Analyse musicale de Paul Chambers

Un gros son en pizzicato , un soutien rythmique sans faille, un swing jubilatoire, des lignes de basse subtiles suggérant bien l'harmonie...

Sa maîtrise du langage be bop, transposé à la contrebasse en font un soliste de premier plan qui a su largement contribuer à sortir l'instrument de son rôle d'accompagnement..

Reconnaissable entre mille dans ses solos à l'archet où son phrasé est assimilable à celui d'un cuivre (peut être se souvient t-il de ses débuts au tuba) , c'est dans ses chorus en pizz, qu'il révèle son sens de la mélodie enraciné dans la plus pure tradition du blues.

Sans être un roi du swing comme Ray Brown ou sans posséder le génie mélodique d'un Oscar Pettiford, il représente à mes yeux la quintessence de ce que l'on attend d'un bassiste dans une formation be bop ou hard bop.

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Sur le blues : Blues for nica sur le disque du pianiste Kenny Drew

Sur une ballade : My funny valentine avec Miles Davis

A l'archet : sur Bass blues où il joue le thème avec John Coltrane (disque Traneing in avec Red Garland et Art Taylor)

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Lorsque l'on parle des mythiques disques Blue Note des années 50 de la série 7000, du son , du climat, du répertoire, de l'esthétique associée, la présence de la basse de  Chambers est incontournable. Sa présence durable auprès de Miles Davis et de John Coltrane suffit à comprendre quelle a été son importance dans la construction d'une estétique sonore qu'incarne à merveille Kind of Blue.

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Prochainement mes relevés de :
I heard that
C jam blues

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Recueil Arcology

German bow. I don't whole the story, but Philly Joe Jones had it. He wouldn't even let cats touch it, only look.

hmmm, best recollection is German. I'll have to double check the MILES AHEAD video...

Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. was one of the most important bass players in the 1950's and '60s. He worked and recorded in numerous groups, most notably with Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Other Jazz legends that we played with are Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, J. J. Johnson, and Lee Morgan.

Paul Chambers was born in Pittsburgh, in 1935. After the death of his mother he moved to Detroit, where he took up the string bass in 1949. A gifted musician, he mastered his instrument and moved to New York in 1954. He gigged regularly in the big apple and joined Miles Davis' first great quintet in 1955, at the age of 20. In 1956 he won the "New Star" award form Downbeat. Chambers stayed with Miles for seven years and in this time recorded with Coltrane and Rollins, as well as being a sideman on numerous Blue Note records. After leaving Miles in 1962, Chambers worked with Wynton Kelly and James Cobb as well as Wes Montgomery. Paul Chambers died on Jan. 4, 1969 from Tuberculosis.

Paul Chambers was a master walker and a superb soloist. When he walked, he laid his middle finger over his index, which accounts for his relaxed feel, as he played on the back of the beat. Chambers did not have the control over his instrument that others such as Ray Brown did, but his harmonic sense made his walking lines interesting. His approach to outlining chords made the most of each position he was in. As a soloist, Chambers approach was similar his time keeping. He played harmonically rich, swinging lines in the lower register of the instrument. Upon analysis of his playing, one can see how he was profoundly influenced by Bird. In many of his solos, Chambers demonstrates his virtuosity with the bow.

http://www.dd.chalmers.se/~f96tope/noter.html#paulchamber
Paul Chambers - Bass Line, Solo and Lead Sheet on "Blues By Five"
Paul Chambers - Lead Sheet of "Whims of Chambers"
But not for me
I can't give you anathing but love
Relevés de bass lines par Bruno Raberg
So what
Tenor madness
If i were a bell
Cours de bass lines
Le travail le plus complet sur Paul en allemand

Whims of a Master
Reviewer: Adam Worden from Naperville IL
Paul Chamber's "Whims of Chambers" is an album many would over look. The name Paul Chambers is not one that would draw attention, even though his participation in bebop jazz is astounding. This is the man who bass played with Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland and Sonny Rollins to name very few, and his technique is amazing. In this album he collects some of the greatest musicians to cultivate an album so rich in thoughtful and powerful solos that this album is extremely hard to put down. Chambers takes center stage on a good deal of the pieces, soloing both pizz and acro style, yield punchy and smooth solos that meld in with all the others. Definately an album not to pass up.

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