Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
Dillon, South Carolina
Dillon is a city in Dillon County in eastern South Carolina, United States.
It is the county seat and largest city of Dillon County. It was established on December 22, 1888. Both the name of the city and county comes from James W. Dillon, an e ...
, United States, and grew up in Philadelphia. Having learned to play
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
and
brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. Brass instruments are also called labrosones or labrophones, from Latin a ...
s, in the 1930s he started playing the latter in local bands before switching to clarinet and saxophone. During this time he studied with clarinet teacher Leon Russianoff. In 1939, he played with Lucky Millinder,
Jimmy Mundy
James Mundy (June 28, 1907 – April 24, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and composer, best known for his arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines.
Mundy died of cancer in New York City at the age of 75 ...
Teddy Wilson
Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist", Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of many ...
sextet in 1940. After two years with Wilson, he played with
Eddie Heywood
Edward Heywood Jr. (December 4, 1915 – January 3, 1989) was an American jazz pianist particularly active in the 1940s and 1950s.
Biography
Heywood was born in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. His father, Eddie Heywood Sr., was also a jazz m ...
Barney Bigard
Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (March 3, 1906 – June 27, 1980) was an American jazz clarinetist known for his 15-year tenure with Duke Ellington. He also played tenor saxophone.
Biography
Bigard was born in New Orleans to Creole parents, Ale ...
in the Duke Ellington orchestra and stayed with Ellington until 1968. His style was different on his two instruments: on tenor saxophone he had an R&B sound, while on clarinet he was much more precise and technical. He wrote some of his own material in his time with Ellington.
After he left the Ellington orchestra, Hamilton played and arranged on a freelance basis before spending the 1970s and 1980s in the
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas Vírgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Cro ...
teaching music. On his retirement from teaching, he continued to perform with his own groups in 1989 and 1990. Hamilton died on September 20, 1994, in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, at the age of 77.
Discography
As leader
* ''Clarinet in High Fi'' (Urania, 1955)
* ''Jimmy Hamilton and the New York Jazz Quintet'' (Urania, 1956)
* ''Swing Low Sweet Clarinet'' (Everest, 1960)
* '' It's About Time'' (Prestige Swingville, 1961)
* '' Can't Help Swinging'' (Prestige Swingville, 1961)
* ''In a Sentimental Mood'' (World Record Club, 1963)
* ''Rediscovered at the Buccaneer'' (Who's Who in Jazz, 1985)
* ''S'weet But'' (Hot Drive, 1997)
* ''Tribute to Barney Bigard and Russell Procope'' (Squatty Roo, 2014)
With Clarinet Summit
* ''In Concert at the Public Theater'' (India Navigation, 1984)
* ''Southern Bells'' (Black Saint, 1987)
As sideman
With
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...
Ellington at Newport
''Ellington at Newport'' is a 1956 live jazz album by Duke Ellington and his band of their 1956 concert at the Newport Jazz Festival, a concert which revitalized Ellington's flagging career. Jazz promoter George Wein describes the 1956 concert as ...
Such Sweet Thunder
''Such Sweet Thunder'' is a Duke Ellington album, released in 1957. The record is a twelve-part suite based on the work of William Shakespeare.
Background
In August 1956, Duke Ellington and his orchestra were in Canada, performing in the same ci ...
'' (Columbia, 1957)
* ''
Black, Brown and Beige
''Black, Brown and Beige'' is an extended jazz work written by Duke Ellington for his first concert at Carnegie Hall, on January 23, 1943. It tells the history of African Americans and was the composer's daring attempt to transform attitudes about ...
Ellington Indigos
''Ellington Indigos'' is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington.
The stereo CD reissue released by Columbia (CK 4444) in 1987 contains a track listing and cover art that is drastically different from the original mono LP. A change in song order and ...
'' (Columbia, 1958)
* ''
Jazz Party
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major f ...
Blues in Orbit
''Blues in Orbit'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the Columbia label in 1959 and released in 1960.First Time! The Count Meets the Duke'' (Columbia, 1961)
* '' Paris Blues'' (United Artists, 1961)
* ''
Midnight in Paris
''Midnight in Paris'' is a 2011 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. Set in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender ( Owen Wilson), a screenwriter, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his materi ...
