THE JEFF HAMILTON TRIO

A NEW CHAPTER

RMI Records

Jeff Hamilton, drums; Tadataka Unno, piano; Jon Hamer, bass.

Certain people just bring a smile to my lips when I read their name on an album cover.  Jeff Hamilton is one such person. His rhythm, finesse and mastery of the trap drums is like a rainbow that stretches from his recordings to my heart and soul.

This is The Hamilton Trio’s first release on the RMI Record label.  They were Grammy nominated for “The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra” release on this label.  So, Jeff Hamilton brought his recent artistic project to their doorstep. Russ Miller happily pressed it up.

Jeff Hamilton founded his concept of the Jeff Hamilton Jazz Trio in 1994. Bassist Jon Hamer has been a part of that trio since 2018. This recent release, titled “A New Chapter” features the virtuoso pianist, Tadataka Unno. Unno has composed three songs for this album, including the opening tune titled, “The Magic of Mr. Wess.”

Hamilton is an award-winning drummer from the Mid-West. He was born in Richmond, Indiana. Although he began his musical career as a pianist, by age eight he related to his parents that he wanted to be a drummer like Gene Krupa. Hamilton never looked back.

In 1975, Jeff Hamilton joined the Monty Alexander Trio.  In 1977 he branched out to become a member of Woody Herman’s Orchestra.  A year later, he became one of the L.A. Four and recorded six albums with them. He replaced iconic drummer, Shelly Manne, joining guitarist Laurindo Almeida, a woodwind legend, woodwind master, Bud Shank, and the legendary Ray Brown on bass. Jeff has worked with some of the best musicians in the world including Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, the Count Basie Orchestra, Oscar Peterson, Ernestine Anderson, Michael Bublé, he toured with Diana Krall, and this is just a partial list.

Hamilton’s bassist, Jon Hamar has also contributed a tune to this album.  It’s titled “Paseo Del Mar” and smoothly dances across my listening room, Latin flavored and fluid as Gregory Hines dancing across a Broadway stage.

This is followed by another Tadataka Unno original, “Roy Said So.”  It’s played at an exceptionally fast tempo, giving Hamilton an opportunity to showcase his drum mastery.  The trio makes it sound so effortless, but it’s anything but!

Every carefully selected composition on this album is performed to perfection by this enthusiastic trio. The 36-year-old pianist, Tadataka Unno was born in Tokyo. He’s the new kid on the block and  brings fire and excitement to this trio.

This young pianist began study at age four and discovered jazz at age nine. He pursued excellence at Tokyo University of the arts and very quickly became a prominent celebrity on Japan’s jazz scene.  In 2008, he relocated to NYC and leapt, hands first, into the accelerated jazz scene.

Tadataka Unno has worked with Roy Hargrove’s Quintet, joined Jimmy Cobb’s Trio, and performed with Jazzmeia Horn, John Pizzarelli and Winard Harper, to mention only a few.

I was shocked and appalled when I read that he had been the victim of a hate crime in New York during a surge of anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID epidemic. The attack left permanent injuries, but thankfully he was able to return to performing.

On their closing tune, “Blues For Stephanie,” Unno shows off his blues chops in a spectacular way.

This is an amazing album, from beginning to end. I would expect nothing less from the great Jeff Hamilton.  The drummer always brings the crème de la crème of the jazz community into the spotlight. As a performer, an NEA master musician, and a world traveler, his music magnifies love and light from continent to continent.  With “A New Chapter” he introduces us to his twenty-first-century Jeff Hamilton Trio, featuring the gifted Tadataka Unno.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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