The New Year finds legendary jazz bandleader and drummer Chico Hamilton continuing the resurgence in his career begun four years ago with a string of recordings for the Soul Note label and carried along by the November/December 1994 and May 1995 presentation by the French/German Arts Network ARTE of CHICO HAMILTON: DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER, a sixty minute documentary about Chico, his career, his music and his life, directed by Julian Benedikt. Chico's final release on the Soul Note label, DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER, which is heavily featured in the film, is receiving much critical acclaim as have Chico's previous Soul Note releases, THE ORIGINAL CHICO HAMILTON QUINTET- REUNION, CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA- ARROYO, CHICO HAMILTON- TRIO!, and CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA- MY PANAMANIAN FRIEND, with glowing reviews in Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Musician and CMJ.

Chico has composed original music for the upcoming feature film LOVERS AND OTHER AMATEURS, directed and produced by Dodge City Media's Brick Briscoe. A prescoring session completed February 1995 will result in a CD release of CHICO HAMILTON- LOVERS AND OTHER AMATEURS, available in '96. Chico has also been assisting Dodge City Media Executive Producer Brick Briscoe and JOYOUS SHOUT! Executive Producer Jeffrey Andrew Caddick in the production of THE DIFFERENT DRUMMER COLLECTIVE'S SECRET PLACE OF THUNDER CD, an interpretation of Chico's music and grooves incorporating a fusion of jazz, acid jazz, hip-hop, rock and soul elements. This CD will have a focus and vitality far greater than most "acid jazz" recordings, as each track will be using "The Ultimate Groove Master" Chico Hamilton as the solid foundation upon which all else is built, and will also be available in '96.

Also still in the can and to be released are two other new recordings, a duo recording ANDREW HILL/CHICO HAMILTON- DREAMS COME TRUE and a live recording of Chico's appearance at the 1994 ART PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL featuring the debut of Chico's new TRIO! of drums, guitar & bass. Both the DREAMS COME TRUE recording session and ART PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL performances were filmed for inclusion in the documentary film.

After debuting the new TRIO! group at ART PARK IN '94, with 1995 being the 40th anniversary of Chico's recording debut as a leader on the Pacific Jazz label in the drums, guitar and bass format, Chico took his TRIO! group with Cary DeNigris on guitar and Kip Reed on bass, on tour in France in March '95 and in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy in May/June '95. The March tour was declared "The cultural event of the month in France" by one of the national French newspapers. Chico returned to France in January '96 with his EUPHORIA group, and plans are in the works for numerous other appearances with the EUPHORIA and TRIO! groups in the U.S., Canada, Europe,Japan and South America in '96.

We are pleased to bring to your attention that Chico's DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER CD placed 6th for "Jazz Album Of The Year" in the 1995 Down Beat 60th Annual Reader's Poll, CHICO HAMILTON GROUP placed 7th in the "Jazz Electric Group" category and Chico himself placed 7th in the "Drums" category. CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA placed 6th for "Electric Jazz Combo" in the 1994 Down Beat 59th Annual Reader's Poll. In the 1993 Down Beat 58th Annual Reader's Poll, CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA placed 11th for "Electric Jazz Combo" and Chico himself placed 13th in the "Drums" category and in the 1992 Down Beat 57th Annual Reader's Poll, CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA's ARROYO CD placed 7th for "Jazz Album Of The Year" and CHICO HAMILTON & EUPHORIA placed 8th for "Electric Jazz Combo" and Chico himself placed 7th in the "Drums" category.

Chico continues to teach at the New School in New York City, has begun working on a children's book and his memoirs, tours throughout the world with his EUPHORIA and TRIO! groups and presenting his solo drum feature DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER.

For further assistance, booking enquiries, or to set up interviews for print or on air, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks...Peace...Keep the Faith

J.A.C.