From The Beginning

The place to start -- first two Concord albums in one inexpensive package:
Disc one is Scott's 1977 debut, disc two is the equally strong follow-up from 1978. Scott's breathy and easy-going tenor sax will remind the listener of Coleman Hawkins, especially on slower standards like "That's All" and "These Foolish Things," but there are echoes of Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon too. (These aren't bad names to drop when one considers Mr. Hamilton was only 22 at the time.) Bill Berry's on trumpet for the '77 set, and Cal Collins picks a hot accoustic guitar for the '78 sessions. Scott sounds equally at home swinging through "Love Me Or Leave Me" as he is playing brass tag with Berry on Rodgers and Hart's "Blue Room." Nat Pierce (piano), Monty Budwig (bass) and Jake Hanna (drums) set a sympathetic, relaxed mood for Mr. Hamilton's solos. Having these two early albums in one package is a real bargain for tenor sax fans.