The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of the Chico Hamilton Quintet

The original Chico Hamilton Quintet was one of the last significant West Coast jazz bands of the cool era. Consisting of Buddy Collette on reeds (flute, clarinet, alto, and tenor), guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Carson Smith, and the drummer/leader, the most distinctive element in the group's identity was cellist Fred Katz. The band could play quite softly, blending together elements of bop and classical music into their popular sound and occupying their own niche. This six-CD, limited-edition box set from 1997 starts off with a Hamilton drum solo from a 1954 performance with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet ; it contains three full albums and many previously unreleased numbers) by the original Chico Hamilton band and also has quite a few titles from the second Hamilton group (which has Paul Horn and John Pisano in the places of Collette and Hall). In addition, there are three titles from the third Hamilton Quintet (with Eric Dolphy on flute and alto) and a 1959 Duke Ellington tribute date that featured both Collette and Horn. Most of these performances were formerly quite rare and never reissued coherently before. Highly recommended to jazz historians and to listeners who enjoy classic cool jazz, this box is sure to be sold out quickly.

Scott Yanow (All Music)

Source: http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-pacific-jazz-recordings-of-the-chico-hamilton-quintet-mw0000921997

The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings

of the

Chico Hamilton

Quintet

Tracks

Cd. 1

1 Drums West (Hamilton)  4:19

2 A Nice Day (Collette)  2:55

3 My Funny Valentine (Rodgers, Hart)  4:21

4 Blue Sands (Collette)  6:38

5 The Sage (Katz)  3:37

6 The Morning After (Hamilton)  2:10

7 I Want to Be Happy (Youmans, Caesar)  2:13

8 Spectacular (Hall)  5:19

9 Free Form (Hamilton)  5:05

10 Walking Carson Blues (Smith)  6:15

11 Buddy Boo (Collette)  5:20

12 Gone With the Wind (Magidson, Wrubel)  5:08

13 Topsy (Durham, Battle)  8:24
14 Undecided (Shavers)  9:07

*

Cd. 2

1 My Old Flame (Johnston, Coslow)  4:33

2 The Saint (Hall)  4:31

3 It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (Mills, Ellington)  6:04

4 Stella by Starlight (Washington, Young)  2:40

5 Caravan (Mills, Ellington, Tizol)  6:08

6 Tea for Two (Youmans, Caesar)  5:39

7 Fast Flute (Collette, Hamilton)  6:05

8 Change It (Collette)  2:41

9 Cute Little Deal (Jones)  3:01

10 A Mood (Katz)  3:57

11 This Is Your Day (Collette)  3:58

12 I'll Keep Loving You (Bud Powell)  2:19

13 Crazy Rhythm (Caesar, Meyer, Kahn)  4:17

*

Cd. 3

1 Jonalah (Smith)  2:21

2 Chrissie (Hall)  3:53

3 The Wind (Freeman)  3:38

4 Gone Lover When Your Lover Has Gone (Swan)  3:51

5 The Ghost (Collette)  5:11

6 Sleepy Slept Here (Collette)  4:14

7 Taking a Chance on Love (Duke, Latouche, Fetter)  4:13

8 The Squimp (Katz)  1:53

9 Topsy (Durham, Battle)  4:53

10 Sleep (Burtnett, Geibel)  2:31

11 I Know (Theme) #1 (Hall)  0:58

12 Chanel #5 (Smith)  4:40

13 Beanstalk (Smith)  5:17

14 September Song (Weill, Anderson)  3:36

15 Siete-Cuatro (Hall)  4:54
16 Mr. Jo Jones (Hamilton)  3:15

17 I Know (Theme) #2 (Hall)  0:40

18 Mr. Smith Goes to Town (Smith)  2:52

*

Cd. 4

1 Satin Doll (Ellington, Strayhorn)  4:39

2 Lillian (Katz)  5:10

3 Reflections (Katz)  5:28

4 Soft Winds (Henderson)  4:51

5 Caravan (Mills, Ellington, Tizol)  3:25

6 I Know (Theme) #3 (Hall)  0:41

7 Lord Randall (Katz)  7:32

8 Suite for Horn (Katz)  13:34
a. Allegro
b. Zen
c. Science-Fiction

9 Pluck It (Katz)  2:58

10 Classical (Katz)  2:59

11 Loma (Katz)  3:27

12 Granada (Lara, Musel, Lisbona)  3:54

13 Katz-Up (Smith)  3:51

14 Montuna (Katz)  4:37

*

Cd. 5

1 Lord Randall (Katz)  8:32
2 Walking Carson Blues (Smith)  6:09
3 Folk Lore (Smith)  4:11
4 Lapis Lazuli (Smith)  4:05
5 Concerto Petite (Katz)  8:22
6 Show Me (Lerner)  3:28
7 I'm a Funny Dame (Dubey)  2:38
8 Music to Eat By (Hamilton)  6:30
9 A Wonderful Guy (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:15
10 This Nearly Was Mine (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:53
11 Dites-moi (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:01
12 Some Enchanted Evening (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:16

