|
His unmistakable style of Jazz music vividly retains the colour
and energy of his long-ago homeland.
The
colourful life of Andy Hamilton...
 |
| Andy
and his Sax |
Born
in 1918, in Port Maria in Jamaica, he made his first "sax"
from bamboo. He formed his first band, Silvershine, with a group
of friends in 1928. During the early 40's he entertained several
celebrities, including Errol Flynn aboard the movie star's yacht.
In
1949 Andy Hamilton came to the UK, settling in Birmingham and formed
his band the Bluenotes. In time he became an icon of the city's
Jazz scene.
For
over 50 years Andy has set up venues and concerts across the city,
providing after show entertainment for visiting celebrities including
the West Indian Cricket teams in the 1950's.
Home
is where the heart is…
 |
| Andy
Hamilton blowing his horn |
Andy
rarely ventured outside Birmingham and became a local celebrity
who regularly played at civic functions, organised nights and opened
venues where people from all ages and backgrounds are made welcome.
Debut
album at 72 years old…
Over
the years he's built a significant reputation among visiting Jazzmen.
However he didn’t record any albums until the age of 72. His
debut album "Silvershine" was released and became the
biggest selling UK Jazz Album of the Year. He plays regularly at
prestigious international venues and festivals, across Europe.
| An
interview with the great man himself |
 |
| Painting
of Andy Hamilton by local artist Richard Jones |
We
caught up with Andy Hamilton for an interview.
He
talks about his love of music, memories of his early horn blowing
days and the great Jazz legends he's played alongside.
"I
hear my tunes in my dreams" - Andy
Interview
part one 
Interview
part two
|
You
will need Realplayer to listen to the audio.
Downloading Realplayer...
If you don't have Realplayer download
it here.
Need
help downloading RealPlayer...
Read
instructions on how to download Realplayer
|
| Live
Jazz at the Corks Club… |
 |
| Andy
and the Blue Notes at the Bearwood Corks Club |
You
can catch Andy and his band the Bluenotes at the Bearwood Corks
Club where they're the resident band on a Thursday night.
With
Andy's connections in the music world, regular visits to the club
are made by some of the best Jazz musicians from Britain and overseas.
Visit Andy’s
website for more information plus a full schedule of gig
dates.
Listen
to Andy and his band...
Listen
to Andy Hamilton and the Bluenotes live at the Bearwood Corks Club
in Birmingham.
| Young
musicians learn from the legend… |
 |
| Courtney
wants to follow in her grandad's footsteps |
Andy
Hamilton's enthusiasm for teaching has led to the establishment
of The Ladywood Community School of Music.
Supported
by the Millennium Commission, the school offers people of all ages
the chance to learn from the truly great man of Jazz.
Read
more about Andy Hamilton’s Ladywood Community School of Music.
| Jamming
with Paradigm Jaunt |
|
