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Paul Chambers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the Australian rules footballer, see Paul Chambers (footballer).
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. (April 22, 1935 - January 4, 1969) was a leading jazz bassist of the 1950s and 1960s. His importance can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his nearly perfect intonation, time and virtuosic improvisations.
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Born in Pittsburgh but raised in Detroit, his fame began touring with pianist George Wallington and tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette. He was discovered by the beboppers and joined the J.J. Johnson Kai Winding quintet. From 1955 to 1963 he was a member of the Miles Davis quintet, and performed on many of Davis' famous albums of that period including Kind of Blue. In fact, one of Chambers's most noted performances was on that album's first cut, "So What," which opens with a brief but sublime duet with pianist Bill Evans. After leaving Davis he worked with Davis sidemen Red Garland and Wynton Kelly as well as John Coltrane.
A hard drinker and frequent drug user, Chambers died from tuberculosis in 1969 at the age of thirty-three.
He and Slam Stewart were the first jazz bassists to perform arco or bowed solos.
Paul Chambers played on a great many albums, during the brief period (1955-68) he was active. He performed on the several landmark albums, including John Coltrane's Giant Steps and Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. Many musicians wrote songs dedicated to Paul. Coltrane's song "Mr. P.C." is named after Chambers. Tommy Flanagan wrote "Big Paul", performed on the Coltrane and Kenny Burrell Prestige 1958 lp for him. Max Roach wrote a drum solo called "Five For Paul" on his 1977 impossible to find drum solo lp recorded in Japan, Sonny Rollins wrote a song called "Paul's Pal" for him as well and finally long time cohort and fellow bandmate with Miles Davis pianist Red Garland wrote the tune: "The P.C. Blues", which is probably the most notable of the 5 tunes named for him. He recorded with many other important musicians, including Cannonball Adderley, Donald Byrd, Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, and Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Walter Benton, Herbie Hancock, Blue Mitchell, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Kenny Dorham, Grant Green, Yusef Lateef, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Hampton Hawes, Wayne Shorter, Paul Quinichette, Philly Joe Jones, Wes Montgomery, Ike Quebec, Stanley Turrentine, Grant Green, Zoot Sims, Johnny Griffin, Nat Adderley, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Lorez Alexandria as well as recording as a leader.
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Lorez Alexandria
Jimmy Cleveland
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