Andy Hamilton (saxophonist)

Andrew "Andy" Hamilton, MBE ( born March 22, 1918 in Port Maria, Jamaica; † 3 June 2012) was a Jamaican - British jazz saxophonist.

Life and work

Hamilton began with ten years to act as a musician, as he formed a band with friends, which was influenced by both Jamaican as of American jazz music. As an adolescent he emigrated to the United States, where he worked in various jobs, including as a house saxophonist in various venues in New York State. Finally he returned to the Caribbean to work for the actor Errol Flynn, who lived in Jamaica. Hamilton was then working as a music manager in the Hotel The Titchfield and on Flynn's private yacht.

In 1949 he moved to England to found the band The Blue Notes with fellow Jamaican jazz musician Sam Brown in Birmingham. He then lived in Bearwood, where he founded the club The Bearwood Corks Club in which occurred the Blue Notes. Only in 1991, after he had recovered from a diabetic coma, Hamilton recorded his debut album Silver Shine for the label World Circuit Records from Nick Gold. He was honored with the Masters of Arts from Birmingham University in 1996; In 1999 he received the Millennium Fellowship. In 2008 he was awarded at the age of 89 years with the Order Member of the British Empire for services to music scene of Birmingham. Until shortly before his death, he appeared on Bearwood Corks Club.