Chico Hamilton Inquiry

[JSngry]

Is there documentation of the 1-4-65 Chico Hamilton group that included Harold Land, Gabor Szabo, & Albert Stinson being a working unit, or of having recorded more than the cuts that turned up on CHIC CHIC CHICO?

The two quartet cuts off that album are pretty darn interesting - Szabo's totally unique reading of "What's New" (along with his accompaniment of Land's solo on the same tune), and the proto-fusion head/up-tempo collective improvisation of "Tarantula" (shades of things soon to come!) have long made me wonder just what was up with this foursome (or moresome). The empathy seems pretty high for a studio pickup band, but sometimes that kind of thing happens.

As always, thanks in advance!

[Chuck Nessa]

Not really a studio pickup band. Chico, Szabo and Stinson had been together for 3 years at that point. Land is the only "newbie" and there had to be a bunch of previous experience there.

[JSngry]

Yeah, it's the "usual" Hamilton band of the time only w/o Charles Lloyd (who is back in place for the 3-15 cut. When did Lloyd get his group going anyway?).

The "pickup" reference was more regarding Land. Wonder if he was a ringer for the session, or if he actually held the gig for a while.

It was a good fit, that foursome.

[Stefan Wood]

I really like this period of Chico Hamilton's music. Overall, I find his music on Impulse! to be very strong, and of course it has everything to do with his sidemen. Like Art Blakey, he was excellent at discovering new talent. I actually listened to Chic Chic Chico recently -- good album, deserving of reissue.

[DMP]

Besides the 2 excellent "Impulse" titles, the same line-up recorded for "Reprise" (recently reissued on "Collectables") and "Columbia." But the "Impulse" albums are the ones to get - and a real departure from the Buddy Collette/Jim Hall/Fred Katz "chamber" jazz style Hamilton made his reputation with. (Lloyd was the "musical director" for that particular edition of the Hamilton group.)

[garthsj]

As a big fan of the original Chico Hamilton Quintet with Collette and Hall, I followed all of Chico's groups after that into the sixties. I still have a strong memory of seeing the Hamilton, Lloyd, Bohanon, Gzabo, Stinson group LIVE at the Colonial Tavern on Yonge Street in Toronto in the mid 60's. Lloyd was a real trip in those days with his full threepiece suit and gold watch chain, including fob .. blowing hell out of the flute and tenor. Needless to say I was there every night of their three night gig.

IMHO, the Impulse albums got sequentially weaker and more commercial as they were released ... what a pity after the enormous impact and promise of "Passin' Thru" .. which just blew me away ..