**JUST ANNOUNCED- CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA PLACE FOR THE 7TH STRAIGHT YEAR IN 1998'S 63RD ANNUAL DOWNBEAT READER'S POLL IN THE ELECTRIC JAZZ GROUP CATEGORY AND CHICO HIMSELF PLACES AGAIN IN THE DRUMS CATEGORY**

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     FEBRUARY 15, 1999

Joyous Shout! is proud to announce that legendary jazz drummer and bandleader Chico Hamilton will be performing with his "Euphoria"group, featuring Eric Person on saxes, Cary DeNigris on guitar, and Paul Ramsey on bass, March 25th thru 27th at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, NYC tel. 212.581.3080, on a double bill with the Joe Chambers Group. After another SOLD OUT performance by Chico and his ³Euphoria² group in December on the ³Jazz Live!² series from Flushing Town Hall in NYC, January '99 has kicked off with Chico and his "Euphoria" group performing on the "Jazz En El Tambo" Festival in Uruguay, and on the 35th Anniversary Celebration at the Whiskey A Go Go in LA, and getting March off to an exciting start Chico will be recording his first album as part of a new recording contract for soon to be announced. Chico has also keeping busy with speaking engagements following up on his being featured on the cover of the journal "Black Issues in Higher Education", and working on his autobiography, a children's book, and a screenplay based on his early years on the Central Avenue scene in Los Angeles.

We are happy to bring to your attention that Ovation, the new cable arts network, presenter of the US TV debut Fall '97 of the Chico Hamilton documentary film, DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER, rebroadcast the film four times in April '98. We are even more proud to announce that Chico will be receiving the Mannes/New School "Beacons of Jazz" award, in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of jazz." Throughout the Fall of '97, Chico and his Euphoria group performed to a SOLD OUT audience on the JAZZ AT WOODSTOCK series, and performed on their first tour in Greece to SOLD OUT audiences for 7 nights in Athens, and 1 night each in Kastoria and Thessaloniki. We are looking forward to an imminent announcement of a new recording deal for Chico, and building upon the successes of the last few years we feel that 1999 will really be a remarkable year in the further adventures of Chic, Chic, Chico!! In 1997, Chico and his Euphoria group were honored to spend 5 days in Albi, France where Chico was Artist in Residence (doing clinics, master classes, a performance with a local big band doing arrangements of his music, and several shows with his Euphoria group), and if you will remember Chico's 10 city tour of France in 1996 was declared the Cultural Event of the Month by a national daily newspaper. Also in 1997 was a 7 day tour of the UK with barnstorming dates in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle,Liverpool, Cambridge, Birmingham, Norwich and London. In London Chico also shot a feature for the NBC Europe show 'Talking Jazz' which broadcast this past Fall, following up on the success of the European premiere of the documentary film 'Chico Hamilton- Dancing To A Different Drummer' on the French/German Arts Network ARTE which was seen by 165,000 viewers.

Still reverberating is all the talk about the incendiary performances by Chico and his Euphoria group Summer of 1996 at the Festival Int'l De Jazz De Montreal (broadcast throughout all of Canada by CBC French Radio), at the Ford Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival on two different stages in one day (broadcast throughout all of the US by NPR), at the Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors Festival for 9000 people, at the Brecon Jazz Festival (broadcast throughout Wales on BBC Wales) in Wales, and Chico's first ever performance in Portugal on the Jazz Em Agosto Festival. Also continuing is Chico's impressive run in the Down Beat Reader's Poll placing his 'Arroyo' CD in the 'Jazz Album of the Year' category in 1992, his 'Dancing To A Different Drummer' solo drum CD in the 'Jazz Album of the Year' category in 1995, his Euphoria group placing in the 'Electric Jazz Group' category again in 1997 and the past 6 years, and Chico himself placing in the 'drums' category several times in the past 5 years.

Feel free to contact me for more information or update promotional materials.

Thanks.

Peace.

Keep the Faith.

Jeffrey