He emerged in the 1970s and at the time he was considered to be one of the few musicians of real talent who carried the tradition of the classic jazz tenor saxophone in the style of Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins as well as Zoot Sims and Don Byas forward. He began playing in various rhythm & blues outfits in Providence (Rhode Island), but subsequently shifted to jazz and the tenor saxophone. In 1976 he moved to New York City at, in part the recommendation of Roy Eldridge. He there joined Benny Goodman for a period of time and in 1977 recorded his debut album for Concord Records, with whom he would have a long recording career in his own name and as one of their Concord Jazz All Stars. He also worked as a backing musician for singer Rosemary Clooney and others.
In the early 1980s he had formed his own quintet and toured all over the world. By then free from his drinking habit, in 1982 he had matured sufficiently to be able to break away from the spell of mainly Ben Webster and Zoot Sims, whom he had been criticized of imitating. From this point on both his playing and his tone were very much his own.
Living in New York City, he toured all around the world during the 1980s, playing Japan and all over Europe. He was in particular a recurrent visitor to the UK, Sweden and the Grande Parade du Jazz, held in Nice, France. By the early 1990s he was ready for a next step and by 1994 when he released Organic Duke, he had developed a quite singular style: a large, well-rounded but still focused tone and improvising, ostensibly still based on the swing idiom (especially Ellington), but incorporating more modern elements. During this period, he relocated to London, and formed his current quartet, featuring British musicians John Pearce (p), Dave Green (b) and Steve Brown (dr), with whom he recorded East of the Sun in 1993. (East of the Sun features Brian Lemon on piano, not John Pearce.) He is currently active touring all over Europe.
solo
1977.Scott Hamilton - From The Beginning (Is A Good Wind Who's Blowing Us No Ill) vol.1
1977.Scott Hamilton - From The Beginning vol.2
1979.Scott Hamilton - Tenorshoes
1981.Scott Hamilton - Apples and Oranges
1989.Scott Hamilton - Plays Ballads
1990.Scott Hamilton - Radio City
1991.Scott Hamilton - Close Up
1992.Scott Hamilton - Groovin' High (with Ken Peplowski & Spike Robinson)
1992.Scott Hamilton - Race Point
1993.Scott Hamilton - East Of The Sun
1993.Scott Hamilton - with Strings
1994.Scott Hamilton - Organic Duke
1996.Scott Hamilton - After Hours
1996.Scott Hamilton - My Romance
1997.Scott Hamilton - Late Night Christmas Eve
2000.Scott Hamilton - Ballad Essentials
2001.Scott Hamilton - Jazz Signatures
2002.Scott Hamilton - Live In London
2005.Scott Hamilton - Back In New York
2006.Scott Hamilton - Nocturnes & Serenades
2010.Scott Hamilton - Live at Nefertiti
2014.Scott Hamilton - Live at Smalls
2014.Scott Hamilton - Swingin Young Scott
2017.Scott Hamilton - Ballads for Audiophiles
2017.Scott Hamilton - Meets The Piano Players
2018.Scott Hamilton - Moon Mist
collaborations
1978.Scott Hamilton And Warren Vache - With Scott's Band In New York City
1983.The Scott Hamilton Quintet - In Concert
1985.Ruby Braff & Scott Hamilton - A First
1986.Gerry Mulligan Meets Scott Hamilton - Soft Lights & Sweet Music
1987.Flip Phillips & Scott Hamilton - A Sound Investment
1990.The Gene Harris & Scott Hamilton Quintet - At Last
1992.Scott Hamilton and Art Baron - The Progressive Records All Star Tenor Sax and Trombone Spectaculars
1996.Ruby Braff & Scott Hamilton - A Sailboat in the Moonlight
1996.The Scott Hamilton Quintet - The Right Time
1998.Scott Hamilton & Bucky Pizzarelli - The Red Door ...remember Zoot Sims
1999.Scott Hamilton & Friends - Blues, Bop & Ballads
2002.Dave McKenna, Scott Hamilton, Jake Hanna - Double Play (2CD)
2004.Scott Hamilton And Harry Allen - Heavy Juice
2007.Scott Hamilton and Danny Moss - Mainstream Giants of Jazz
2008.Scott Hamilton & Friends - Across The Tracks
2008.Scott Hamilton, Alan Barnes with the David Newton trio - Zootcase
2010.Scott Hamilton and Rossano Sportiello - Midnight at Nola's Penthouse
2010.Scott Hamilton, Alan Barnes - Hi-Ya
2011.Scott Hamilton & Bernhard Pichl Trio - How About You
2011.Scott Hamilton & Dusko Goykovich - Tight But Loose
2011.Scott Hamilton, Howard Alden, Frank Tate - A Splendid Trio
2012.Harry Allen & Scott Hamilton - 'Round Midnigh
2013.Scott Hamilton & Andrea Pozza - I Could Write a Book
2014.Scott Hamilton & Andrea Pozza - Who Cares
2014.Scott Hamilton Quartet - Dean Street Nights
2015.Scott Hamilton, Paolo Birro & Alfred Kramer - Bean and the Boys
2017.Champian Fulton & Scott Hamilton - The Things We Did Last Summer
2018.The Scott Hamilton Trio - Live at Pyatt Hall
2019.Scott Hamilton & Paolo Birro - Pure imagination
2021.Scott Hamilton & Duke Robillard - Swingin' Again
