Jeff Hamilton Trio

Mon, Apr 14

The Jeff Hamilton Trio with Tadataka Unno & Jon Hamar Jeff Hamilton was born in Richmond, Indiana. He attended Indiana University and later studied with John Von Ohlen. Hamilton was influenced by Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, “Philly” Joe Jones, and Shelly Manne. In 1974, he got his first big break playing with the New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He then joined Lionel Hampton’s Band until 1975 when he, along with bassist John Clayton, became members of the Monty Alexander Trio. He attained a childhood goal in 1977 when he joined Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd, with whom he made several recordings. In 1978, he was offered a position in the L.A.4. with Ray Brown, Bud Shank, and Laurindo Almeida. He recorded 6 albums with the L.A.4. From 1983-1987, he performed with Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, and Monty Alexander. Hamilton began his association with the Ray Brown Trio in 1988 and left in March of 1995 to concentrate on his own trio. From 1990-1995, he was also a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet w/Herb Ellis and Ray Brown. Jeff has released several trio CDs, including the most recent Catch Me If You Can, and a holiday recording Merry and Bright. The Los Angelous Jazz Society named Hamilton and his musical partner John Clayton musicians of the year for 2006. Hamilton has toured with his own trio, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Diana Krall. The latest CHJO recording LA Treasures was nominated for a GRAMMY. Hamilton has been on more than 300 recordings with artists such as Ray Brown, Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Milt Jackson, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand, Mel Torme, John Pizzarelli, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, George Shearing, Dr. John, Clark Terry, Gene Harris, Toshiko Akioshi, Scott Hamilton, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Keely Smith, Bill Holman, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Paul McCartney, Queen Latifah, Gladys Knight, Mark Murphy, Wilford Brimley and Scott Hamilton. He appeared in Diana Krall’s Live in Paris and Rio DVDs. He also appeared in Natalie Cole’s Great Performances PBS special, Unforgettable, and an Oscar Peterson documentary Life In The Key Of Oscar. He is a four time winner of Modern Drummer magazine Readers’ Poll. In 2014, Hamilton was inducted into The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame. Along with John and Gerald Clayton, Jeff was the 2017 Monterey Jazz Festival Artist In Residence and recipient of the 2018 Louis Armstrong award from the Sarasota Jazz Society. Jeff currently focuses on performing with The Jeff Hamilton Trio, The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Akiko Tsuruga in an Organ Trio. --- Tadataka Unno, born 1980 in Tokyo, Japan, is a distinguished jazz pianist with an expressive style. He began playing piano at age four and discovered jazz at age nine. Unno studied at Tokyo University of the Arts and was an active member of the Tokyo jazz scene. In 2008, he moved to New York and quickly earned the respect of prominent jazz figures. He became a favorite of jazz legends like Hank Jones, Frank Wess and Jimmy Cobb. Notably, he was the first and only regular Japanese member of the Jimmy Cobb Trio and the Roy Hargrove Quintet. He has performed with John Pizzarelli, Jimmy Heath, Sadao Watanabe, Houston Person, Frank Wes, Clifton Anderson, Jazzmeia Horn, Winard Harper, Russel Malone, and other jazz greats. Tadataka was featured in the 2021 NHK Special, “This Wonderful World” and in March 2022, he released “Get My Mojo Back” on Verve Records. It received widespread acclaim as one of Japan’s best-selling jazz albums of the year. In 2025, Jeff Hamilton invited him to join his trio. --- Jon Hamar is a versatile artist whose ability to find a tasteful, unique voice in any musical situation has made him a staple in the music scene. Hamar’s work ethic and discipline have kept him busy over his career that spans more than twenty years. Jon was born and raised in Kennewick, Washington and grew up in a musical family. He began playing the string bass at age 11 and continued through public school playing in orchestra, jazz band and the local youth symphony. Jon earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University under the tutelage of Russian bassist Roma Vayspapir. While in Spokane Hamar played in University ensembles as well as the Spokane Symphony and the Bob Curnow Big Band. Hamar continued on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media in 2001. While at Eastman Jon studied the bass with Jeff Campbell and James VanDemark and worked closely with Harold Danko, Fred Sturm and Clay Jenkins. Jon has performed with Ernestine Anderson, Benny Golson, Terell Stafford, Pete Christlieb the Jeff Hamilton Trio, the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. In 2012 Jon joined the faculty at the Centrum Jazz Workshop under Artistic Director John Clayton and in 2015 joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee. Hamar is currently Assistant Professor of Bass at the Nathalie L. Haslam School of Music in Knoxville, Tennessee. Jon Hamar began performing with the Jeff Hamilton Trio in July of 2018 and recently toured Europe with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton featuring renowned vocalist Cecil McLaren Salvant.