Andy Hamilton (saxophonist)

Andy Raphael Thomas Hamilton MBE (born 26 March 1918) is a Jamaican-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, 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 30th January 2008 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Birmingham Conservatoire during a ceremony at Symphony Hall.

Discography as leader

*1991: "Silvershine" (World Circuit)
*1994: "Jamaica by Night" (World Circuit)

ources and external links

*Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. "Jazz: The Rough Guide". ISBN 1-85828-528-3
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0zv1z8hajyv8 Andy Hamilton] — brief biography by John Bush for All Music Guide
* [http://www.bearwoodjazz.co.uk/andy.html Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes] — Bearwood Corks Club page
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/your_community/bhm/andy_hamilton.shtml "My life of Jazz"] — BBC page