Description:"Andy Hamilton, saxophonist ,was born in 1918, Port Maria, Jamaica. His first exposure to music was through his family and the church, and he made his first saxaphone out of bamboo. In 1928 he formed his first band 'Silvershine', and regularly performed in Jamaica and New York. During the 1940's Hollywood actor Errol Flynn arrived in Jamaica, on watching Hamilton perform he arranged that they should play music together on his yacht. In 1949 Hamilton emigrated to Birmingham, England, where he soon formed 'The Blue Notes', the band have performed throughout Britain, Europe and the Caribbean. At the age of 72 he got his first recording contract and released 'Silvershine' which was the biggest UK jazz album that year. In 1996 he was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts Degree by Birmingham University, and a Millenium Fellowship in 1999 for his work in Community Education. He has now established The Andy Hamilton School of Music, supported by the Millenium Commission. Andy Hamilton and The Bluenotes still perform on a regular basis and are hailed as the band who maintain the spirit of Jazz in Birmingham." Pogus Caesar, February 2003