With Twelve Tones of Love, the legendary jazz drummer Foreststorn 'Chico' Hamilton takes his listeners on a musical journey of his venerable career and the numerous people who have influenced it, celebrating his lifelong romance with music. On Twelve Tones of Love, Chico looks back not as a summation but with the past as a jumping off point to where he is now; the foundation to build off of what he has to say in the here and now.

This album has Chico writing for and playing with an enlarged ensemble. It speaks greatly of all the musicians' skills that they are performing Chico's compositions, yet their interplay becomes another color on his palette, which allows him to further embellish the picture he is painting. This is one of the appealing aspects to all of Chico's music, an always-organic sense of tension and release. Guest spots include trombonist George Bohanon, who was in one of Chico's classic sixties ensembles; vocalist Jose James, who studied under Chico at The New School's Jazz and Contemporary Music Program; and multi-reedist Jack Kelso, Chico's lifelong friend. Those who forge their own way may travel a harder road but their art loses none of its power with the passage of time because of these trials. Twelve Tones of Love is proof of that.

Free download: "Penthouse A" (right-click, save as)

Catch Chico Hamilton's in-store performances of material from Twelve Tones of Love EXCLUSIVELY @ these NYC area Borders:

Saturday April 18th 7 PM
Borders Glendale Atlas Park
80-16 Cooper Avenue, Glendale, NY 11385
Tel. 718.416.1003

Thursday April 30th 7 PM
Borders Columbus Circle
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
Tel. 212.823.9775

Available at: