Joyous Shout! is pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton a Jazz Masters Fellowship for 2004!! The Jazz Masters Fellowships are awarded by the NEA to recognize distinguished Jazz artists who have made a significant contribution to the art form. In 2002 Chico was awarded the WPBX-FM Radio Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1997 Chico received the Beacons in Jazz Award from the New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program in recognition for his "significant contribution to the evolution of Jazz."

Spring of 2003 saw Chico recovered from open heart surgery and hitting the road with BLAZING sets at the Richard Stockton College, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (receiving a standing ovation when he walked on stage at the Jazz Tent), the Berkshire Jazz Festival, two days on the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, and a show on Jazz at Drew in LA with Special Guests Arthur Blythe, George Bohanon and Bill Henderson!!

Chico has also recently put the finishing touches on his new album Juniflip featuring his current "Euphoria" quintet with Cary DeNigris on guitar, Paul Ramsey on bass, Evan Schwam on tenor sax, and Karolina Strassmayer on flute, alto & soprano saxes. Augmenting the quintet on five cuts are former Hamilton band-members George Bohanon on trombone and Jimmy Cheatham on bass trombone. Juniflip also features the wonderful vocalist Bill Henderson on two cuts, and a VERY special guest spot from Arthur Lee of the band Love!!

Juniflip will be released next Spring with the details of Chico's signing to a new label soon to be announced!! Chico will be taking break from live work over the winter to compose music for a film score, but will be back on stage the evening of January 22, 2004 at Makor (35 West 67th Street, NYC Tel. 212.601.1000) for a special show to kick of the International Association for Jazz Education's annual conference, where on January 23th Chico will officially be presented with his Jazz Masters Fellowship at the Jazz Masters Concert and Awards Ceremony taking place at the Hilton Grand Ballroom. On January 23, Chico will also be participating in a panel discussion along with fellow honorees Jim Hall, Herbie Hancock, Nat Hentoff, Nancy Wilson and moderated by Dr. Billy Taylor.

Also soon to be announced is news on the worldwide release of Soulfeast Presents the Chico Hamilton Remix Project feat. remixes from Soulfeast (Joe Claussell & Brian Bacchus), MKL vs. Soy Sos, DJ Smash and Still Phil, plus news on the first public hearing of the track Kerry's Caravan from Mudd Feat. Chico Hamilton, a moody yet stunning slice of modern music and a molten melting pot ready made for filling the dance floor!! Mudd, a.k.a. the UK's own Paul N. Murphy, is best known as a member of the London based Afro-Dance ensemble Akwaaba, whose single Just Pilau was turned into an anthem at NYC's Body & Soul by Francois Kevorkian.

STAY TUNED for more news on the Further Adventures of El-Chico- including extensive touring plans for 2004, and more information on the new Juniflip album with sounds which will show why Foreststorn “Chico” Hamilton is a NEA JAZZ MASTER for 2004 and "Still THE Man" for EACH & EVERY GENERATION!!

Chico Hamilton is booked worldwide thru: ConcertedEfforts.com(chris@concertedefforts.com, Tel. 617.969.0810).
Joyous Shout! is also pleased to announce that Donald Elfman (delfman@optonline.net, Tel. 631.261.3295)has joined us in the effort to raise Chico's performance, promotional, and publicity profiles!!
 

Thanks.