Chico Hamilton Gets (Too) Funky...

Chico Hamilton was ahead of his time over and over again. In each disparate decade, the drummer’s proclivity for change pushed him towards some endless searching. But as jazz fans, we should all be thankful considering the band leader was able to introduce the world to players like Gabor Szabo and Larry Coryell.

In addition to Hamilton’s apparent ability to pick out some of the better guitarists of their eras – although vastly ignored – the percussionist was also able include a slew of supplemental drumming in jazz before a time that the practice was generally accepted. That being said, Hamilton generally avoided too much of an over Latin flair to his work even with all of that polyrhythmic stuff going on. And perhaps because of his avoidance of that specific genre trap, later in the ‘70s, the band leader moved towards what could be assumed to have been a reaction to the funk scene and scores of black crime dramas with his 1975 album Peregrinations.

Not generally considered a high point in his career, Peregrinations still stands as an important part of understanding Hamilton’s various stylistic shifts over time. His late ‘60s period, dominated by sophisticated, but rock oriented fair like The Dealer perhaps foreshadows the band leaders eventually move towards an r&b/soul demographic. There was always that flair for the popular that was included in his work – much in the same way his one-time guitarist Szabo sought to include ‘60s rock hits – and displayed over much of this 1975 disc is Hamilton’s appropriation and interpretation of what was going on.

Of course, coming during the middle of the decade, Peregrinations presages a good amount of the funky soundtrack stuff that would be coming in the next few years. And while “The Morning Side of Love,” even if it’s big screen ready, arrives as some sub par funky soul-jazz, there’re enough highlights over the remainder of the disc to keep Hamilton’s fans engaged.

The title track might not be melodically appealing and includes the same sort of female background singing that the aforementioned flop sports, the clavichord that functions as a part of the rhythm section is able to maintain the focus of the track briefly. As the drumming presents itself as the focus of the track and those vocals dissipate, the offering slowly reveals itself as a mid-decade triumph.

Elsewhere, there’re some more standard representations of funky soul music – the biblical “Abdullah and Abraham” perhaps being the strongest. Beginning in hushed tones, the electric keyboard is again a dominant feature. As the song moves ahead, the rhythm section takes control of the song as the slightly fey horn sounds a few bleats here and there. This music should summon some sort of imagery – most likely folks walking down cold New Yawk streets, perhaps framed by falling snow as they search for some criminal, a ‘Bumpy’ perhaps.

Regardless of what the track conjures visually, aurally, it’s a success. Maybe the same can’t be said for the entirety of the disc, but it still presents enough of a champion sound as to warrant a few returns.