Chico Hamilton Revisited

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Chico Hamilton
(1921-2013)

December 24, 1956

I never met Chico but he spent some
quality time with his upscale friend
and Manhattan high-rise neighbor,
Maxine Gordon. I have her
autograph  on a paycheck.

Dexter Gordon's widow
and Chico were reminiscing
over a 1940 Jefferson High School
yearbook which I legally purchased
from the school's principal. According
to Maxine, Chico pointed out a teacher
from his first period class who gave him a
failing grade because, the future jazz legend
would "smell like cigarets" after playing
drums in a Central Avenue club until
the early hours of the morning.


One decade later, in a place
called London, a young
boy worshipped
Charlie Parker
until...

He heard Chico Hamilton play drums.
This young man grew up to become a legendary drummer
in a different genre. The boy's name: Charlie Watts.
The orchestra  band he joined: the Rolling Stones.

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