Wayne Shorter - The All Seeing Eye

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:33
Size: 102,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:34) 1. The All Seeing Eye
(11:48) 2. Genesis
( 6:57) 3. Chaos
( 5:32) 4. Face Of The Deep
( 9:40) 5. Mephistopheles

With such titles as "The All Seeing Eye," "Genesis," "Chaos," "Face of the Deep," and "Mephistopheles," it is clear from the start that the music on this LP is not basic bop and blues. Wayne Shorter (who composed four of the five originals) picked an all-star cast (trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, altoist James Spaulding, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Joe Chambers, along with brother Alan Shorter on flügelhorn for the final song) to perform and interpret the dramatic selections, and their brand of controlled freedom has plenty of subtle surprises. This is stimulating music that still sounds fresh. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-all-seeing-eye-mw0000097755

Personnel: Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone; Freddie Hubbard – trumpet, flugelhorn; Grachan Moncur III – trombone; James Spaulding – alto saxophone; Herbie Hancock – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Joe Chambers – drums; Alan Shorter – flugelhorn (track 5 only)

The All Seeing Eye

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John Coltrane & Archie Shepp - New Thing At Newport

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:03
Size: 151,5 MB
Art: Front

( 1:08) 1. Spoken Introduction To John Coltrane's Set By Father Norman O'connor
(12:44) 2. One Down, One Up
(15:21) 3. My Favorite Things
( 2:02) 4. Spoken Introduction To Archie Shepp's Set By Billy Taylor
(10:28) 5. Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy
( 6:43) 6. Call Me By My Rightful Name
( 3:26) 7. Scag
( 5:49) 8. Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind, Then His Neck Snapped)
( 8:19) 9. Le Matin Des Noire

What better place than the Newport Jazz Festival, a historically tight-laced and conservative jazz forum, for the quartets of Coltrane and Shepp to pour out their soulful selves as libations for the masses? Prior to this 1963 concert the festival’s track record with adventurous jazz fare was checkered at best. Monk and Giuffre had played there in previous years, but the focus was undeniably on the accessible and the mainstream. Things had become so skewed that Charles Mingus, Max Roach felt obligated to organize a concurrent festival of their own in protest and were given the sobriquet The Newport Rebels. Coltrane’s immense popularity made him the perfect candidate to breach Newport’s defenses and in typical benevolent fashion he brought a host of his associates in tow for a unified siege on the senses and sensibilities of the audience. What a spectacle it must have been. Fortunately the tape machines were rolling.

As if in deference to the Newport jazz community’s naïveté toward the New Thing embarrassingly banal comments from Father Norman O’Conner preface and append Trane’s performance. The so-called ‘jazz priest’ demonstrates his ignorance by referring to Elvin Jones as a ‘kind of a newcomer to the world jazz.’ Mercifully his introductions are brief and the quartet works up a lengthy lather on “One Down, One Up” before launching into a burning rundown of “My Favorite Things.” Compared to other concert recordings by the quartet the first piece is just below par, though there’s still plenty of incendiary fireworks ignited by the four on second. Coltrane’s upper register tenor solo becomes so frenetic on “One Down, One Up” that there are moments where he moves off mic, but his soprano work on “My Favorite Things” is nothing short of astonishing, a blur of swirling harmonics that threatens split his horn asunder.

After Coltrane and crew have sufficiently anointed the Newport crowd in a monsoon of New Thing sentiments it’s Shepp’s turn. His set is a different bag, brimming with political overtones and barely contained dysphoria and his sound on tenor is an arresting amalgam of raspy coarseness and delicate lyricism. Hutcherson’s glowing vibes knit gossamer webs around the rhythmically free center accorded by Phillips and Chambers. It all comes to boil on the haunting “Scag” a tone poem fueled by Phillips acerbic bow, Hutcherson’s ghostly patterns and Shepp’s bone dry recitation that captures the loneliness of a junkie’s desperation. The stuttering starts and stops of “Rufus” carry the feeling of cultural dislocation even further referencing the brutality and finality of a lynching through musical means. Shepp and his partners were pulling no punches in exposing the captive audience to their art. A low-flying plane disrupts the opening of “Le Matin des Noire,” but the four players quickly regain direction and sink into a lush Noirish vamp that carries the tune to a close.

