Foreststorn “Chico” Hamilton
September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013
Chico Hamilton was an influential American jazz drummer who helped define the West Coast cool jazz style of the 1950s. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Hamilton played in the same high school band as future greats, Charles Mingus and Dexter Gordon before going on to play with the likes of Lionel Hampton, T-Bone Walker, and Gerry Mulligan. In 1948, he was hired to tour with Lena Horne with whom he performed for over six years, thus establishing himself as one of the era’s top sidemen. In 1955, he recorded his first album under his own name and continued to do so more than 60 times throughout the rest of his career. Hamilton also appeared as a drummer in the film Sweet Smell of Success and others. During the ’60s, he scored numerous movies and television programs. In 1987, he co-founded the jazz department at New School University. Chico Hamilton was 92 when he passed away on November 25, 2013.
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