In March of 2011, with his 90th birthday six months off, legendary jazz drummer/bandleader & NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn ‘Chico’ Hamilton trekked out of his New York City penthouse apartment to helm a marathon recording session resulting in 28 new tracks with his Euphoria group @ Manhattan Sound Recording Studios on midtown’s west side.
No one woodsheds like a jazz drummer, and coming off a health setback during the Summer of 2010, Chico and his Euphoria group: Paul Ramsey on bass; Nick Demopoulos on guitar; Evan Schwam on saxes, flute & piccolo; Mayu Saeki on flute, alto flute & piccolo; and Jeremy Carlstedt on drums and percussion; began sheding @ weekly rehearsals @ Chico’s Penthouse A. These weekly rehearsals played an important part in Chico’s rehabilitation, facilitated Chico and his group becoming very tight with each other and exploring places musically they had not previously gone together, and brought together a wealth of new original material, offered up in three courses, each of which is a different viewpoint of Chico’s Revelation.
The Euphoric EP, CD- Chico’s very proud of each member of his Euphoria group, both in how they have matured as players and in how they have developed as composers. A testament to both the prowess of each group member as a composer, and to Chico’s strength as a leader, this release is a tip of the hat from Chico to his Euphoria group gathering the group members original compositions together, half of which are exclusive to this format.
Happy 90th Birthday Chico!!
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