This new version of the disc marks the first time the original 3-track tapes of the concert have been remastered and they are given the royal treatment through 24-bit digital transfers. Also included for the first time is a beautiful facsimile of the Shepp album cover picturing the saxophonist with song charts and horn.By Derek Taylor
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-thing-at-newport-john-coltrane-impulse-review-by-derek-taylor

Players: John Coltrane- soprano & tenor saxophones; McCoy Tyner- piano; Jimmy Garrison- bass; Elvin Jones- drums; Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone, recitation; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone; Barre Phillips- bass; Joe Chambers - drums.

New Thing At Newport 1965

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Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:55
Size: 109.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Bop
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:46] 1. Adam's Apple
[6:35] 2. 502 Blues (Drinkin' And Drivin')
[6:28] 3. El Gaucho
[7:26] 4. Footprints
[6:13] 5. Teru
[7:32] 6. Chief Crazy Horse
[6:52] 7. The Collector

Bass – Reginald Workman; Drums – Joe Chambers; Piano – Herbie Hancock; Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter.

By the beginning of '66, Wayne Shorter had already made jazz history twice: forging gospel-drenched hard bop with Art Blakey from '59 to '64 and helping to create the metaphysical artistry of the Miles Davis quintet during the mid-'60s. So it should come as no suprise that Adam's Apple , which was recorded in February of '66, has Shorter compositions in standard AABA blues form and introspective ballads that sound like his work with Davis.

Recorded at the infamous Van Gelder studio for Blue Note Records, Adam's Apple features Shorter leading an all-star rhythm section consisting of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Joe Chambers. As in the second "classic" Miles Davis quintet, Hancock and Shorter find solace in each other on Adam's Apple. Shorter's solos throughout the album are encouraged by Hancock's stride-like comping.

Adam's Apple features underrated drummer Joe Chambers, who appeared on four of Wayne Shorter's Blue Note albums during the '60s. Not a well-known Blue Note favorite like Tony Williams or Art Blakey, Chambers still manages to produce outstanding aesthetics of sound on his drums, frequently using the tom-toms in his solos to produce a tympanic effect. Chamber's playing is so controlled throughout Adam's Apple that he manages to keep a swinging tempo during his extremely polyrhythmic solos. ~Aaron Rogers

Adam's Apple

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Joe Chambers - Landscapes

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:56
Size: 138,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Epistrophy
(4:30)  2. The Outlaw
(6:02)  3. Never Let Me Go
(4:58)  4. Havana
(5:39)  5. Samba de Maracatu
(7:29)  6. Pas de trois
(4:49)  7. Airegin
(6:33)  8. Ecaroh
(4:48)  9. Underground (Railroad) System
(9:59) 10. Landscapes

As a performer, Joe Chambers plays several roles on Landscapes. He stands front and center on the vibraphone, and he brings up the rear on trap kit. On “Havana” he ups the ante even further by adding bongos, marimba and congas to the mix. On the title track he sits at the piano for a solo recital. Chambers of course is skilled on all of them, and a formidable composer. The album has the potential to be a fiery session, yet it comes up short. Part of this might be attributed to the way it was made. Chambers laid down the drum tracks together with pianist Rick Germanson and bassist Ira Coleman, leaving room for the vibes and overdubbing them later, in crisp and captivating audio. But the drums get pushed back into the mix, in both sound and interaction, and the group doesn’t seem as engaged as it should be. “Havana” is more showcase than song, and a synthesizer loop diminishes its impact. Landscapes does have some strong moments. “Epistrophy” kicks off with a bembé groove before Coleman’s bass takes the spotlight. Chambers proves himself an introspective pianist on “Landscapes.” Two Horace Silver pieces raise the energy level. But the rest simply sounds a little too polite. It’s understandable why a drummer of Chambers’ authority wouldn’t want to cede the chair to someone else, but next time, doing so might add some spark to the session. 

~ By Mike Shanley https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/joe-chambers-landscapes/

Personnel: Drums, Congas, Bongos, Marimba, Vibraphone, Piano, Arranged By, Synthesizer, Producer – Joe Chambers; Piano – Rick Germanson; Bass – Ira Coleman; 

Landscapes

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Charles Tolliver - Paper Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:26
Size: 90,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Earl's World
(9:39)  2. Peace With Myself
(5:51)  3. Right Now
(6:08)  4. Household Of Saud
(7:08)  5. Lil's Paradise
(6:11)  6. Paper Man

Also released by the Freedom label, this was trumpeter Charles Tolliver's full-length album as a leader. One of the top brassmen to emerge during the era (although he never quite lived up to his potential), Tolliver had the fat tone of a Freddie Hubbard, the adventurous spirit of Woody Shaw and a somewhat original conception of his own that bridged the gap between hard bop and the avant-garde. 

