Joyous Shout! is HAPPY to announce that Legendary Jazz Drummer and Bandleader Chico Hamilton's 2001 will start off discreetly performing a benefit for the New School Jazz Vanguard Program on January 17 at the 24 Fifth Avenue Ballroom, NYC, with his young EUPHORIA group featuring Cary DeNigris on guitar, Paul Ramsey on bass, Erik Lawrence on alto & soprano saxes and Evan Schwam on tenor sax.

June 12 will see the release of Chico's debut recording for Koch Jazz, FORESTSTORN. The new album features several special guests illustrative of Chico's influence on the music of yesterday, today, and tomorrow!! In the studio with Chico this past October were several former members of Chico's group- including alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe, trombonist Steve Turre (and his wife Akua Dixon on cello), and soprano saxophonist Eric Person. Also present was a former student of Chico's from the New School Jazz program in NYC who has gone on to a successful career in the industry- guitarist Eric Schenkman, formerly of the Spin Doctors. Adding his part in London this past December was Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones. And contributing his part just a few days ago was another former student of Chico's, who has gone on to a successful career in the industry- John Popper, front man of The Blues Traveler. More information on this upcoming release will be publicized shortly.

May 2nd will also bring Chico being featured on NPR’s Jazz Profiles series, hosted by Nancy Wilson. This series is produced by Tim Owens, with Chico’s show being reported by Njemile Carol Jones. For further information please point your browser at http://npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/programs.html.

2000 was a HECTIC year for Chico and his young EUPHORIA group with blazing shows out West at the Blue Heron in Missoula, MT and Vartan's in Denver, CO, at The Priory Jazz Space in Newark, NJ, for a weeklong stint at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, CA, on the Sunnyside Jazz Festival in Tarrytown, NY, the Flint Jazz Festival in Michigan, the JVC Jazz Festival in NYC, the Juneteenth Heritage and Jazz festival in St. Louis, another sold out show at the Wild Rose Café in Bridgehampton, NY on a benefit for WPBX-FM Radio, at Blues Alley in Washington, DC as part of the 2000 Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, and three Friday evening shows in April kicking off the new "Starry Nights: Fridays Under the Sphere at the Rose Center for Earth and Space" Music Series at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC.

One of the REAL highlights of '99 was Chico being honored with the New School "Beacons of Jazz" award, in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of jazz." This past July, Chico was a judge in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz's Jazz Composer's Competition.

Joyous Shout! is also proud to announce that Chico Hamilton is now being booked worldwide exclusively by Concerted Efforts, P.O. Box 600099, Newtonville, MA 02460 Tel: 617.969.0810 Fax: 617.969.6761 Email: concerted@concertedefforts.com Website: www.concertedefforts.com. Chico and his young Euphoria group will be touring extensively in support of the new "Foreststorn" album.

Stay tuned for the FURTHER ADVENTURES OF CHIC, CHIC, CHICO IN 2001!!

Thanks...Peace...Keep the Faith

Jeffrey