Jimmy Hamilton - Rediscovered Live at the Buccaneer (CD)

All Music Guide

After retiring to the Virgin Islands in 1968, not much was heard from Duke Ellington's longtime clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, other than a couple of brief reappearances to play with Clarinet Summit. He taught locally and worked with a quartet on one of the islands. The release of this LP by Who's Who was therefore a bit of a surprise, for it finds Hamilton playing clarinet and alto in prime form with a quartet also including pianist Gary Mayone, bassist Joe Straws and drummer Delroy Thomas. Hamilton performs five lazy love songs and five tunes associated with Duke Ellington. These would be his last recordings and, although not quite definitive (for that one has to hear Hamilton with Duke's band), this is one of his best solo sets.

- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide