Jeff Hamilton (drummer)

Jeff Hamilton (born August 4, 1953) is an American jazz drummer and co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. A former member of the L.A. Four, Hamilton has played with jazz pianist Monty Alexander, bandleader Woody Herman, and singer Rosemary Clooney, and has worked extensively with singer Diana Krall.

Early life

Hamilton was born in Richmond, Indiana, United States,. From a young age he took piano lessons but was inspired at age five by Gene Krupa and then began drumming at the age of eight. At fifteen, he was invited to play with the Earlham College jazz ensemble. He later attended Indiana University while studying under the tutelage of John Von Ohlen.

Music career

Starting in 1975, he was a member of Monty Alexander's Trio, then Woody Herman's Orchestra from 1977 until 1978. He was a member of the L.A. Four, with whom he made six albums. He co-leads the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with Jeff Clayton and John Clayton. He also leads his own trio, with Jon Hamar on bass and Tamir Hendelman on piano.

Hamilton has worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, the Count Basie Orchestra, Oscar Peterson, and Ray Brown. He toured with Diana Krall and has played on several of her albums. In Japan with Krall in 2002, Hamilton became a fan of Hammond B3 organist Atsuko Hashimoto, and he recorded two albums with her.

Equipment

Hamilton was co-owner of Bosphorus Cymbals. He then started his own cymbal company, Crescent Cymbals, with Michael Vosbein, Bill Norman, and drummer Stanton Moore. Sabian bought out Crescent Cymbals and will be redistributing them through their "Hand-Hammered series." He also plays Mapex Black Panther drums and Remo drum heads (Fiberskyn 3 Diplomat) and his signature Innovative Percussion sticks and brushes.

Discography

As leader

* ''Indiana'' (Concord Jazz, 1992)
* ''It's Hamilton Time'' (Lake Street, 1994)
* ''Live!'' (Mons, 1996)
* ''Dynavibes'' (Mons, 1997)
* ''Hamilton House: Live at Steamers'' (Mons, 2000)
* ''Hands On'' (Mons, 2002)
* ''The Best Things Happen'' (Azica, 2004)
* ''From Studio 4, Cologne, Germany'' (Azica, 2006)
* ''Symbiosis'' (Capri, 2009)
* ''Red Sparkle'' (Capri, 2012)
* ''Time Passes On'' (Jazzed Media, 2012)
* ''The L.A. Session'' (In + Out, 2013)
* ''Live From San Pedro'' (Capri, 2018)
* ''Equal Time'' with Akiko Tsuruga, Graham Dechter (Capri, 2019)
* ''Catch Me If You Can'' (Capri, 2020)
* ''Merry & Bright'' (Capri, 2021)

With the L.A. 4
* 1978 ''Just Friends''
* 1978 ''Watch What Happens''
* 1979 ''Live at Montreux''
* 1980 ''Zaca''
* 1981 ''Montage''
* 1982 ''Executive Suite''

As sideman

With Monty Alexander
* 1976 ''Montreux Alexander - The Monty Alexander Trio LIVE! at the Montreux Festival''
* 1977 ''Live in Holland''
* 1979 ''Facets''
* 1983 ''Reunion in Europe''
* 1986 ''Li'l Darlin' ''

With Ernestine Anderson
* 1979 ''Sunshine''
* 1983 ''Big City''
* 1989 ''Boogie Down''

With Ray Brown
* 1979 ''Live at the Concord Jazz Festival''
* 1983 ''Trio'' also with Judy Roberts
* 1988 ''Summer Wind: Live at the Loa''
* 1989 '' Bam Bam Bam''
* 1989 ''Black Orpheus''
* 1991 ''Georgia on My Mind''
* 1991 ''Three Dimensional''
* 1993 ''Bassface Live at Kuumbwa''
* 1994 '' Don't Get Sassy''

With Michael Bublé
* 2005 '' It's Time''
* 2007 ''Call Me Irresponsible''

With Benny Carter
* 1994 '' Elegy in Blue'' (MusicMasters)

With Rosemary Clooney
* 1979 '' Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin''
* 1989 ''Show Tunes''
* 1994 ''Still on the Road''
* 2000 ''Brazil''

With Natalie Cole
* 1991 '' Unforgettable... with Love''
* 1993 '' Take a Look''
* 1994 '' Holly & Ivy''

With Scott Hamilton
* 1979 ''Tenorshoes''
* 1991 ''Race Point''
* 2015 ''Live in Bern''

With Atsuko Hashimoto
*2008 ''Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto''
*2011 ''Until the Sun Comes Up''

With Gene Harris
* 1988 ''Tribute to Count Basie''
* 1989 ''Listen Here!''
* 1989 ''Live at Town Hall, N.Y.C.''

With Diana Krall
* 1993 '' Stepping Out''
* 1999 '' When I Look in Your Eyes''
* 2001 '' The Look of Love''
* 2002 '' Live in Paris''
* 2006 '' From This Moment On''
* 2009 '' Quiet Nights''
* 2017 '' Turn Up the Quiet''
* 2020 '' This Dream of You''

With Cory Weeds
*2015 ''This Happy Madness''
*2017 ''Dreamsville''

With others
* 1977 ''Soul Fusion'', Milt Jackson
* 1979 ''Conception'', Ted Nash
* 1981 ''East of Suez'', Jackie and Roy
* 1981 ''Bop for Kerouac'', Mark Murphy
* 1982 ''Latin Odyssey'', Laurindo Almeida
* 1987 ''Spontaneous Combustion'', Barney Kessel
* 1988 ''Perfect Match'', George Shearing
* 1988 ''Reunion'', Mel Tormé
* 1992 ''Full Circle'', Jackie and Roy
* 1992 ''In Tribute'', Diane Schuur
* 1992 ''Midnight Sun'', Herb Alpert
* 1993 ''Back to Broadway'', Barbra Streisand
* 1994 ''Timepiece'', Kenny Rogers
* 1996 '' Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album'', Dee Dee Bridgewater
* 1998 ''Manilow Sings Sinatra'', Barry Manilow
* 1998 ''These Are Special Times'', Céline Dion
* 2004 ''Reneé Olstead'', Renee Olstead
* 2006 ''Dear Mr. Sinatra'', John Pizzarelli
* 2008 ''Blues & Beyond'', WDR Big Band
* 2012 ''It's a Wonderful World'', Stacey Kent
* 2012 ''Kisses on the Bottom'', Paul McCartney
* 2013 ''Wilford Brimley With the Jeff Hamilton Trio'', Wilford Brimley
* 2014 ''Life Journey'', Leon Russell

References

External links

Official web siteJeff Hamilton Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2018)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Jeff
1953 births
Living people
American jazz drummers
American jazz bandleaders
American big band bandleaders
Musicians from Richmond, Indiana
Drummers from Indiana
20th-century American drummers
American male drummers
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra members
The L.A. Four (band) members