He performs six of his originals with pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Joe Chambers and (on three of the selections) altoist Gary Bartz. This explorative and stirring music is well worth investigating. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/paper-man-mw0000874948

Personnel: Charles Tolliver - trumpet, producer, composer; Herbie Hancock - piano; Ron Carter - bass;  Joe Chambers - drums; Gary Bartz - alto saxophone

Paper Man

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Joe Chambers - The Outlaw

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:40
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. The Outlaw
(4:22)  2. Tu-Way-Pock-E-Way
(5:42)  3. Come Back to Me
(5:33)  4. I Think It's Time to Say Goodbye
(6:36)  5. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:10)  6. Bembe
(6:45)  7. Escapade
(4:58)  8. Baha
(5:18)  9. Poinciana

Joe Chambers was one of the best percussionists during the Golden Age of Blue Note Records in the 1950s and '60s. The drummer played on Freddie Hubbard's Breaking Point, Bobby Hutcherson's Components, Wayne Shorter's Schizophrenia, Andrew Hill's Compulsion and McCoy Tyner's Tender Moments. Around the same time, Chambers began playing piano as well. He reached a turning point in 1970, when he was invited to join Max Roach's new all-percussive unit, M'Boom. He was encouraged to play all manner of percussion instruments. The Outlaw shows Chambers primarily as a vibraphonist, but he also plays drums, piano, synthesizer programs and marimba. When Chambers is too occupied on the vibes, New York bandleader Bobby Sanabria handles percussion on five of the nine tracks. Much of this album reflects a Latin jazz patina that reminds me of the Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers groove (and they are still a functional, recording unit). Chambers' combo makes less use of horns on this session than Pucho does, though saxophonist Logan Richardson does get an opportunity to shine on soprano for "Escapade." Two tracks seem to feature a somewhat annoying drum machine, but since none is listed, it must be a synth programming feature. Nicole Gutland appears on two tracks for vocal ("I Think It's Time To Say Goodbye") and vocalese ("Come Back to Me") performances. Chambers performs a mid-tempo version of "In A Sentimental Mood" and pays respects to Vernel Fournier, drummer with the Ahmad Jamal trio, with his own version of "Poinciana." "Bembe" utilizes a rhythm from a Yoruba Santeria ritual, while "Bahia" is a pulsing Brazilian street band peace with Chambers leading the way. All in all, with some exceptions noted, a most pleasant ride! ~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-outlaw-joe-chambers-savant-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Joe Chambers: drums, vibraphone, piano, marimba, synthesizer programs; Nicola Gulland: voice; Logan Richardson: soprano and alto saxophone; Misha Tsiganov: acoustic and electric piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Bobby Sanabria: percussion.

The Outlaw

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Kevin Hays Quintet - Sweet Ear

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:16
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:26)  1. Neptune
(6:39)  2. Sweetear
(4:09)  3. Fun
(6:06)  4. Almost Always
(6:23)  5. You And The Nigth And The Music
(7:09)  6. Beatrice
(6:57)  7. Lonely Woman
(8:23)  8. Judgement

A talented pianist, Kevin Hays grew up in Connecticut and started lessons when he was seven. He made his recording debut with Nick Brignola; toured with the Harper Brothers (1989-1990); and worked with Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Donald Harrison, Roy Haynes, and Joe Henderson, among others. Kevin Hays recorded three albums with Bob Belden, and in 1994 cut his first record as a leader, Seventh Sense (Blue Note). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-hays-mn0000082897/biography

Personnel: Piano – Kevin Hays; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Bass – James Genus; Drums – Joe Chambers; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson

Sweet Ear

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Bobby Hutcherson - Happenings (Remastered)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:43
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:43)  1. Aquarian Moon
(8:07)  2. Bouquet
(6:00)  3. Rojo
(5:49)  4. Maiden Voyage
(5:14)  5. Head Start
(3:47)  6. When You Are Near
(6:59)  7. The Omen

Recorded in 1966, and here with a 24-bit remaster by original engineer Rudy Van Gelder, Happenings heralded a new, less structurally adventurous approach from avant-garde standard-bearer and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. As such it is, inevitably if rather unfairly the individual performances are outstanding less of a headline affair than the work which came before it. Happenings is the first album to present Hutcherson as the featured soloist fronting a conventional rhythm section, instead of amongst the experimentally-inclined sextets and quintets he'd led and guested with before. These had produced, most notably, Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch (Blue Note, 1964) and Hutcherson's own Dialogue (Blue Note, 1965), the latter featuring two new thing auteurs in pianist Andrew Hill and saxophonist Sam Rivers. More tellingly, the choice of material on Happenings makes for a safer, more mainstream affair than its predecessors. Previously, Hutcherson had either guested with premier league composers like Dolphy, Archie Shepp and Grachan Moncur III, or with his own bands relied on other writers (Dialogue was almost entirely written by Hill). Here all but one of the tunes (pianist Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage") are unremarkable, in-the-tradition Hutcherson originals. 

With the exception of "The Omen," an ambitious, wannabe-conservatoire construction which isn't convincing, they're a competent but derivative mix of swingers, ballads and Latin tunes. There is, however, some great playing on Happenings. Hancock's stomping, cluster-chord chromaticism on the opening "Aquarian Moon" is a highlight, as is Hutcherson's own solo on "Maiden Voyage," a track also distinguished by drummer Joe Chambers' metronomic but magically propulsive, centre-of-the-cymbal stick work. "When You Are Near," a classy ballad (though one in search of a good bridge), is arguably the strongest Hutcherson original. But at less than four minutes, it is, perversely, by far the shortest track. A year and a half after Happenings, Hutcherson, Hancock and Chambers returned to similar territory with Oblique (Blue Note, 1967). Crucially, half the six tracks were written by Hancock and the magnificently quirky Chambers, and the music was raised several storeys as a result. History rarely runs in an entirely straight line. In the midst of his early-1960s avant-garde endeavours, Hutcherson was a featured soloist in the sextet that recorded Grant Green's exquisitely mellifluous Idle Moments (Blue Note, 1963). Hutcherson revealed himself as a formidable mainstream lyricist, and Happenings, Oblique and much of the work that has followed can be traced back at least as far as Green's album. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/happenings-bobby-hutcherson-blue-note-records-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone, marimba; Herbie Hancock: piano; Bob Cranshaw: bass; Joe Chambers: drums.

Happenings

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Stanley Cowell - Back To The Beautiful

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:48
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. Theme For Ernie
(6:23)  2. Wail
(4:59)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(6:26)  4. But Beautiful
(5:55)  5. Sylvia's Place
(9:07)  6. Come Sunday
(6:45)  7. Carnegie Six
(5:15)  8. St. Croix
(9:06)  9. Prayer For Peace
(5:44) 10. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

Pianist Stanley Cowell displays some of his versatility on this Concord CD, performing pieces that range from "It Don't Mean Aa Thing" and Bud Powell's boppish "Wail" to four of his own inventive originals. Most of the tunes are performed in a trio with bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Joe Chambers while guest Steve Coleman (on alto and soprano) helps out on three songs, sounding quite effective on "Sylvia's Place" and "Come Sunday."~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-to-the-beautiful-mw0000207035

Personnel:  Stanley Cowell – piano; Steve Coleman – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone (tracks 5, 6); Santi Debriano – bass (tracks 1-9); Joe Chambers – drums (tracks 1-9)

Back To The Beautiful

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Andrew Hill - Pax

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:53
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:42)  1. Eris
( 7:13)  2. Pax
(10:10)  3. Calliope
( 7:18)  4. Euterpe
( 4:01)  5. Erato
( 3:42)  6. Roots 'N' Herbs
( 6:45)  7. Euterpe (alternate take)

Pax is one of those seminal Andrew Hill albums that sat locked in Blue Note's vaults for a decade before the first five cuts here were finally released as part of a double-LP package in 1975 entitled One for One. The final pair, recorded at the same time, didn't see the light of day until they appeared on the limited-edition Mosaic Select Blue Note recordings a decade after that. The personnel on this disc is a dream band: Hill with Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Richard Davis, and Joe Chambers. All of the these players but Hubbard had played with Hill before, and the telepathy is simply synchronistic. The opening cut, "Eris," is a sprawling blues clocking in at nearly 11 minutes. Full of Hill's knotty harmonics, and truly fiery playing by Hill and Hubbard, it's one of Hill's finest moments on record from the mid-'60s. "Calliope" is an off-kilter, medium tempo swing jam. There is a sense of time being stretched here that is simply uncanny. Of the two final tracks, being heard here by the general populace for the first time -- though this too is a limited edition in the Connoisseur Series (so the label can make you buy it again later in some other form) -- one was recorded sans horns. "Roots 'N' Herbs," (not Wayne Shorter's ) and the Afro-Cuban percussion and hypnotic bassline make it a curious midtempo ballad even as its meter shifts and floats and then becomes free before it enters the more conventional rock & roll backbeat rhythm pattern that Hill picks up on and stretches to the breaking point before it exhausts itself. The final cut is an interesting alternate of "Euterpe," which is not al that different from the first. In all, however, this is a semi-rough and wonderfully rowdy Hill date that deserves serious aural exploration. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/pax-mw0000555348

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano;  Freddie Hubbard - cornet (tracks 1-4 & 7);  Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4 & 7);  Richard Davis - bass;  Joe Chambers - drums

Pax

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McCoy Tyner - Tender Moments

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:11
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Mode To John
(6:54)  2. Man From Tanganyika
(6:07)  3. The High Priest
(7:39)  4. Utopia
(6:05)  5. All My Yesterdays
(5:40)  6. Lee Plus Three

Now 66 years old, McCoy Tyner has made countless albums and become an elder statesman of jazz. He is certainly best known as the pianist in the transformational John Coltrane Quartet of the '60s, but it was with Blue Note recordings like this one from 1967, recently reissued in remastered form, that he revealed his personality as a composer, arranger, and soloist. Tender Moments was one of Tyner's first major explorations of the world of colors and textures available through arrrangements for large ensemble. He gathered together some of his musical friends (some of whom had recorded for Blue Note already) and created settings for them which showcased their ensemble and solo prowess, as well as his own burgeoning skills as a colorist and architect. Tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin and flautist James Spaulding offer some of their finest solo work, adding rich dimensions to Tyner's themes, particularly on "Man from Tanganyika and "The High Priest. And Lee Morgan a fellow Philadelphian is his ever-soulful and assured self, particularly on his blues feature "Lee Plus Three, where it's just Morgan with piano, bass, and drums.

From the beginning, we are in the presence of someone concerned with texture. The low brass beautifully complements the lighter statement of "Mode to John, Tyner's tribute to his old boss. On the jaunty and rhythmic "Man from Tanganyika, the flute and piano tandem on the theme and then the brass players' coloration gives the tune its clear shape. Tyner's tribute to Monk is quite original he has created a Monkish theme and some intriguing horn lines and fills, without for a second sacrificing the sound that we know as his own. As in all his solo passages, Tyner manages to be subtle, engaging, and yet the same player who so drove the Coltrane band. The album's high point is the album's tenderest moment: the gorgeous "All My Yesterdays. It's a true ballad with an exquisitely slow tempo all the way through and low brass that is all about color. Tyner's solo is uncharacteristically gentle. Tender Moments is all about architecture and scene painting, and as such it stands as a key marker in the recorded career path of one of the music's most individual artists. ~ Donald Elfman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tender-moments-mccoy-tyner-blue-note-records-review-by-donald-elfman.php

Personnel: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Julian Priester, trombone; James Spaulding, alto saxophone, flute; Bennie Maupin, tenor saxophone; Bob Northern, French horn; Howard Johnson, tuba; McCoy Tyner, piano; Herbie Lewis, bass; Joe Chambers, drums.

Tender Moments

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Wayne Shorter - Etcetera

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:21)  1. Etcetera
( 6:46)  2. Penelope
( 7:24)  3. Toy Tune
(11:08)  4. Barracudas (General Assembly)
(11:35)  5. Indian Song

In Harold and the Purple Crayon,” a children’s book from 1955, the intrepid hero, a sturdy toddler, decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. There is no moon, and so, with his purple crayon, Harold draws one, and then decides to draw a straight path to walk upon. When this leads him nowhere, he follows his crayon under the moon’s watchful eye through a series of adventures, conjuring a field, a forest, an apple tree, a nasty dragon, an ocean, a sailboat, a beach, a picnic lunch of pie, a moose and a porcupine to eat it, a mountain to climb, a balloon to ferry him down it, a house, a front yard, a city full of windows, and a policeman to point the way home. Then, finally, he draws his bedroom window around the moon, draws his bed, draws himself under the covers, drops the pen and goes to sleep. This synesthetic process is not unlike what Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Cecil McBee, and Joe Chambers did at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on June 14, 1965, when they made Etcetera, Shorter’s fifth recording for Blue Note. Like each of Shorter’s other Blue Note sessions from that era, it was a one-shot affair.  “There was nothing developmental as a band,” he told his biographer Michelle Mercer. “A recording was just one movie, and then the next was another movie, in a kind of dream away from Miles.”

