6/26/07

Upcoming Shows
Join jazz drummer/bandleader and NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton as he HITS the road with his "Euphoria" sextet over the Summer and into the Fall with appearances on: 6/30 @ The 25th Anniversary Syracuse Jazz Festival, Syracuse, NY; 7/18 @ Jazz Forum Arts, Waterfront Park, Dobbs Ferry, NY; 8/11 @ The JVC Jazz Festival/Newport Newport, RI; 8/25 @ The  Charlie Parker Jazz Festival Marcus Garvey Park, New York, NY; 8/26 @ The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Thompkin Square Park, NYC, NY; and 9/19 @ The  One World Theater Austin, TX.

CD/Vinyl Releases
Coming 7/10 to a record store near you is the re-release of
"Juniflip", "Believe", "6th Avenue Romp" and "Heritage" thru Redeye Distribution (Marketing Contact: Lori A. Miller, 336.578.7300 ext. 216, lori@yeproc.com, www.redeyeusa.com). Redeye recently won the NARM Distributor Of The Year award for the sixth year in a row! These four critically acclaimed albums were originally released in 2006 for internet sale only in celebration of Chico's 85th Birthday, and are pressed up in the CD w/ Mini-LP covers format.

Also hitting the street in July will be a limited edition 12" vinyl
from SoulFeast (Brian Michel Bacchus & Joaquin "Joe" Claussell) with their reworking of Chico's track "Mysterious Maiden" from Chico's 1980 "Nomad" release.

And a few days before Chico's 86th Birthday, Joyous Shout! will be releasing "Hamiltonia" which is a sampling of Chico's original compositions from the four previous releases. Guiding his "Euphoria" sextet on a journey drawn from a different harmonic palette, penning melodies for them to sing with long memorable lines, all set over Hamilton's signature rhythms, "Hamiltonia" shows the octogenarian Hamilton to STILL be the studious teacher. Recognized as a "NEA Jazz Master", saluted by the Kennedy Center as a "Living Jazz Legend", and recently appointed to the National Council on the Arts, "Hamiltonia" confirms Hamilton's status as one of the most important living jazz artists and composers.

"An astonishing burst of creativity."
                           richard s. ginell/all music guide

"Foreststorn 'Chico' Hamilton is a true jazz legend- his music
represents jazz in its purest form. It is invention, originality and
change. He is unafraid to let the music flow forth in whatever
creative form it chooses while staying true to his identity as a
musician. Hamilton's steady, forceful, yet beautifully restrained
drumming leads his group track by track. The result is everything you expect jazz to be. At a young 85 years old, Hamilton is the true epitome of agelessness, and his music knows no generational bounds". 
                                 sheeba rashada/groundliftmag.com

Be sure to check out the feature on Chico in the current issue of Wax Poetics!!