Every Chamber of Commerce in America believes it has something to crow about in its city. Pittsburgh has steel, Milwaukee has beer, Grinders Switch has Minnie Pearl and Detroit shouts about its cars. Yet, each year Detroit pours into the mainstream of American culture an unsung export—the emerging, revitalizing jazz musician. The flow is steady, reliable and unpretentious and Detroit accepts it as a common, secondary product. Yet, there has been nothing either common or secondary about the national and world-wide acceptance of Detroit's jazzmen and their contribution toward keeping jazz a forward-moving, progressive art form. In 1959 and early 1960 most of the leading big bands and combos had at least one Detro-ite in the ranks. Count Basie, Miles Davis, the Modem Jazz Quartet, the Jazztet and the Adderley Quintet, to name a few, all owed a debt to Detroit.
The musically prolific Jones family is a Detroit contribution. Brothers pianist Hank, drummer Elvin, and trompeter Thad are among the jazzmen most in demand. Bernard McKinney, trombonist; tenor man Yusef Lateef; trombonist Curtis Fuller; young trumpeter Donald Byrd; the Adderley pianist Barry Harris; Alvin Jackson and his brother, vibes player, Milt—all these active musicians are products of the jazz assembly line in the Motor City.
And then there is Paul Chambers. Had Detroit nothing more to its credit than the musical spawning and nursing of Chambers, then the contribution would have been a worthy one.
"The bass has been buried in the rhythm section of jazz groups too long. It is high time someone devoted his career to the great melodic and emotional potential of this instrument." These words must have been uttered by the often-quoted Mr. Somebody Sometimes and he might just as well have directed his wish to Paul Chambers, for in 1954, Chambers picked up this specific challenge. Since that time, the jazz bass instrument has never been the same.
As a solid, rock-rooted swinger, Paul Chambers is unquestionably to be regarded with awe and wonder. He is Foundation Personified in the rhythm section; keeper of the beat; coordinator of the pulsating background to which the soloists vibrate.
As a soloist, he is imaginative and adventurous. Never satisfied to merely "walk" and "stroll" (commendable attributes when well executed,) Chambers urges his bass to skip and gallop unafraid on foreign soil.
It is to be expected that Chambers should record an album of original tunes. The moods, effects and interpretations are interesting and varied. This album contains elements of departure and experimentation. Yet there is enough of the familiar swinger still remaining.
If you have ever wondered what Paul Chambers would do if he were free to choose his men and his tunes, you have your first answer here.
BARBARA J. GARDNER