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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

clarinetist The clarinet is a single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The clarinet family is the largest woodw ...

and

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Biography

Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in Philadelphia. Having learned to play

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

and

brass instrument A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by Sympathetic resonance, sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. The term ''labrosone'', from Latin elements meani ...

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 Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing music, swing and rhythm and blues, rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang ...

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 7 ...

, and Bill Doggett, going on to join the

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 music, swing pianist", Wilson's piano style was gentle, elegant, and virtuosic. His style was high ...

sextet in 1940. After two years with Wilson, he played with Eddie Heywood and

Yank Porter Yank Allen Porter (ca. 1895, Norfolk, Virginia"Yank Porter". '' Grove Jazz'' online. – March 22, 1944, New York City) was an American jazz drummer. Porter moved to New York City in 1926 and played there with Calvin Jackson until 1930. In t ...

. In 1943, he replaced

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 Creoles of color, Cr ...

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 () are an archipelago between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Caribbean Sea, geographically forming part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, Caribbean islands or West Indie ...

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 piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

* '' Masterpieces by Ellington'' (Columbia, 1951) * '' Ellington Uptown'' (Columbia, 1952) * ''Live At The Crystal Gardens 1952'' (Hep, 2011) * ''

Ellington '55 ''Ellington '55'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded for the Capitol label in 1953 and 1954 and released in 1955. The album features the Ellington Orchestra's performances of popular big band composi ...

'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''Seattle Concert'' (RCA Victor, 1954) * '' Ellington Showcase'' (Capitol, 1955) * '' Historically Speaking'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Duke Ellington Presents...'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Liberian Suite'' (Columbia, 1956) * ''

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 ...

'' (Columbia, 1956) * '' A Drum Is a Woman'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''

All Star Road Band ''All Star Road Band'' is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded at Sunset Ballroom in Carrolltown, Pennsylvania for radio broadcast and first released as a double LP on Bob Thiele's Doctor Jazz label ...

'' (Doctor Jazz, 1957

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* '' Such Sweet Thunder'' (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 attempt to transform attitudes about race, ...

'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''

Newport 1958 ''Newport 1958'' is a 1958 album by Duke Ellington, recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival of that year and later in the Columbia recording studio. It was released two years after '' Ellington at Newport'', the 1956 album that led to Ellington's ...

'' (Columbia, 1958) * '' The Cosmic Scene'' (Columbia, 1958) * '' Ellington Indigos'' (Columbia, 1958) * '' Jazz Party'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''Ellington Moods'' (Sesac, 1959) * '' Festival Session'' (Columbia, 1959) * '' Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''

Anatomy of a Murder ''Anatomy of a Murder'' is a 1959 American legal drama film produced and directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Wendell Mayes was based on the 1958 novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under ...

'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''

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.

'' (Columbia, 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 and aspiring novelist, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationsh ...

'' (Columbia, 1962) * '' Piano in the Background'' (Columbia, 1962) * '' All American in Jazz'' (Columbia, 1962) * '' Afro-Bossa'' (Reprise, 1963) * '' The Great Paris Concert'' (Atlantic, 1963

973 Year 973 ( CMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – The Byzantine army, led by General Melias ( Domestic of the Schools in the East), continues the op ...

* '' The Symphonic Ellington'' (Reprise, 1963) * '' All Star Road Band Volume 2'' (Doctor Jazz, 1964 985 * ''

Ellington '65 ''Ellington '65'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded in 1964 and released on the Reprise Records, Reprise label in 1965. The album features recordings of popular tunes arranged by Ellington and Billy ...

'' (Reprise, 1964) * ''Harlem'' (Pablo, 1964 985 * '' Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins'' (Reprise, 1964) * ''

Concert in the Virgin Islands ''Concert in the Virgin Islands'' is an album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded and released on the Reprise Records, Reprise label in 1965.

'' (Reprise 1965) * '' The Popular Duke Ellington'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * '' Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * '' Far East Suite'' (RCA Victor, 1967) * '' Soul Call'' (Verve, 1967) * ''

Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur ''Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur'' is a 1967 live album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the big band of Duke Ellington. It was recorded live at the Jazz à Juan festival at Juan-les-Pins, on the French Riviera, between June 26 and July 29 ...

'' (Verve, 1967; with

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, 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, phra ...

) * ''Liederhalle Stuttgart 1967'' (SWR, Jazzhaus, 2020) * '' And His Mother Called Him Bill'' (RCA Victor, 1968) * ''Second Sacred Concert'' (Fantasy, 1968) * ''

'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Live At The Opernhaus Cologne 1969'' (Delta Music, 2016) * '' 70th Birthday Concert'' {Sol;id State, 1969 With

Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophone, 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 sop ...

* '' Used to Be Duke'' (Norgran, 1954) * '' Creamy'' (Norgran, 1955) * '' Ellingtonia '56'' (Norgran, 1956) * '' The Big Sound'' (Verve, 1957) * '' Duke's in Bed'' (Verve, 1957) * ''

Not So Dukish ''Not So Dukish'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1958 and released on the Verve Records, Verve label.

'' (Verve, 1958) * ''The Rabbit'' (Vogue, 1962) * ''

Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra __NOTOC__ ''Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra'' is a 1962 studio album by Johnny Hodges accompanied by an orchestra arranged by Billy Strayhorn. The album features many members of Duke Ellington's orchestra. The album was reis ...

'' (Verve, 1962) * '' Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges'' (Impulse!, 1964) * '' Blue Notes'' (Verve, 1966) * '' Blue Pyramid'' (Verve, 1966) * '' Don't Sleep in the Subway'' (Verve, 1967) * ''

Triple Play In baseball or softball, a triple play (denoted as TP in baseball statistics) is the act of making three out (baseball), outs during the same play. There have only been 739 triple plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1876, an average of ju ...

'' (RCA Victor, 1967) * '' Swing's Our Thing'' (Verve, 1968) * ''Jumpin' with Johnny Hodges'' (Vogue, 1973) * ''Ellingtonia!'' (Onyx, 1974) With others * Ralph Burns, ''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 saxophon ...

, ''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 (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccin ...

, ''

Blue Rose A blue rose is a flower of the genus ''Rosa'' (family Rosaceae) that presents blue-to-violet pigmentation instead of the more common red, white, or yellow, through use of artificial means such as dyes. Blue roses are often used to symbolize myst ...

'' (Columbia, 1956) *

& Duke Ellington, '' Ella at Duke's Place'' (Verve, 1966) *

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, " ...

, ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...

'' (Impulse!, 1966) *

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

& Duke Ellington, '' Francis A. & Edward K.'' (Reprise, 1968) * Lucky Thompson, ''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 Saxophone, saxophonist. He performed in the United States and Europe and made many recordings with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges, a ...

, '' Music for Loving'' (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 ...

, '' Basically Duke'' (Bethlehem, 1954) * Coleman Hawkins, ''

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 Ellingt ...

'' (Swingville, 1961)

References

External links

* Jimmy Hamilton— brief biography by Scott Yanow, for AllMusic. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Jimmy 1917 births 1994 deaths American jazz clarinetists American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists Duke Ellington Orchestra members People from Dillon, South Carolina People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Swing clarinetists Swing saxophonists 20th-century American saxophonists Musicians from South Carolina American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians