Happy birthday, Scott Hamilton, tenor-saxophonist, born on this day in 1954

Happy birthday, Scott Hamilton, tenor-saxophonist, born on this day in 1954

Tangerine - Scott Hamilton in Hamburg 2024

Scott Hamilton: sax Joost van Schaik: drums Jos Machtel: bass Rein de Graaff: piano

Live at Elbjazz Festival Hamburg - Germany June 7, 2024

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Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton is the premier 'mainstream' saxophonist of today. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1954, he came along at the time when the kind of jazz he loved-the small-group swing of such great stylists as Illinois Jacquet and Eddie Lockjaw Davis-was unfashionable, and largely out of the public ear. Scott's handsome sound and impeccable phrasing were a rare commodity among young jazzmen. So when he signed to Concord Records, and began making albums for label boss and mainstream advocate Carl Jefferson, it caused surprise and excitement among both devotees of the style, and in the wider musical world.

His first Concord set, [Scott Hamilton is A Good Wind Who IS Blowing Us No Ill], was made in 1977 and took its title from an admiring remark from veteran jazz critic Leonard Feather. But it became only the first in a long and memorable series of albums for the label, which now stretches to nearly 30 releases. They feature Scoff's playing in all kinds of settings-with small groups, string orchestras, in partnership with such distinguished players as Ruby Braff and Dave McKenna, and in many other situations. The constant is Scoff's creative imagination and the beautiful, honeyed sound he gets out of the tenor saxophone.

While he acknowledges the sidelong influence of players such as John Coltrane, he continues to perform the music he loves, which first brought him into jazz - great ballads and blues, played from the heart, with the timeless virtues of swinging playing underscoring every phrase. A worldwide following of admirers wouldn't have it any other way.

Long regarded a consummate interpreter of standards, Scoff Hamilton's big, warm tenor saxophone tone and unerring sense of swing have a way of making every tune he plays uniquely his own. For his latest Concord Jazz outing, Hamilton-with the help of his simpatico group featuring John Bunch (piano), Dave Green (bass), and Steve Brown (drums)-presents some of his very favorite tunes. Tunes that happen to have been penned by other great jazz players, including such legendary jazz musicians/composers as Dave Brubeck, Fats Waller, Illinois Jacquet, Benny Carter, and many others.

His expressive "classic" tenor sax sound and impeccable phrasing were received with skepticism by some of his contemporaries, but they aroused great interest in the public familiar with the great tradition of swing musicians, especially from the moment he began to play record albums for the Concord company.

His first LP for the Californian label, (Scott Hamilton is a good wind that is blowing us no ill) was recorded in 1977, and borrows its title from a positive comment by famous critic Leonard Feather. About thirty albums followed, presenting Scott in the most varied musical contexts, from quartets to string orchestras, and with different artists (such as Dave McKenna, Warren Vaché, Howard Alden, or John Bunch), but offering as a constant his warm sound—derived from those of Ben Webster and Paul Gonsalves—and the imagination of his improvisations.

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Above labels and fashions, Scott Hamilton has managed to earn the respect and admiration of the public and critics with his artistic honesty and the continuity of his musical discourse. Oblivious to the advertising campaigns and media launches so chic these days, he has a legion of followers in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Although Scott does not deny the marginal influence of saxophonists such as John Coltrane, his playing style has remained intact over the last thirty years, and his repertoire includes standards, ballads, and blues, performed with good taste, imagination, and swing.

