Although it was released in January, here is a great review of Chico Hamilton's 'Juniflip' that was sent to me today.

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Chico Hamilton
Juniflip
Joyous Shout! 10001
3 1/3 Stars

“Juniflip” is the first of four new discs that Chico Hamilton will release around his 85th birthday. This disc provides further credence to Hamilton’s reputation as one of jazz’s most engaging drummers and composers.

Hamilton never lets pyrotechnic bombast supersede compositional guile. He optimizes space, allowing plenty of room for his band mates to shine while simultaneously steering his ensemble, sometimes with the infectious shimmer of his ride cymbal, the orchestral splendor of his tom-tom work (best illustrated here on “Just Play The Melody”), or the gut-bucket funk of his snare and back-beats.

All of those qualities, as well as his sense of humor, come into play on “Juniflip”. The disc’s title refers to a nickname given to him during his formative years in Los Angeles, and it opens with the self-referential tone-poem “Mr. Hamilton”, written by his tenor saxophonist and former student Evan Schwam. Without being too fussy, “Mr. Hamilton” provides a fantastic showcase for the drummer’s snapping cymbal work and inventive manner for bumping nasty grooves. While the horn line lays out a swaggering, almost noir-ish cinematic melody that eventually provides a springboard for Schwam’s burly tenor solo.

Guitarist Cary DeNigris contributes the gorgeous “Without Love”, on which Hamilton concocts a sauntering bossa nova groove underneath DeNigris’ fluid guitar solo. Both DeNigris and Schwam helped Hamilton compose the funky “Cary’s Footsteps”, which is initially distinguished by the push-pull groove that you often hear in West London’s broken beat scene, only to evolve with scintillating swing then later lowdown blues. Hamilton’s band is as responsive as ever to the quick transformations the song under-goes, especially Paul Ramsey, who keeps his bass locked inside Hamilton’s drumming.

Hamilton, though, takes the lion’s share of compositions. His sense of episodic suspense remains breathtaking. Such is the case with “A Little Bit Of This, A Little Bit Of That”, a haunting ballad that starts off as a chamber-like piece. DeNigris guitar intertwines with the woodwind section, while Hamilton enlivens the elongated passages with orchestral sus-pended cymbals and operatic tom fills. Then the piece turns into an r & b ditty, showcasing special guest George Bohanon’s cackling trombone asides. Another Hamilton-penned highlight is the sweeping “You Name It”, on which Hamilton and Ramsey firstly bump a hypnotic, repetitious vamp that propels Bohanon and Jimmy Cheatham’s dueling horns. After the horns deliver a hymnal chorus, “You Name It” picks up with a snapping, fractured groove that again provides a sensational platform for the trombones.

In addition to Bohanon and Cheatham, vocalists Bill Henderson and ex-Love lead singer, Arthur Lee, guest on “Juniflip”. While their appearances aren’t as spine-tingling as the trombonists’, they bring some colorful hilarity to the funk makeover of “Ain’t She Sweet” and “What’s Your Story, Morning Glory”, respectively. Vocals also distinguish the disc’s closer, “Kerry’s Caravan”, Hamilton’s continuous nod to DJ culture, which recalls the soul he recorded for Stax in the early 70’s.

John Murph