Description
Chico Hamilton – The Master (50th Anniversary Edition) – 180 Gram Purple Marble Vinyl Record
The Master brings Chico Hamilton's rhythmic imagination into contact with the loose, deeply felt groove of musicians from Little Feat. Originally released in 1973 through Enterprise, the Stax subsidiary, the album finds the drummer and bandleader working across jazz, funk, soul, and rock without treating those categories as barriers. This 50th Anniversary edition presents the eight-track session on 180 gram purple marble vinyl. It is an especially appealing meeting point for listeners who know Hamilton through his jazz work and those who approach the record through Lowell George and the distinctive musicianship associated with Little Feat.
The participating Little Feat players include George, Bill Payne, Kenny Gradney, and Paul Barrere, giving the session a recognizable combination of guitar, keyboard, and bass voices. Hamilton remains the organizing presence, using the drums to direct movement while leaving room for the ensemble's character. The value of the collaboration is in how naturally those roles fit together. There is a strong physical pulse, but also the responsiveness of players accustomed to following a phrase and adjusting to what happens around them. The music sits comfortably between a compact song-based session and a more open instrumental conversation.
“One Day Five Months Ago” opens the album with an extended statement, followed on the first side by “Feels Good” and “Fancy.” The guitar and keyboard colors give these performances their particular texture, while the rhythm section keeps the material moving. Instead of relying on a succession of isolated solo features, the record's appeal comes from the interaction within the groove. Hamilton's presence makes the drumming an active musical voice, and the surrounding players supply contrasting accents and lines. It is the kind of setting that rewards attention to the ensemble even when the rhythm makes the immediate attraction seem effortless.
The second side moves through “Stu,” “Gengis,” and “Conquistadores '74,” then closes with “Stacy” and “I Can Hear the Grass Grow.” Its shorter pieces and changes of atmosphere offer a different shape from the opening side. Latin-inflected percussion, funk movement, and more relaxed passages all belong within the session's range. That variety gives The Master more to offer than a single stylistic description can convey. Listeners drawn by the Little Feat connection can follow the familiar instrumental personalities, while jazz listeners can hear Hamilton adapting his sense of space and propulsion to a different group of collaborators.
Craft Recordings' anniversary pressing was prepared for Record Store Day Black Friday 2023. Jeff Powell cut the lacquers from the original tapes at Take Out Vinyl, and the edition pairs purple marble vinyl with a tip-on jacket. Those specific production and presentation details make this a distinctive reissue of the original album. For a collection spanning soul-jazz, instrumental funk, and exploratory rock, The Master is a useful bridge between styles. Its lasting interest lies in a successful musical encounter: a veteran jazz leader and musicians from a highly individual rock band finding common ground in touch, timing, and an unforced sense of groove.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
One Day Five Months Ago
Feels Good
Fancy
Stu
Gengis
Conquistadores '74
Stacy
I Can Hear the Grass Grow
