Jazz drumming legend Chico Hamilton fundamentally reimagined his sound in 1961, assembling a groundbreaking quintet that would define a new chapter in modern jazz. WaxTime now presents "Drumfusion", the inaugural album from this revolutionary lineup, in a limited edition 180g audiophile pressing with rare bonus material.

Hamilton's revamped group featured future stars Charles Lloyd on tenor saxophone, Gábor Szabó on guitar, Garnett Brown (later replaced by George Bohanon) on trombone, and Albert Stinson on bass. What emerged was what jazz critic Joachim E. Berendt described as "a moderate avant-gardism" – pushing boundaries while maintaining accessibility. This quintet's influence extended beyond jazz clubs. In 1962, they recorded the soundtrack to the industrial film Litho – notably the first American movie shown behind the Iron Curtain. Their innovative approach caught the attention of major labels, leading to acclaimed recordings for Columbia, Reprise, and Impulse Records.

"Drumfusion" captures this extraordinary band at their creative peak, showcasing Hamilton's distinctive polyrhythmic concepts alongside the emerging voices of Lloyd and Szabó, both of whom would become major figures in jazz's evolution. The interplay between Szabó's pioneering electric guitar work and Lloyd's exploratory saxophone creates a unique sonic landscape that anticipated jazz-rock fusion by several years.