Andy Hamilton (saxophonist)
Encyclopedia
Andy Raphael Thomas Hamilton MBE
(born 26 March 1918) is a Jamaica
n-born British
jazz
saxophonist
and composer
.
Hamilton was born in Port Maria
, Jamaica, and learnt to play saxophone on a bamboo
instrument. he formed his first band at the age of eighteen, influenced by American
musicians such as Duke Ellington
and Count Basie
and by the Kingston
-based bands of Redver Cook and Roy Coburn.
He spent some time in the U.S., working as a cook and farm labourer, but also having short jazz residencies in Buffalo
and Syracuse, New York
. After returning to Jamaica, he worked as musical arranger for Errol Flynn
on his yacht the Zaka.
Hamilton emigrated to the UK in 1949, living and working in Birmingham
. His day job was in a factory, while at night he played jazz — with his own group, the Blue Notes, with visiting musicians such as Art Farmer
and David Murray
, and with his sons Graeme and Mark (trumpet and saxophones respectively).
At the age of seventy-three, Hamilton made his first album
as leader, Silvershine on World Circuit Records; it became the biggest selling UK Jazz Album of the Year, The Times Jazz Album of the Year, and one of the fifty Sony Recordings of the Year. It was followed three years later in 1994 by a live album, Jamaica at Night. He continues to play regularly at the Bearwood Corks Club in Birmingham, and monthly at Birmingham Symphony Hall, and appears on albums from World Circuit as guest musician, and is working on a new album of his own compositions.
In 1996 Hamilton was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts degree by the University of Central England (now Birmingham City University
), and in 1999 he received a Millennium Fellowship for his work in Community Education (which has involved the establishment of The Ladywood Community School of Music, supported by the Millennium Commission).
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours
.
On 30 January 2008 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Birmingham Conservatoire during a ceremony at Symphony Hall
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 26 March 1918) is a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Hamilton was born in Port Maria
Port Maria
Port Maria is the capital town of the Jamaican parish of Saint Mary. It has a population of approximately 7,500 people and is the seat of the Saint Mary Parish Council. The Mayor of Port Maria is Richard Creary...
, Jamaica, and learnt to play saxophone on a bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
instrument. he formed his first band at the age of eighteen, influenced by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musicians such as Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
and Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
and by the Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
-based bands of Redver Cook and Roy Coburn.
He spent some time in the U.S., working as a cook and farm labourer, but also having short jazz residencies in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. After returning to Jamaica, he worked as musical arranger for Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
on his yacht the Zaka.
Hamilton emigrated to the UK in 1949, living and working in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. His day job was in a factory, while at night he played jazz — with his own group, the Blue Notes, with visiting musicians such as Art Farmer
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet/flugelhorn combination designed for him by David Monette. His identical twin brother, Addison Farmer Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer (August 21, 1928, Council Bluffs, Iowa –...
and David Murray
David Murray (jazz musician)
David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
, and with his sons Graeme and Mark (trumpet and saxophones respectively).
At the age of seventy-three, Hamilton made his first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
as leader, Silvershine on World Circuit Records; it became the biggest selling UK Jazz Album of the Year, The Times Jazz Album of the Year, and one of the fifty Sony Recordings of the Year. It was followed three years later in 1994 by a live album, Jamaica at Night. He continues to play regularly at the Bearwood Corks Club in Birmingham, and monthly at Birmingham Symphony Hall, and appears on albums from World Circuit as guest musician, and is working on a new album of his own compositions.
In 1996 Hamilton was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts degree by the University of Central England (now Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University is a British university in the city of Birmingham, England. It is the second largest of three universities in the city, the other two being the Aston University and University of Birmingham...
), and in 1999 he received a Millennium Fellowship for his work in Community Education (which has involved the establishment of The Ladywood Community School of Music, supported by the Millennium Commission).
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours
New Year Honours 2008
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
.
On 30 January 2008 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Birmingham Conservatoire during a ceremony at Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Symphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue located inside the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, England. It was officially opened by the Queen in June 1991, although had been opened on April 15, 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and hosts around 270 events...
.
Discography as leader
- 1991: Silvershine (World Circuit)
- 1994: Jamaica by Night (World Circuit)
Sources and external links
- Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. Jazz: The Rough Guide. ISBN 1-85828-528-3
- [ Andy Hamilton] — brief biography by John Bush for Allmusic
- Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes — Bearwood Corks Club page
- "My life of Jazz" — BBC page