Jimmy Hamilton And The Duke's Men – November 21 1945
Stanley Dance – The Benny Morton and Jimmy Hamilton Blue Note Swingtets – Mosaic Records
Jimmy Hamilton, born in South Carolina in 1917, was raised from the age of five in Philadelphia. His father played clarinet in a brass band and often brought different instruments back to the house. A baritone horn so fascinated the young Hamilton that by the age of eight he was himself playing in brass bands. He next studied piano, trumpet and trombone, but during his first professional engagement — a long one — in the Frank Fairfax band, of which Charlie Shavers and Dizzy Gillespie were members, he switched to clarinet, the difficult instrument that was to be his great love.
“l liked anything that was a challenge,” he once told this writer, "and Benny Goodman had a great influence on me. I had heard a little of Jimmie Noone on records, and I listened to Barney Bigard, Buster Bailey and Artie Shaw. but it was Benny who inspired me, and soon I could play many of his solos note for note."
After moving to New York, he worked with Lucky Millinder. Jimmy Mundy, Teddy Wilson, Benny Carter, Eddie Heywood and Yank Porter until late in 1942. when he joined Duke Ellington with whom he was to remain until 1968. Taking the place of Barney Bigard, with his totally different style, was a problem, at least so far as the band's fans were concerned. but Ellington unquestionably appreciated his formidable technique and purity of sound. His treatment of ballad standards, and the skill he later developed for flying over the top of the ensemble in an updated New Orleans manner, eventually won over a new audience. In the section, he mostly played tenor saxophone. an instrument he affected to despise. at least in comparison with the clarinet. So different in intent and execution were his tenor solos that they suggested a split personality. On saxophone, he came on like on like a cross between Ben Webster and Al Sears. a dirty, lowdown quality often manifesting itself, whereas his clarinet sounded almost “legitimate” with its immaculate tone and impeccable phrasing.
During his quarter-century with Ellington, Hamilton developed a considerable ability as an arranger. and he was responsible for most of the writing on this session with four of his colleagues from Ellington's band. as presented in this collection. It was the first session under his own name, and he may well have been over-ambitious or over-anxious.
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| Sid Catlett and Harry Carney |
OLD UNCLE BUD never really jells. The arrangement is too busy and everybody seems to be tense and trying too hard. Maybe a few more takes or more rehearsal would have brought success to Otto Hardwick's composition. Ray Nance seems particularly ill at ease.
BLUES FOR CLARINETS is a different matter entirely. There is a pretty opening chorus for the ensemble with all three reed men on clarinets, and then Henderson Chambers steps in with a chorus that is outstanding in its depth of feeling. This trombonist never had much exposure on records. but he clearly had a story to tell on the blues. He had a wonderfully full. broad tone, rather like that of George Matthews. He must be regarded as a much underrated player. (There's another fine example of his work on THE HUCKLEBUCK by Buck Clayton on Columbia.) He stars again in the last chorus, this time with plunger mute. and still with stirring conviction. In between his solos are statements by Harry Carney, Nance and Hamilton, the latter being joined by Hardwick on clarinet for an atmospheric passage that briefly evokes memories of THE MOOCHE and other Ellington masterpieces.
SLAPSTICK, at a brisk medium tempo, swings in typical Ellington small-band fashion. After an ensemble chorus. Hamilton enters a la Goodman. followed by Carney and Nance before a return to the ensemble. The writing from here on is not too cleanly executed. Sidney Catlett must have decided that the horns needed some help, so after his break he drives them home remorselessly. Note how he and Oscar Pettiford team throughout this session.
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| Jimmy Hamilton and Harry Carney Photo by Francis Wolff |
B-6507 Liner Notes – Dan Morgenstern
We also hear two samples from Blue Note's only excursion into Ellingtonia proper, a Jimmy Hamilton date with ringers Henderson Chambers, Jimmy Jones, and the great Sid Catlett (also present on River Edge). This is typical Ellington small-band music, which means the best of the genre. Standouts are Ray Nance and Harry Carney, but there are also fine, musicianly solos from the leader and Jones, plus a good, rare plunger by Chambers.
The Blue Note Swingtets – 1998 CD Liner Notes – Dan Morgenstern
Jimmy Hamilton was [Barney] Bigard's permanent replacement in the Ellington band. Joining in 1942, he stuck around for 25 years, doubling tenor and supplying plenty of arrangements to the book, many of them uncredited. His clarinet style was inspired by Benny Goodman (he had the technique to bring it off) and his tenor was contrastingly gutty and blues-based. This was his first date as a leader, and he brought with him some distinguished Ducal colleagues: Harry Carney and Otto Hardwick from the reed section, Ray Nance from the brasses, and Oscar Pettiford from the rhythm, the latter joined up-and-coming Jimmy Jones on piano and nonpareil Mr. Catlett, a Blue Note regular. The ringer among the horns is Henderson Chambers, a fine, unsung trombonist who was then in Edmond Hall's Café Society band.
More writing here than customary at Blue Note, but these cats could cut a chart with the best of them, and Hamilton's quite sophisticated scores come off well. "Blues For Clarinets" shows off Carney's and section-leader Hardwick's prowess on the "licorice stick," and both brassman have soulful statements. Carney takes his solo spot on baritone; to this day, no one has come close to matching the majestic sound! "Slapstick" is definitely vintage 1945; Hamilton is clearly no stranger to the harmonic experiments then au courant in jazz. This fast blues with altered changes has some tricky ensemble passages, always underpinned by Pettiford and especially Catlett, who's in there at all times. "Blues In My Music Room" is Dukish in hues, with fine Carney, Hamilton, Nance and Chambers solos, A notable debut for the elegant Mr. Hamilton, and yet another chapter in Blue Note's love affair with the blues — in all its guises.
Ray Nance, trumpet; Henderson Chambers, trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet; Otto Hardwick, alto sax, clarinet; Harry Carney, baritone sax, clarinet; Jimmy Jones, piano; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Sidney Catlett, drums.
WOR Studios, NYC, November 21, 1945
BN268-1, Old Uncle Bud
BN269-4, Blues For Clarinets, Blue Note BLP 5027
BN270-0, Slapstick, Blue Note BLP 5027, B-6507
BN271-1, Blues In My Music Room
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