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Discography

As leader/co-leader

• Scott Hamilton Is a Good Wind Who Is Blowing Us No Ill (Concord Jazz, 1977)
• Scott Hamilton 2 (Concord Jazz, 1978)
• Scott Hamilton and Warren Vache (with Scott's Band in New York) (Concord Jazz, 1978)
• Live at Concord '77 with Ross Tompkins, Joe Venuti, Ray Brown, Jake Hanna (Concord Jazz, 1978)
• Back to Back with Buddy Tate (Concord Jazz, 1979)
• No Bass Hit with Jake Hanna, Dave McKenna (Concord Jazz, 1979)
• Tenorshoes (Concord Jazz, 1980)
• Skyscrapers with Warren Vache (Concord Jazz, 1980)
• Apples and Oranges (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• Scott's Buddy with Buddy Tate (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• Close Up (Concord Jazz, 1982)
• Tour De Force with Al Cohn (Concord Jazz, 1982)
• The Second Set with John Bunch (piano), Phil Flanigan (upright bass), Chris Flory (guitar) and Chuck Riggs (drums) as The Scott Hamilton Quintet (Concord Jazz, 1984). Recorded live at the Yamaha Hall, Tōkyō, Japan, June 1983.
• A First with Ruby Braff (Concord Jazz, 1985)
• A Sailboat in the Moonlight with Ruby Braff (Concord Jazz, 1986)
• Major League with Jake Hanna, Dave McKenna (Concord Jazz, 1986)
• A Sound Investment with Flip Phillips (Concord Jazz, 1987)
• Plays Ballads (Concord Jazz, 1989)
• Radio City (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• The Gene Harris/Scott Hamilton Quintet: At Last (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Groovin' High with Ken Peplowski, Spike Robinson (Concord Jazz, 1992)
• Race Point with Gerald Wiggins, Andy Simpkins, Jeff Hamilton, Howard Alden (Concord Jazz, 1992)
• Concord All-Stars on Cape Cod with Dave McKenna, Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood, Chuck Riggs, Carol Sloane, (Concord Jazz, 1992)
• Scott Hamilton with Strings (Concord Jazz, 1993)^[5]
• East of the Sun (Concord Jazz, 1993)
• Organic Duke (Concord Jazz, 1994)
• Live at the Brecon Jazz Festival (Concord Jazz, 1995)
• Groovin' High: Live at EJ's (JLR, 1996)
• My Romance (Concord Jazz, 1996)
• After Hours (Concord Jazz, 1997)
• Christmas Love Song (Concord Jazz, 1997)
• Late Night Christmas Eve (Concord Jazz, 1997)
• The Red Door with Bucky Pizzarelli (Concord, 1998)
• Blues Bop & Ballads (Concord Jazz, 1999)
• Jazz Signatures (Concord Jazz, 2001)
• Scott Hamilton Quartet Live in London (Concord Jazz, 2003)
• Heavy Juice with Harry Allen (Concord Jazz, 2004)
• Back in New York (Concord Jazz, 2005)
• Nocturnes & Serenades (Concord Jazz, 2006)
• Live at Jazztone Loerrach with Olaf Polziehn (Satin Doll, 2006)
• Zootcase with Alan Barnes (Woodville 2007)
• Across the Tracks (Concord Jazz, 2008)
• Mainstream Giants of Jazz (Robinwood, 2009)
• Scott Hamilton with Sandro Gibellini, Aldo Zunino, Alfred Kramer (Spazi Sonori, Livorno 2009)
• Midnight at Nola's Penthouse with Rossano Sportiello (Arbors, 2010)
• Hi-Ya with Alan Barnes (Woodville, 2010)
• A Splendid Trio with Howard Alden and Frank Tate (Arbors, 2011)
• Tight but Loose with Dusko Goykovich (Organic, 2011)
• Scott Hamilton Meets Jesper Thilo (Stunt, 2011)
• How About You with Bernard Pichl (Organic, 2011)
• 'Round Midnight with Harry Allen (Challenge, 2012)
• Remembering Billie (Blue Duchess, 2013)
• Swedish Ballads & More with Jan Lundgren (Stunt, 2013)
• I Could Write a Book with Andrea Pozza (Fone, 2013)
• Live at Smalls (Smallslive, 2014)
• Scott Hamilton Plays with the Dany Doriz Caveau de la Huchette Orchestra (Frémeaux & Associés, 2014)
• Bean and the Boys with Paolo Birro and Alfred Kramer (Fone, 2015)
• Who Cares? with Andrea Pozza (Fone, 2015)
• Live in Bern with Jeff Hamilton (Capri, 2015)
• Second Time Around with Dusko Goykovich (Organic, 2015)
• Scott Hamilton Plays Jule Styne (Blue Duchess, 2015)
• The Shadow of Your Smile (Blau, 2016)
• Live! with Harry Allen (Gac 2016)
• La Rosita (Blau, 2016)
• The Best Things in Life with Karin Krog (Stunt, 2016)
• Ballads for Audiophiles with Paolo Birro, Alfred Kramer, Aldo Zunino (Fone, 2017)
• Triple Treat with Leah Kline, Francesca Tandoi (2017)
• Meets the Piano Players (Organic, 2017)
• The Things We Did Last Summer with Champian Fulton (Blau, 2017)
• Moon Mist (Blau, 2018)
• Street of Dreams (Blau, 2019)
• Poinciana (Fonè Jazz, 2021)
• Classics (Stunt, 2022)

As sideman

With Harry Allen

• Just You, Just Me (BMG/Novus, 2003)
• Stompin' the Blues (Arbors, 2008)

