Foreststorm ”Chico” Hamilton, who played an integral role in the formation of the West-Coast-based “cool jazz” style of the 1950s, died on November 25, 2013 at age 92. Born in 1921, Hamilton began working professionally with such musicians as Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, and Charles Mingus while still in high school. He toured with Lionel Hampton before serving in the army during World War II, and then worked with Jimmy Mundy, Charlie Barnet, and Count Basie before becoming the house drummer at an L.A. nightclub in 1946. He then toured with singer Lena Horne before becoming an original member of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, which many credit with starting the “cool jazz” movement. Hamilton then formed his own “chamber jazz” group with the instrumentation of guitar, flute, cello, bass, and drums. Hamilton became known as a leader who could nurture young talent, and over the years, such prominent players as bassist Ron Carter, saxophonists Eric Dolphy and Charles Lloyd, and guitarists Jim Hall, Gabor Szabo, and Larry Coryell got their starts with Hamilton. Hamilton is credited by many as being the first jazz drummer to use single-headed toms.