Jimmy Hamilton


Jimmy Hamilton was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Biography

Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in Philadelphia. Having learned to play piano and brass instruments, in the 1930s he started playing the latter in local bands before switching to clarinet and saxophone. During this time he studied with clarinet teacher Leon Russianoff. In 1939, he played with Lucky Millinder, Jimmy Mundy, and Bill Doggett, going on to join the Teddy Wilson sextet in 1940. After two years with Wilson, he played with Eddie Heywood and Yank Porter.
In 1943, he replaced Barney Bigard in the Duke Ellington orchestra and stayed with Ellington until 1968. His style was different on his two instruments: on tenor saxophone he had an R&B sound, while on clarinet he was much more precise and technical. He wrote some of his own material in his time with Ellington.
After he left the Ellington orchestra, Hamilton played and arranged on a freelance basis before spending the 1970s and 1980s in the Virgin Islands teaching music. On his retirement from teaching, he continued to perform with his own groups in 1989 and 1990. Hamilton died on September 20, 1994, in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, at the age of 77.

Discography

As leader

Clarinet in High Fi Jimmy Hamilton and the New York Jazz Quintet Swing Low Sweet Clarinet It's About Time Can't Help Swinging In a Sentimental Mood Rediscovered at the Buccaneer S'weet But Tribute to Barney Bigard and Russell Procope
With Clarinet SummitIn Concert at the Public Theater
  • ''Southern Bells''

As sideman

With Duke EllingtonMasterpieces by Ellington Ellington Uptown Live At The Crystal Gardens 1952 Ellington '55 Seattle Concert Ellington Showcase Historically Speaking Duke Ellington Presents... Liberian Suite Ellington at Newport A Drum Is a Woman All Star Road Band Such Sweet Thunder Black, Brown and Beige Newport 1958 The Cosmic Scene Ellington Indigos Jazz Party Ellington Moods Festival Session Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque Anatomy of a Murder Blues in Orbit First Time! The Count Meets the Duke Paris Blues Midnight in Paris Piano in the Background All American in Jazz Afro-Bossa The Great Paris Concert The Symphonic Ellington All Star Road Band Volume 2 Ellington '65 Harlem Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins Concert in the Virgin Islands The Popular Duke Ellington Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music Far East Suite Soul Call Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur Liederhalle Stuttgart 1967 And His Mother Called Him Bill Second Sacred Concert Black, Brown and Beige Live At The Opernhaus Cologne 1969