Jazz Articles about Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton: Nocturnes & Serenades

by Nic Jones
September 23, 2006

Scott Hamilton doesn't fix a thing here, but then when nothing's broke, there's no need to make such an effort, especially when what he does instead is prove that he has spent decades becoming himself. There are here no more than residual echoes of all the tenor sax players who've mined this fertile musical seam in the past, and the results are nothing short of uplifting.

In the press release that accompanies this disc, Hamilton refers to the fact that ...

Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen: Heavy Juice

by Ken Franckling
December 5, 2004

This CD has been a recording waiting to happen for twenty years. Back then, highschooler Harry Allen joined Scott Hamilton on stage at the Newport Jazz Festival for a cameo performance with the George Wein-led Newport All-Stars. Allen grew up in Rhode Island, which also claims Hamilton as a native son. And Hamilton certainly was a role model as Allen blossomed then—and fast became a welcome young player on the New York swing jazz scene.They've had occasional chances ...

Scott Hamilton & Harry Allen: Heavy Juice

by John Kelman
July 12, 2004

Strangely enough, recordings pairing tenor players are not unusual. Sonny Rollins did it with John Coltrane on Tenor Madness ; more recently Joe Lovano with Joshua Redman on Tenor Legacy ; even Chris Potter did it with Joe Lovano on a few tracks on Vertigo. Why this particular variation of saxophone is more conducive to teaming up is a mystery, but it always seems to work. Now Scott Hamilton has come together with next generationer Harry Allen for Heavy Juice ...

The Scott Hamilton Quartet: Live in London

by C. Michael Bailey
July 25, 2003

Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen are two solid and melodic tenor saxophone players who do not get near the press that they deserve. They each possess a sure lyricism, an efficient and conservative approach to solos. Their respective tones are seasoned with equal parts Lester Young, Ben Webster, Zoot Sims, and Stan Getz. They are equally adept playing pre-swing, swing, and bop. Scott Hamilton is the elder of the two and the subject of the present discussion, noting the appearance ...

Scott Hamilton: Jazz Signatures

by AAJ Staff
May 1, 2001

Continuing in his quarter-century tenure with Concord Records, Scott Hamilton is still finding fresh concepts for presenting his pre-bop tenor sax sound that went against the grain of the fusion groups when he first started recording. Taking his cue from masters like Ben Webster or Don Byas, rather than Wayne Shorter, Hamilton continued their pioneering tradition of the tenor sax as a voice-like instrument with universal emotional appeal.Hamilton pays tribute to those originators, who merged melodic urgency with ...

Scott Hamilton: Blues, Bop & Ballads

by Ed Kopp
September 1, 1999

It's been 22 years since a sax prodigy named Scott Hamilton set the jazz world on its ear simply by favoring pure swing over post-bop and fusion. Now in his mid-forties, the talented tenor saxman remains true to his Muse. Blues, Bop and Ballads delivers everything its title promises, and stylishly.This album swings with an easy grace, and Hamilton is his typical classy self throughout. The recording is a surprisingly wide-ranging collection considering its repertoire is mostly tunes ...

Scott Hamilton: Blues, Bop & Ballads

by Jim Santella
September 1, 1999

Adopting a smooth Ben Webster approach to the tenor saxophone in this era of fire and screaming creativity, Scott Hamilton has for over twenty years satisfied our yen for beauty of tone without sacrificing meaningful dialogue. Consider some of the pap elevator music that oozes from the radio airwaves these days and just how much of your attention is captured by it. Not much. Then consider your more left-wing approach that grates the listener with harsh squawks and squeals intended ...