Noted for his cool West Coast jazz style, Chico Hamilton was one of the finest
jazz drummers in post-war America who performed with major artists such as
Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, Sammy Davis Jr.,
and Lester Young; he also worked on films with Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby and Bob
Hope and helped develop future stars including guitarist Larry Coryell,
saxophonist Charles Lloyd and bassist Ron Carter. In the 1950s, with a nickname
that referenced his slight stature, he was as big a star as Chet Baker and Gerry
Mulligan, noted for his graceful and m...