*

Cd. 6

1 Bali Ha'i (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  4:42

2 There Is Nothin' Like a Dame (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:03

3 Younger Than Springtime (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  3:31

4 Happy Talk (Rodgers, Hammerstein)  2:59

5 A Cockeyed Optimist (Rodgers, Hammerstein II)  1:53

6 Honey Bun (Rodgers, Hammerstein II)  4:20

7 I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair (Rodgers, Hammerstein II)  2:39

8 In a Sentimental Mood (Mills, Ellington, Kurtz)  2:26

9 I'm Beginning to See the Light (Hodges, James, Ellington, George)  3:03

10 In a Mellow Tone (Ellington, Gabler)  2:25

11 Medley : Take the a Train/Perdido (Strayhorn, Tizol)  3:37

12 Everything But You (James, Ellington, George)  4:32

13 I'm Just a Lucky So and So (Ellington, David)  4:53

14 Azure (Mills, Ellington)  3:32

15 I'm Beginning to See the Light (Hodges, James, Ellington, George)  4:02

16 In a Mellow Tone (Ellington, Gabler)  3:38

17 Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin' (Ellington, Strayhorn, Gaines )  3:22
18 In a Sentimental Mood (Mills, Ellington, Kurtz)  4:46

19 Day Dream (Ellington, Latouche, Strayhorn)  3:55

20 It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (Mills, Ellington)  4:16

*

Personnel

[Cd. 1, # 1]

Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded live at Stockton High School, Stockton, California ; November 12, 1954

[Cd. 1, # 2-6]

Buddy Collette - fl, cl, as & ts

Fred Katz - cel

Jim Hall - g

Carson Smith - b

Chico Hamiton - dr

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles ; August 23, 1955

[Cd. 1, # 7-11]

Same as above

Recorded live at Strollers, Long Beach, California ; August 4, 1955

[Cd. 1, # 12-14 ; Cd. 2, # 1-4]

Same as above

Recorded same place as above ; August 4 or November 11, 1955

[Cd. 2, # 5-13]

Same as above

Recorded same place as above ; November 11, 1955

[Cd. 3, # 1-5]

Same as above

Recorded in Los Angeles ; January 4, 1956

[Cd. 3, # 6-10]

Same as above

Recorded at Music Box Theatre, Los Angeles ; February 10 & 13, 1956

[Cd. 3, # 11-18 & Cd. 4, # 1-6]

Paul Horn - pcc, fl, cl & as

Fred Katz - cel

John Pisano - g

Carson Smith - b

Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded at Forum Theatre, Los Angeles ; October 21 & 24, 1956

[Cd. 4, # 7-14]

Same as above, except

Dick Noel, Joe Howard, Herbie Harper - tb

Harry Klee - fl

Willy Schwartz - cl

Julie Jacobs - ob

Marty Beman - bssn, are added [# 8 only]

Recorded in Los Angeles ; November, 1956

[Cd. 5, # 1-5]

Same as above, except

Anahid Ajemian - vl, is added [# 5 only]

Recorded live at Town Hall, New York City ; May 26, 1957

[Cd. 5, # 6 & 7]

Same as above

Recorded in Los Angeles ; August 12, 1957

[Cd. 5, # 8-12 ; & Cd. 6, # 1-7]

Paul Horn - fl, cl & as

Fred Katz - cel

John Pisano - g

Hal Gaylor - b

Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded in Los Angeles ; January 15, 24, 29 & 30, 1958

[Cd. 6, # 8-10]

Eric Dolphy - fl & as

Nate Gershman - cel

John Pisano - g

Hal Gaylor - b

Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded in Los Angeles ; circa April 1958

[Cd. 6, # 11-20]

Paul Horn - fl, cl & as

Buddy Collette - fl, as & ts

Fred Katz - cel

Jim Hall - g

Carson Smith - b & arr.

Chico Hamilton - dr

Recorded at Sound Enterprises, Los Angeles ; January 9 & 12, 1959