Drummer Chico Hamilton's reputation is built on his skills as a band-leader and one-man finishing school for promising young players. Eric Dolphy, Charles Lloyd, and Larry Coryell all logged early time in different incarnations of Chico's band in the 1950s and '60s. Along with his focus on melodic development from behind the trap set, Hamilton has consistently refused to stay stuck in the cool-jazz style of his youth.