THIS IS A PRE-ORDER: We expect this to ship on or around DECEMBER 11th, 2026. Any items that are ordered with this will be held until they can all ship together. If you need certain items faster please order them separately.

Released in 1966 on Impulse! and produced by Bob Thiele, El Chico captures drummer and bandleader Chico Hamilton at a moment of stylistic expansion, blending jazz with Latin rhythms, bossa nova, and avant-garde touches. Recorded in New York in August 1965, the album features a distinctive sextet with Jimmy Cheatham (trombone), Sadao Watanabe (alto sax), Gabor Szabo (guitar), Albert Stinson (bass), plus Willie Bobo & Victor Pantoja on percussion, alongside Hamilton on drums. This lineup gives the album its vivid character, combining melodic openness with richly layered rhythm and texture. The program mixes Hamilton originals with outside material, including “People,” “Marcheta,” and “This Dream.” El Chico stands as a key entry in Hamilton’s Impulse! period, reflecting his embrace of global influences and a more exploratory, rhythm-driven sound. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

street date 12/11/2026