HAMILTON, FORESTSTORN (CHICO),
drums;
b. Los Angeles, Cal. 9/21/21.
Started on clarinet. Formed band with schoolmates incl. Ernie Royal, Ch. Mingus, I. Jacquet, Buddy Collette, Dexter Gordon, Jack Kelso; worked with Floyd Ray, Lionel Hampton, 1940; Slim & Slam, Lorenzo Flennoy, Lester Young, T-Bone Walker, Duke Ellington, '41.
During Army service, '42-'46 studied drums w. Jo Jones and studied reading drum music w. Billy Exner. Toured with Jimmy Mundy, Count Basie. Worked Billy Berg's as house drummer.
In '48 joined Lena Horne, stayed with her on and off for six years including European tour. During this time also did studio work including all feature drumming in film ROAD TO BALI; played with Charlie Barnett, Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., and Billie Holiday including the Carnegie Hall Concert and recording LADY SINGS THE BLUES; got together with Gerry Mulligan and helped form original quartet, '52 incl. recordings for Pacific Jazz. Recorded first lp as leader in '55 with George Duvivier and Howard Roberts for Pacific Jazz; in '55 formed an unusual quintet in L.A. feat. cello, flute, guitar, bass and drums which acquired national following; the original personnel incl. Buddy Collette, Jim Hall, Fred Katz and Carson Smith; Hamilton continued to tour using different personnel '57-'60; group incl. Paul Horne and John Pisano feat. in the film SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS in '57; group incl. Nate Gershman and Eric Dolphy app. in film JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY in '60; Dolphy makes first recordings with Hamilton on WITH STRINGS ATTACHED, GONGS EAST!, THE THREE FACES OF CHICO, and THAT HAMILTON MAN.
Hamilton revamps group in '61 with new musical direction; new group incl. Charles Lloyd, Gabor Szabo, George Bohanon and Albert Stinson; group records for Columbia, Reprise and Impulse; also records soundtrack for industrial film LITHO in '62, the first American film to be shown behind the Iron Curtain. Hamilton forms commercial and film production company in '65; scores the feature films REPULSION, MR. RICO, BY DESIGN, LIEBE AUF DEN ERSTEN BLICK, DIE SONNENGOTTIN, and A PRACTICAL MAN; scores for television PORTRAIT OF WILLIE MAYS and the popular children's series GERALD MCBOING BOING; scores hundreds of commercials for TV and radio. Forms new group with Larry Coryell, Richard Davis and Arnie Lawrence in '66 and records THE DEALER for Impulse. Performs Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals in '72 and '73. Forms new "Players" group in '75 w. Arthur Blythe, Steve Turre, Barry Finnerty and Abdullah; tours with "Players" using different personnel '76-'80; records for Blue Note, Mercury, Nautilus and Elektra. Originating faculty member in '87 of New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program.
Forms new group "Euphoria" in '87 w. Eric Person, Cary DeNigris and Reggie Washington; records EUPHORIA '87; tours Europe with "EUPHORIA" '87, '88, '90. Performs at Verona, Bolzano, Vienne, Nice, North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals in '89 with regrouped original quintet w. B. Collette, F. Katz, J. Pisano, C. Smith; records REUNION for Soul Note. For Soul Note records ARROYO with "Euphoria" group, TRIO! w. E. Person , C. DeNigris, Eric Dolphy tribute MY PANAMANIAN FRIEND with 'Euphoria' group, and solo drum session DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. Tours Europe with "Euphoria" group '94. Hamilton subject of documentary film by director Julian Benedikt DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER '94. 1997 Hamilton receives the New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program’s Beacons in Jazz Award in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of Jazz".
Hamilton releases FORESTSTORN in 2001 featuring his new "Euphoria" group with stalwarts Cary DeNigris on guitar, Paul Ramsey on bass, and a new two horn front line featuring Eric Lawrence on alto and soprano saxes and Evan Schwam on tenor sax, as well as Special Guest Appearances from Former Band members Arthur Blythe, Steve Turre and his wife Akua Dixon, Eric Person, former Spin Doctors guitarist Eric Schenkman (a student of Chico's), Blues Traveler front man John Popper (also a student of Chico's), and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones. August 2001 performs in front of 2300 people at Lincoln Center "My Funny Valentine- A Tribute to Chico Hamilton" with "Euphoria" plus Special Guest Appearances from Joe Beck, Arthur Blythe, Larry Coryell, Akua Dixon, Rodney Jones and Eric Person. Fall 2002 releases THOUGHTS OF... with his "Euphoria" group with Special Guest Appearances from guitarists and former Bandmembers Joe Beck, Larry Coryell and Rodney Jones. Also in 2002, Hamilton is awarded the WLIU-FM Radio Lifetime Achievement Award.
At the IAJE in NYC January 2004, Hamilton is awarded a NEA Jazz Master Fellowship, presented to him by Roy Haynes. Hamilton participates in trans-Atlantic collaboration on the down tempo dance track "Kerry's Caravan" by "MUDD & Chico Hamilton" released on 12" vinyl September 2005. In 2006, in celebration of 85th Birthday, Hamilton releases four albums on Joyous Shout!, JUNIFLIP, BELIEVE, 6TH AVENUE ROMP, and HERITAGE. These four releases mark the first time CD's w/ Mini-LP covers are produced in the US. Each album features his "Euphoria" group incl. Cary DeNigris- guitar, Paul Ramsey- bass, Evan Schwam- flute, soprano & tenor saxes, Geoffrey Countryman- flute, clarinet, alto & baritone saxes, Karolina Strassmayer- flute, alto & soprano saxes, Andrew Hadro- flute, clarinet, alto & baritone saxes, and Jeremy Carldstedt- percussion. "JUNIFLIP" features special guest appearances from legendary Love front-man Arthur Lee, vocalist (and successful actor) Bill Henderson, and former Hamilton band members trombonist George Bohanon and bass trombonist Jimmy Cheatham. BELIEVE features special special guest appearances from R & B Diva vocalist Fontella Bass and trombonist George Bohanon. 6th AVENUE ROMP features guest appearances from guitarist Shuggie Otis, trumpeter Jon Faddis, trombonist George Bohanon, and Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe. HERITAGE features guest appearances from trombonist George Bohanon and vocalist Marya Lawrence.
In December 2006, Congress confirmes the President's nomination of Chico to the Presidents Council on the Arts. In 2007, Chico receives a Living Legacy Jazz Award as part of The Kennedy Centers Jazz in Our Time Festival, as well as receiving an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from The New School.
Presently teaching at New School University Jazz Program; touring extensively in North America with "Euphoria" group; recording with his "Euphoria" and special guests; composing and performing music for film; working on autobiography.
