japanese Lp reissue of this .... it will be reissued on a LoneHill CD under Jim Hall's name (hah! he wasn't even on all the tracks), with the Hall / Red Kelly session added .....

←

The Lone Hill CD only contains the three tracks with Hall, and all of "Good Friday Blues".

←

The trio sessions with Howard Roberts are the ones that are really "interesting" to my ears. Kinda "out" in a "West Coast" way.

[mikeweil]

The trio sessions with Howard Roberts are the ones that are really "interesting" to my ears. Kinda "out" in a "West Coast" way.

←

Agreed - one of the best efforts I have heard so far from Roberts. Duvivier is splendid here, too.

Jim, you have that album, too?

[JSngry]

I have "a copy" of it. yes. Really am surprised that it's never been reissued at least once in the US.

[Jazz Kat]

Did Chico ever record with vibes? That would of been a nice addition to his quintet. I'm finding it hard to find vibraphonists, that didnt play staight ahead jazz.

[JSngry]

And Chico's trio album for PJ - now that that Running Muskrat or whatever it is is dipping into the PJ catalog, maybe we'll finally get that little gem reissued here.

←

Ok, Mighty Quinn is the label (memory lapse), and I emailed them about the possibility. Just got a reply:

JIM,

          I TAKE ALL REQUESTS SERIOUSLY.IF I CAN GET

ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ASK FOR A TITLE, I'LL DO IT.I STARTED

THIS COMPANY BECAUSE I SAW A NEED FOR TITLES THAT I

LOVED,BUT MOST LIKELY WOULD NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF

DAY.I HOPE I'M IN BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO CARRY OUT

MANY WISHES.

            PEACE,

              JERRY

So get them emails a crankin'! email@mighty-quinn.net

[Teasing the Korean]

Love Chico Hamilton, both the 1950s quintets with Fred Katz et. al. and the 60s group with Gabor Szabo.

I am curious to know if the eastern-tinged stuff he started doing with Gabor Szabo in the early-mid 60s was ever cited as an influence on groups such as the Beatles, Yardbirds, Stones, Byrds, or others who went the eastern route.

[Chuck Nessa]

Probably the other way around, if their was an influence.

[Teasing the Korean]

Probably the other way around, if their was an influence.

Well, with the Gabor Szabo solo albums, you're absolutely right.

But there are Chico Hamilton albums with Gabor Szabo on Impulse!, and at least one on Reprise, that were recorded circa 1962-64 and that feature some Eastern-tinged tracks. The Eastern rock stuff didn't really happen until the tail end of 1965 and peaking in 1966. So Chico was ahead of the game.

[JSngry]

Coltrane, anybody?

"Indian music" was in the air in the early 60s, no?