Search - Paul Chambers :: Mosaic Select

Chambers' Music

Gary L Connely | Hercules, CA | 06/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, here's a quick test for you. Name one thing that the following four albums have in common: Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue;" Thelonious Monk's "Brilliant Corners;" John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," and Oliver Nelson's "Blues and the Abstract Truth." If you said that each is a jazz masterpiece, you are right. But that's too easy. How about this: each of these landmark records featured Paul Chambers on bass!



Born in 1935, Paul Chambers was the best jazz bassist of his generation. He was playing professionally in his teens and at the ripe old age of 20, he had joined Miles Davis' quintet. During his brief life, (he was in a three way race with tuberculosis, booze and heroin - tuberculosis won and he was dead at 34), he anchored two legendary rhythm sections - the first with pianist Red Garland and drummer Philly Joe Jones, (the rhythm section of Mr Davis' "First Great Quintet"); the second with pianist Wynton Kelly and drummer Jimmie Cobb.



Starting in 1956, Mr Chambers cut four outstanding albums for Blue Note as a leader. They are all included on the three discs in the "Mosaic Select: Paul Chambers" box set:



* "Chambers' Music" - The songs range from Charlie Parker's "Dexterity" to Cole Porter's "Easy to Love" and include three originals by the guys in the band. And what a band: John Coltrane on tenor, pianist Kenny Drew and drummer Philly Joe Jones.



* "Whims of Chambers" - Three songs by Mr Chambers, two by Mr Coltrane and two by trumpeter Donald Byrd. The all-star line-up includes the three composers, plus Kenny Burrell on guitar, Horace Silver on piano and Mr Jones on drums.



* "Paul Chambers Quintet" - A couple of standards, including a lovely version of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," plus two each by Mr Chambers and Benny Golson. Mr Chambers is joined again by Mr Byrd, but the rest of the band is new: Clifford Jordan on tenor, the great Tommy Flanagan on piano and drummer Elvin Jones.



* "Bass on Top" - Considered by most critics to be Mr Chambers' best album as a leader. "BoT" is a set of standards like "Yesterdays" and "You'd be so Nice to Come Home To" - featuring Mr Burrell on guitar, pianist Hank Jones and drummer Art Taylor.



BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE - In addition to Mr Chambers' four Blue Note albums, the box set includes three stunning duets between Mr Chambers and drummer Art Blakey; and the "Transition Session," two improvisations and a Barry Harris tune with pianist Roland Alexander, Philly Joe Jones on drums, Mr Coltrane on tenor, Pepper Adams on baritone and Curtis Fuller on trombone!



Bottom line: Mr Chambers was the very best - gorgeous tone, sure touch, and spot-on bow work - and he played with the very best. If you love main stream jazz, "Mosaic Select: Paul Chambers" is for you.



As for the sonics - the Blue Note CDs are available in the Rudy Van Gelder reissue series - I haven't listened to 'em, but most of the RVG stuff I've heard has been pretty good, (say what you will about Mr Van Gelder and some of his "excesses," he's still just about the best engineer to ever record a jazz record) - BUT, there is no doubt that the Mosaic Records versions will be at least as good. Everthing Mosaic does is first class - from the remastering to the liner notes. You'll have no "quality issues" with this box set."