The Chico Hamilton Quintet

Innovative Jazz Ensemble of the 1950s and 60s

The Chico Hamilton Quintet was a jazz ensemble led by drummer and bandleader Chico Hamilton, who was born Foreststorn Hamilton on September 20, 1921, in Los Angeles, California. The quintet was known for its unique chamber jazz style that blended classical and jazz elements, which set it apart from other groups of the 1950s and 1960s. Chico Hamilton himself was a significant figure in the West Coast jazz movement, and his quintet often featured a lineup of notable musicians, including reed players like Buddy Collette and Eric Dolphy, cellist Fred Katz, guitarist Jim Hall, and bassist Carson Smith.