"The most talented new bassist to enter the jazz scene in recent years. That is the opinion of critics and jazz men alike and offered by the time Paul Chambers was barely twenty-one. Born Paul Lawrence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. in Pittsburgh, in 1935, he started his professional career when only fourteen, playing baritone horn and tuba around Detroit with Kenny Burrell and other combos.
He left Detroit with "The vice-Prez"-Paul Quinichette, and worked with him for about eight months. Subsequently, in 1955, he was heard with the combos of Benny Green, Joe Roland, J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding, George Wallington, and Miles Davis with whom he played through most of 1956. His favorite bassists are ex.Elling- tonian the late Jimmy Blanton; and cellist-bassist Oscar Pettiford.
Alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley is also proficient on tenor, clarinet, flute and trumpet. Such versatility between reed and brass instruments, though not too common, lies in the fact that he studied brass and reed instruments in high school in Tallahassee from 1944 to 1948... at which time he formed his first jazz group. Upon graduation he became band director at Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale. During this time (from 1948 - 1950) he also had his own jazz group in south Florida. He became leader of the 36th Army Dance Band while serving in the Army from 1950 - '52; led another Army band at Ft. Knox from '52 - '53. "Cannonball" first attracted attention in the musical "pro" circuit when he sat in with Oscar Pettiford at Cafe Bohemia in New York City in the summer of 1955; and almost immediately was signed by one of the major jazz labels. In the spring of '56 he and his brother Nat started touring with their own combo.
The nickname "Cannonball" evolved from "Cannibal" - a name given him by high school colleagues in tribute to his vast eating capacity. His favorite alto-saxophonists are the late Charlie Parker and Benny Carter - so it's not surprising that he sounds much like the former on up-tempo numbers and like Carter on ballads. With his advent on the professional scene he was considered the outstanding new alto saxophonist by musicians and critics alike; and since then has gleaned a following that is legion.
On the four selections in which trumpet was used the nod went to Freddie Hubbard - a young man from Indianapolis, Indiana who is currently working with Sonny Rollins . . - and who, for the past few months, has enjoyed the acceptance of John Coltrane as well.
Pianist Wynton Kelly was brought to this country from his native Jamaica at the age of four. He was playing professionally when only eleven; and when he was fifteen went on a Caribbean tour with the Ray Abrams Octet. He worked mostly in the rhythm and blues field for the next few years; and was accompanist to Dinah Washington for three years. He was a member of the Dizzy Gillespie combo when only twenty-one years old. His musical versatility is demonstrated by the fact that he not only plays most modern piano, but has also played organ for Sunday mass in his church in Brooklyn.
The talented "Philly Joe" Jones is the drummer on "Awful Mean"; the balance of the drumming chores fell to Jimmy Cobb - who has also worked with Dinah Washington, Cannonball's old group, and with Miles Davis.
In "AWFUL MEAN" Philly Joe's ominous drum roll brings on the four-man firing squad for this moderate-temped blues, the pace for which is set by Chambers' bass. The melody, as laid down by "Cannonball" in the first chorus, hits the musical mark with the devastation of Birdshot. The mood is funky; and solos by Wynton Kelly, then Adderley, are followed by the leader's "coup de grace," using a bow rather than the traditional .45. Just to make sure, Philly Joe adds some tasty sharpshooting of his own -
After a unison first chorus on the old favorite "JUST FRIENDS", Hubbard, Kelly, Adderley and Chambers solo in that order for two choruses apiece. Paul's agility in bowing on this up-tempo swinger is remarkable; and Jimmy Cobb drives and punctuates well through. out. One has the feeling that here are close "aficionados," rather than "just friends" -
"JULIE ANN" (named for a daughter in the Adderley household perhaps?) is a fast waltz, but often with a cross-rhythm 4/'4 feel to it. Paul is pizzicato on this one, soloing first followed by Freddie and the composer in turn. It's a pretty melody which everyone apparently enjoyed playing - as evidenced by a fade at the end, rather than a definite close-out.
"THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE" finds the quartet in a relaxed mood and at a moderate tempo; and if you have eyes to dance about now, this is your meat. Paul walks his bass with authority.
Despite the boppish syncopation reminiscent of the late '40s of the first and ride-out choruses, the blend of Hubbard's muted trumpet and Cannonball's alto in lower register than when he is soloing brings to mind the precision and sound of another group under the aegis of a stellar bass man of twenty years or so ago, John Kirby. The phrasing of Charlie Shavers and Russell Procope in the Kirby group was less abrupt, of course; but the sound and attack were most similar to what we hear in Paul's composition, "EASE IT"
Gershwin's 1930 hit "I GOT RHYTHM" (from the show "Girl Crazy") is a flag-waving finale with a pace that brings to bear on the dexterity and fluid drive of all concerned. Jimmy Cobb boots things along and solos more extensively than heretofore
Dick Martin Station WWL ,New Orleans
Recording Supervised by SID Mc COY
Traduction française
"Le plus talentueux des nouveaux bassistes à entrer sur la scène du jazz ces dernières années"
C'est l'opinion des critiques et des musiciens de jazz également - et ceci au moment où Paul Chambers avait tout juste vingt et un ans.
Né Paul Lawrence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. A Pittsburgh en 1935, il débute sa carrière professionnelle tout juste à l'âge de quatorze ans, en jouant du baryton horn et du tuba dans les environs de Detroit avec Kenny Burrell et d'autres combos.
Il quitte Detroit avec le "Vice Président" Paul Quinichette, et travaille pour lui pendant à peu près huit mois. Par la suite, en 1955, on l'entend avec les combos de Benny Green, Joe Roland, J.J. Johnson et Kai Winding, Georges Wallington, et Miles Davis - avec lequel il va joué beaucoup en 1956. Ses bassistes favoris sont le regretté ex Ellingtonien Jimmy Blanton; et le violoncelliste-bassiste Oscar Pettiford.
Critique Michel Contat sur GO
Il y a quarante ans, on parlait déjà de " jeunes lions ", ils s'appelaient Cannonball Adderiey, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Kelly, formidablement présents sur ce Go. Le contrebassiste géant de ce temps-là était Paul Chambers. Il jouait chez Miles Davis ; Coltrane et Rollins lui ont dédié chacun un morceau : Mr PC et Paul's Pal. Aujourd'hui, les bassistes " politically correct ", jouant strictement le tempo au creux du temps, avec des cordes dures, en boyau, qui demandent des doigts aux cals de léopard - se réclament tous de Mr Chambers, mort en 1969. Il était l'héritier de Jimmy Blanton (inventeur de la contrebasse moderne chez Ellington) et d'Oscar Pettiford. A l'un, il avait pris la rondeur moelleuse du son, à l'autre les lignes de basse tendant à la mélodie. Il apportait au style déambulant de la walking bass un son naturel d'une ampleur encore inconnue sur terre, un pas de félin sur tous les tempos, et des solos à l'archet presque toujours justes (à l'impossible nul n'est tenu). Paul Chambers a gravé un petit nombre de disques en leader. On salue donc la réédition de cet album. L'original -très recherché — est enrichi de trois titres et de prises alternatives. Le blues règne en maître sur la plupart des thèmes, notamment Shades ofblue (inédit), qui vient rappeler qu'en cette même année 1959 avec, pour une part, les mêmes musiciens. Miles Davis allait enregistrer Kind of blue et changer à jamais ce blues terrien qu'illustre encore Go, feu vert à l'avenir.
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