SanFrancisco Bay Guardian

The Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble is the indisputable jewel in Berkeley's musical crown."

KCSM
"I think this is just a brilliant release!" - Clifford Brown, Jr. (on the CD Mr. "Hamudah")

National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Magazine
"It is not often that a musician has a stage presence as impressive as Charles Hamilton. We are going to see much more from his students in the future.” Along with all those that we have already heard from!

The Daily Planet
“The authentic performance of Charles Hamilton alone is reason enough to go hear this show."

The San Francisco Examiner

"He leads the High School Band with a sure hand"- Phil Elwood

The San Francisco Bay Jazz Ensemble

...is an eighteen-piece big band under the direction of Jeff Sanford...Prior to Sanford, at the helm was the award-winning and SF Bay Jazz founding music director Charles Hamilton, an accomplished conductor with a track record of leading jazz bands to excellence and nationally recognized achievements. Charles plays each of his bands like a fine-tuned instrument. He is involved with a handful of his own ensembles, playing trombone, flugelhorn, and trumpet. His passion for jazz, and working with aspiring musicians, is outstanding. Hamilton’s well-known accomplishments include his taking over the leadership of the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble in 1981....Under Hamilton’s directorship, the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble ... continued to thrive and develop some of the best musicians in the jazz world, including Ben Ball, Will Bernard, Dave Ellis, Rodney Franklin, Kito Gamble,  Craig Handy,Josh Jones, David Murray, Miles Perkins, Josh Redman and Michael Wolff. 

http://www.sfbayjazz.org/aboutus.php