Chico Hamilton
For Mods OnlyThe Dealer 1999 via Verve
a note about this track
All tracks are originals, composed by Hamilton and some arranged by Jimmy Cheatham. The exceptions are "For Mods Only", composed by free jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp, who features on the track playing piano; some licks played by guitarist, Larry Coryell, from which Mick Taylor (of Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones) later used with The Stones; and "Larry of Arabia" by Larry Coryell, here supposedly making his first recording. "Sixties jazz tunes don’t come any more “Austin Powers†than this raver by Chico Hamilton from 1966. Hamilton spent the years working up to this recording gigging and recording with the likes of Eric Dolphy, Jim Hall, Gabor Szabo, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Nat Cole, Billie Holiday, Gerry Mulligan and numerous others. In 1966 he joined forces with Archie Shepp on piano, Arnie Lawrence on saxophone, Richard Davis on bass and (introducing) Larry Coryell on guitar for this swingin’ stunner from the Impulse album called “The Dealer.†Hamilton continued to record throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00’s and went into the studio on the advent of his 90th birthday to cut 28 new tracks, released in 2011 on the “Euphoric EP†and the “Revelation†CD." -Eric Berman
