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 Chico
Hamilton has been a vital force on the jazz scene for over
fifty years. He has worked in an extraordinarily wide variety
of contexts- from backing singers to playing in big bands
to leading his own innovative ensembles. Chico played with
Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and T-Bone Walker in the 1940s.
From 1948 through 1954, he was with Lena Horne and toured
throughout the world.
Chico joined with Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan in 1952 to
form a group which became legendary and made recordings for
the Pacific Jazz label. In 1955 he made his first recording
as a leader- also for Pacific Jazz- and later in the same
year formed a group with truly unique instrumentation- cello,
flute, guitar, bass and drums. Among the players who performed
in that group were cellist Fred Katz, guitarist Jim Hall and
flutists Buddy Collette and Paul Horn.
It was during the 1950s that Chico also first worked in motion
pictures. His group had on-screen time in the classic New
York film "Sweet Smell of Success" with Tony Curtis
and Burt Lancaster. In 1965, he wrote the music for the soundtrack
of the film "Repulsion," one of the early works
of director Roman Polanski.
Many great players have made their first marks Chico Hamilton
groups. Saxophonist/flutist Eric Dolphy made his debut with
Chico in 1957 and made several recordings with him. As Chico
changed the face of his group in the 1960s, he discovered
guitarist Gabor Szabo, saxophonist/flutist Charles Lloyd and
guitarist Larry Coryell. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Chico's
groups made musical homes for saxophonist Arthur Blythe, trombonist
Steve Turre, guitarists Joe Beck and Rodney Jones and countless
others. Since 1987, he has led a band called "Euphoria",
and teaches at the New School where Chico was an original
faculty member.
Always hip and ever mod, Chico hits with his new release,
Thoughts Of... in stores now.
It's a swing, swing, swinging affair featuring Chico and
his "Euphoria" group- Cary DeNigris on guitar, Paul
Ramsey on bass, Evan Schwam on tenor sax, Erik Lawrence on
alto and soprano sax, and Karolina Strassmayer on flute, alto
and soprano sax .
And...special guest spots from luminaries from the world
of jazz guitar- Joe Beck, Larry Coryell and Rodney Jones!
Thoughts Of... brilliantly captures that ambience
so unique to Chico's live performances. Chico wrote new compositions
especially for the recording and he also sets new swinging
grooves on surprising contemporary covers: that classic "Conquistadors"
beat on Joe Claussell's recent dance floor stomper, "Je
Ka Jo"; and the "Killer Joe" groove of the
album-closer, a cover of the Modfather Paul Weller's "Bull-Rush."
Learn more about why Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones,
John Popper of Blues Traveler, Eric Schenkman of the Spin
Doctors, DJ'ing Legend Joaquim "Joe" Claussell,
Carlos Santana and jazz guitarists Joe Beck, Larry Coryell
and Rodney Jones all say that Chico is "Still THE Man"!!
For a unique look at Chico Hamilton through the years and
on his latest album Thoughts Of..., see Chico Hamilton's
e-card.
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Purchase Chico Hamilton's Music
Online:
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| Amazon.com |
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