'' (Columbia, 1962)
* ''
Piano in the Background
''Piano in the Background'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1960.All American in Jazz'' (Columbia, 1962)
* '' Afro-Bossa'' (Reprise, 1963)
* '' The Great Paris Concert'' (Atlantic, 1963 973
* '' The Symphonic Ellington'' (Reprise, 1963)
* ''
All Star Road Band Volume 2
''All Star Road Band Volume 2'' is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded at the Holiday Ballroom in Chicago for radio broadcast and first released as a double LP on Bob Thiele's Doctor Jazz label in 1 ...
Far East Suite
''Far East Suite'' is a 1967 concept album by American jazz musician Duke Ellington, inspired by his group's tour of Asia. Ellington and longtime collaborator Billy Strayhorn wrote the compositions.
Strayhorn died in May 1967, making ''Far Eas ...
'' (RCA Victor, 1967)
* ''
Soul Call
''Soul Call'' is a 1967 live album by Duke Ellington and his orchestra, recorded live at the Juan-les-Pins/Antibes Jazz Festival on the Côte d'Azur. Ella Fitzgerald appeared with Ellington and his band at the same festival, and a more complete ...
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
)
* ''Liederhalle Stuttgart 1967'' (SWR, Jazzhaus, 2020)
* '' And His Mother Called Him Bill'' (RCA Victor, 1968)
* ''Second Sacred Concert'' (Fantasy, 1968)
* ''
Black, Brown and Beige
''Black, Brown and Beige'' is an extended jazz work written by Duke Ellington for his first concert at Carnegie Hall, on January 23, 1943. It tells the history of African Americans and was the composer's daring attempt to transform attitudes about ...
'' (Columbia, 1958)
* ''Live At The Opernhaus Cologne 1969'' (Delta Music, 2016)
* ''
70th Birthday Concert 70th Birthday Concert may refer to:
* 70th Birthday Concert (John Mayall & the Bluesbreaker album)
* 70th Birthday Concert (Duke Ellington album)
{{dab ...
'' {Sol;id State, 1969
With
Johnny Hodges
Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
Creamy
Creamy were a Faroese-Danish teen-pop duo, composed of Rebekka Mathew and Rannva Joensen.
Their 1999 debut album, ''Creamy'', made when the pair were just thirteen years of age, was composed of euro-pop versions of children’s songs. In 200 ...
'' (Norgran, 1955)
* ''
Ellingtonia '56
''Ellingtonia '56'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Norgran label.The Big Sound'' (Verve, 1957)
* ''
Duke's in Bed
''Duke's in Bed'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label.
Blue Notes
In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical ...
Don't Sleep in the Subway
"Don't Sleep in the Subway" is a song written by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent and recorded by British singer Petula Clark, for whom it was an April 1967 single release.
It received a 1968 Grammy award nomination for best contemporary song, los ...
Ralph Burns
Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.
Early life
Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he atten ...
, ''Ralph Burns Among the JATPs'' (Norgran, 1955)
*
Harry Carney
Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments but primarily used the baritone saxophone ...
, ''With Strings'' (Clef, 1955)
*
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song " Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as " Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano" ...
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...
Lucky Thompson
Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...
, ''Intimate Jazz in Hi-Fi, Accent On Tenor Sax'' (Urania, 1956)
*
Ben Webster
Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Career Early life and career
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
, ''
Music for Loving
''Music for Loving'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Ben Webster with tracks recorded in 1954 and released by Norgran Records, Norgran in 1955. The album was reissued in 1957 by Verve Records, Verve as ''Sophisticated Lady''. In 1996 Verve ...
'' (Norgran, 1954)
*
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...
Things Ain't What They Used to Be
"Things Ain't What They Used to Be" is a 1942 jazz standard with music by Mercer Ellington and lyrics by Ted Persons.
Background
In 1941 there was a strike against the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, of which Duke Ellington ...