Jeff Hamilton (drummer)

Jeff Hamilton
Jeff Hamilton
	2018 in Denmark
Background information
Born	August 4, 1953 (age 71); Richmond, Indiana, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Drums
Years active	1975–present
Labels	Mons (de), Azica, Capri
Website	www.hamiltonjazz.com

Jeff Hamilton (born August 4, 1953)^[1] is an American jazz drummer and co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. A former member of the L.A. Four, Hamilton has played with jazz pianist Monty Alexander, bandleader Woody Herman, and singer Rosemary Clooney, and has worked extensively with singer Diana Krall.

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Hamilton was born in Richmond, Indiana, United States,.^[1] From a young age he took piano lessons but was inspired at age five by Gene Krupa^[2] and then began drumming at the age of eight.^[3] At fifteen, he was invited to play with the Earlham College jazz ensemble.^[2] He later attended Indiana University while studying under the tutelage of John Von Ohlen.^[2]^[1]

Starting in 1975, he was a member of Monty Alexander's Trio, then Woody Herman's Orchestra from 1977 until 1978.^[1] He was a member of the L.A. Four,^[1] with whom he made six albums. He co-leads the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with Jeff Clayton and John Clayton.^[4] He also leads his own trio, with Jon Hamar on bass and Tamir Hendelman on piano.

Hamilton has worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, the Count Basie Orchestra, Oscar Peterson, and Ray Brown. He toured with Diana Krall and has played on several of her albums. In Japan with Krall in 2002, Hamilton became a fan of Hammond B3 organist Atsuko Hashimoto, and he recorded two albums with her.^[5]

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Hamilton was co-owner of Bosphorus Cymbals. He then started his own cymbal company, Crescent Cymbals, with Michael Vosbein, Bill Norman, and drummer Stanton Moore. Sabian bought out Crescent Cymbals and will be redistributing them through their "Hand-Hammered series." He also plays Mapex Black Panther drums and Remo drum heads (Fiberskyn 3 Diplomat) and his signature Innovative Percussion sticks and brushes.

As leader

Indiana (Concord Jazz, 1992)
It's Hamilton Time (Lake Street, 1994)
Live! (Mons, 1996)
Dynavibes (Mons, 1997)
Hamilton House: Live at Steamers (Mons, 2000)
Hands On (Mons, 2002)
The Best Things Happen (Azica, 2004)
From Studio 4, Cologne, Germany (Azica, 2006)
Symbiosis (Capri, 2009)
Red Sparkle (Capri, 2012)
Time Passes On (Jazzed Media, 2012)
The L.A. Session (In + Out, 2013)
Live From San Pedro (Capri, 2018)
Equal Time with Akiko Tsuruga, Graham Dechter (Capri, 2019)
Catch Me If You Can (Capri, 2020)
Merry & Bright (Capri, 2021)

With the L.A. 4

1978 Just Friends
1978 Watch What Happens
1979 Live at Montreux
1980 Zaca
1981 Montage
1982 Executive Suite

As sideman

With Monty Alexander

1976 Montreux Alexander - The Monty Alexander Trio LIVE! at the Montreux Festival
1977 Live in Holland
1979 Facets
1983 Reunion in Europe
1986 Li'l Darlin'

With Ernestine Anderson