With Ruby Braff

• A First (Concord Jazz, 1985)
• A Sailboat In The Moonlight (Concord Jazz 1986)
• Mr. Braff to You (Phontastic, 1986)
• Volume One (Concord Jazz, 1991)
• Volume Two (Concord Jazz, 1992)
• For the Last Time (Arbors, 2008)

With Charlie Byrd

• It's a Wonderful World (Concord Jazz, 1989)
• My Inspiration (Concord Picante, 1999)

With Rosemary Clooney

• Everything's Coming Up Rosie (Concord Jazz, 1977)
• Here's to My Lady (Concord Jazz, 1979)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin (Concord Jazz, 1980)
• With Love (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Cole Porter (Concord Jazz, 1982)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Harold Arlen (Concord Jazz, 1983)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Irving Berlin (Concord Jazz, 1984)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings Ballads (Concord, 1985)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Jimmy Van Heusen (Concord Jazz, 1986)
• Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Johnny Mercer (Concord Jazz, 1987)
• Show Tunes (Concord Jazz, 1989)
• Do You Miss New York? (Concord Jazz, 1993)

With Woody Herman

• Presents a Concord Jam Volume 1 (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• A Great American Evening Vol. 3 (Concord Jazz 1983)

With Eddie Higgins

• Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Venus, 2001)
• My Foolish Heart (Venus, 2002)
• My Funny Valentine (Venus, 2004)
• Christmas Songs 2 (Venus, 2006)
• It's Magic (Venus, 2006)
• A Handful of Stars (Venus, 2009)

With Duke Robillard

• Swing (Rounder, 1987)
• A Swinging Session with Duke Robillard (DixieFrog, 2008)

With Maxine Sullivan

• Uptown (Concord Jazz, 1985)
• Swingin' Sweet (Concord Jazz, 1988)

With Cal Tjader

• The Shining Sea (Concord Jazz, 1981)
• Both Sides of the Coin (Concord Picante, 2001)

With others

• Karrin Allyson, Scott Hamilton, Concord Jazz Festival All-Stars, Fujitsu-Concord 27th Jazz Festival (Concord 1996)
• Tony Bennett & k.d. lang, A Wonderful World (RPM/Columbia 2002)
• Bill Berry, For Duke (M&K, 1978)
• Ed Bickert, At Toronto's Bourbon Street (Concord Jazz, 1983)
• Ray Brown, At Last (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Jimmy Bruno, Live at Birdland II (Concord Jazz, 1999)
• John Bunch, John's Other Bunch (Famous Door, 1977)
• Benny Carter, A Gentleman and His Music (Concord Jazz, 1985)
• Dany Doriz, Scott Hamilton Plays with The Dany Doriz Caveau De La Huchette Orchestra (Fremeaux & Associes, 2014)
• Herb Ellis, At Last (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Manfredo Fest, Oferenda (Concord Picante, 1993)
• Chris Flory, Duke Robillard, Blues in My Heart (Stony Plain, 2007)
• Chris Flory, The Chris Flory Quintet Featuring Scott Hamilton (Arbors, 2011)
• Jay Geils, Jay Geils Plays Jazz! (Stony Plain, 2005)
• Steve Goodman, Say It in Private (Asylum, 1977)
• Gene Harris, At Last (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Harold Jones, At Last (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Eiji Kitamura, Dear Friends (Concord Jazz, 1980)
• Brian Lemon, Roy Williams, How Long Has This Been Going On? (Zephyr, 1996)
• Tina May, I'll Take Romance (Linn, 2003)
• Susannah McCorkle, Sabia (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Dave McKenna, No Holds Barred (Famous Door, 1979)
• Butch Miles, Miles and Miles of Swing (Famous Door, 1978)
• Andrea Motis, Live at Jamboree Barcelona (Swit 2013)
• Red Norvo, Red in New York (Famous Door, 1977)
• Gerry Mulligan, Soft Lights & Sweet Music (Concord Jazz, 1986)
• Ken Peplowski, Mr. Gentle and Mr. Cool (Concord Jazz, 1990)
• Flip Phillips, Flip Philllips Celebrates His 80th Birthday at the March of Jazz 1995 (Arbors, 2003)
• Jess Roden, The Player Not the Game (Island, 1977)
• Roomful of Blues, The First Album (Varrick 1988)
• Derek Smith, The Man I Love (Progressive, 1978)
• Larry Vuckovich, Somethin' Special (Tetrachord Music 2011)
• Warren Vaché Jr., Blues Walk (Dreamstreet, 1978)
• Bob Wilber, Bob Wilber and the Scott Hamilton Quartet (Chiaroscuro, 1977)