Tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton's debut for Concord alerted the jazz world to the young swing stylist and predated Wynton Marsalis' first record (and the emergence of the Young Lions) by a couple years. Hamilton, who mixed together Zoot Sims and Ben Webster to form his own recognizable tone, already sounded in prime form for this set. Teamed up with trumpeter Bill Berry, pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Jake Hanna, Hamilton essentially launched the revival of mainstream jazz with this record. Highlights include "Indiana," "Stuffy," "Broadway," and "Blue Room," but all eight selections are quite enjoyable.
The recordings on this CD precede the same trio's live performances at the Village Vanguard in 1961 by more than a year. Incomplete versions of these tracks have been previously issued on LP but appear here on CD in their entirety.
Whoever decided to name '50s-style, small combo jazz "mainstream" did a disservice to saxophonists like Scott Hamilton. The word sounds safe and soulless. And while Hamilton will never be mistaken for John Coltrane, he's no throwback to some fondly remembered (and forgotten) era. From the Beginning combines the oddly titled Scott Hamilton Is a Good Wind Who is Blowing Us No Ill from 1977 and Scott Hamilton, 2 from 1978. Hamilton's first Concord album predated the Young Lions by a couple of years, and must have seemed like a fresh breeze in the midst of the fusion meltdown. Both discs feature small combos with pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Jake Hanna.