Chico Hamilton R.I.P.

[ghost of miles]

His publicist reports that he has passed away at the age of 92.

[JSngry]

Well hell. That was an interesting musical life. Very interesting.

RIP & much thanks.

[king ubu]

damn - r.i.p.

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/11/26/rip-chico-hamilton/

http://tedpanken.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/r-i-p-chico-hamilton-september-20-1921-november-25-2013-two-wkcr-interviews-and-a-downbeat-blindfold-test/

[jazzbo]

Damn.

[Clunky]

What an innings !! RIP and thanks for some great music.

[mikeweil]

92 ... I don't know if I wanna get that old ... saw him perform about fifteen years ago. A jazz personality of the type that's hard to find now that the old masters are all leaving us. I have the utmost respect for all those who are living such a long standing jazz life! R.I.P.

[J.A.W.]

Sorry to hear this. Love his Mosaic.

[felser]

And was still recording as late as 2008. Thankful for his music, and love the recordings by the group with Lloyd and Szabo.

[Cyril]

Rest in peace, Chico Hamilton

[J.A.W.]

http://jazztimes.com/sections/news/articles/112427-drummer-and-bandleader-chico-hamilton-dies-at-92

And was still recording as late as 2008. Thankful for his music, and love the recordings by the group with Lloyd and Szabo.

Yep, those dates were great.

Edited November 26, 2013 by J.A.W.

[Stefan Wood]

RIP Chico.

[Leeway]

Sorry to hear this. Love his Mosaic.

I dawdled on that one and missed it, to my continuing regret. Chico really set his own course. Always hip without being merely fashionable.

[Joe]

Underrated all around, especially as a band-leader / cultivator of unusual and idiosyncratic musical talents. God speed.

[imeanyou]

92, that's a LOT of paradiddles. Been listening to his stuff a fair bit recently and really getting into it. A different drummer and no mistake. RIP, Chico.

[kh1958]

And was still recording as late as 2008. Thankful for his music, and love the recordings by the group with Lloyd and Szabo.

He had 2 new CDs (Euphoric and Revelation) released in 2011. His later years were extremely prolific for recordings.

I saw him at Drom in October of 2012. He was only able to play about half the set. About 15 years previously when I heard him at the Knitting Factory, he was still in prime form.

Edited November 26, 2013 by kh1958

[Mike Schwartz]

Underrated all around, especially as a band-leader / cultivator of unusual and idiosyncratic musical talents. God speed.

I like this summation Joe....RIP Foreststorm "Chico" Hamilton

[Guy Berger]

RIP, Chico. Loved his 50s group with Buddy Collette and Jim Hall, and also the 60s group with Charles Lloyd and Gabor Szabo. And he helped vault Eric Dolphy into national prominence!

[Big Beat Steve]

R.I.P. to a true legend.

[sidewinder]

Damn.... so sorry to hear this. But what an amazing musical life. Saw him just the once about 20 years ago with the 'Euphoria' group but it was a great evening and he was in absolutely A1 form. Thank you for the music and the Mosaic set will be spun this week. RIP..

Edited November 26, 2013 by sidewinder

[Cyril]

NY Times obit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/27/arts/music/chico-hamilton-a-california-cool-jazzman-dies-at-92.html?_r=0

[JSngry]

Underrated all around, especially as a band-leader / cultivator of unusual and idiosyncratic musical talents. God speed.

I think "unusual and idiosyncratic musical talent" best describes his own gifts!

I was listening, about a month ago, to one of his Solid state records, The Gamut, I think it was, and was not allowed for even one second not to think what a ^strange record it was, one of those things where "good" or "bad" is not even a consideration, what the sole consideration was was that nobody - nobody - else could have even begun to make a record like this, never mind actually make _this record.

[B. Goren.]

Damn.

My thoughts. Exactly.

RIP Mr. Hamilton.

[GA Russell]

RIP, Chico.

I remember in 1966 when I was in high school and starting to learn about jazz. Chico's impulse! records were among the few jazz albums that I might see in the record shops. I'm thinking of The Dealer and Chic, Chic, Chico.

[JSngry]

Time, touch, tone...the guy was a master drummer, period.

He always had that "showbiz" thing going on, and sometimes....maybe not what I wanted, but no matter. It was honest, always, and he was masterful, always. You never heard a Chico Hamilton album that didn't have a Chico Hamilton groove to it, no matter what that groove was.

NOW can we have this reissued in the US, please?

[Hardbopjazz]

Sad news. RIP Chico.