The notion of an imaginary screenplay in notes and tones suits the ambiance of this exceptional date. Each piece evokes a fantasy world, tells a story with a beginning, a middle and an end upon which the protagonists improvise, creating lines that assume a life of their own and following them wherever they choose. As Hancock put it thirty-seven years later, “The world is Wayne’s stage; he can grab a metaphor from almost anything in life.” Perhaps that cinematic, episodic quality is one reason why Etcetera, which would not be released until fifteen years after it was recorded, resonates so deeply with numerous Boomer jazzfolk. Another is the humanity of Shorter’s instrumental voice, efflorescent in the quartet setting, emotional, hardcore, expressing the same passion, vulnerability and free spirit that suffuses his pieces.

Consider the kaleidoscopic emotional range conveyed on the noirish title track, on which the leader and Hancock, already close friends after nine months together with Miles, offer soliloquies conveying ecstasy, torment, and angst, navigating the tricky harmonic terrain with melodies that meander through, around, and in synch with Joe Chambers’ roiling, orchestrative, funky beats. On the meditative “Penelope,” dedicated perhaps to the wife of Odysseus or to a real, live woman (Shorter doesn’t say), the composer channels his inner Strayhorn, while on “Toy Tune,” a mid-tempo swinger that doesn’t settle on a key center, Shorter offers a master class on building tension over multiple choruses. On Gil Evans’ “Barracudas,” he uncorks a Coltrane-inflected declamation (Hancock’s response is equally intense) whose thematic coherence is undoubtedly informed by his year-earlier solo flight on Evans’ swirling arrangement of that piece on The Individualism of Gil Evans.  Of “Indian Song,” an anthemic line propelled by Cecil McBee’s insistent bass vamp and Joe Chambers’ impeccable, surging, polyrhythmic 5/4 beat, Shorter further refracts Coltrane’s syntax and spirit into his own argot on a lengthy first section, before Hancock, himself a force of nature, completely changes the feel. Perhaps another reason why Etcetera has become such a notable signpost is that, as much as any other Shorter album, it emblemizes an aspiration that Shorter stated in 2003, while traveling in Europe with his present quartet in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. “Music is a part of the struggle,” he said. “They talk about the unknown factor they don't know what's going to happen. Why don't we do that every night on stage?  There's no school, no university for the unknown. Music is mysterious. Everything is. The unexpected is what's happening.”

Personnel:  Wayne Shorter (Tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (Piano); Cecil McBee (Bass); Joe Chambers (Drums).

Etcetera

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Joe Chambers & Yishiaki Masuo - New York Concerto

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:04
Size: 119,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:33)  1. Irina
( 3:34)  2. Two Hearts
( 6:10)  3. Like Sonny
( 5:54)  4. Visions
( 5:08)  5. A Night Has a Thousand Eyes
(15:15)  6. Concierto de Aranjuez
( 2:53)  7. Dhabihu
( 6:34)  8. Autumn in New York

Joe Chambers is an extremely versatile and tasteful master of all post-bop idioms. Chambers drives an ensemble with a light hand; his time is excellent and his grasp of dynamics superb. He's not a flashy drummer by any means, but he's a generous collaborator who makes any group of which he's a part as good as it can possibly be. Chambers worked around Washington, D.C., in his late teens. After moving to New York in 1963, he played with Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Giuffre, and Andrew Hill. In the mid-'60s, Chambers played with a number of the more progressively inclined musicians associated with the Blue Note label, such as vibist Bobby Hutcherson and saxophonists Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and Sam Rivers. In 1970, Chambers joined Max Roach's percussion ensemble, M'Boom, as an original member. During the '70s, Chambers played with a great many of jazz's most prominent elder statesmen, including Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Charles Mingus, and Art Farmer. With Flanagan and bassist Reggie Workman, Chambers formed the Super Jazz Trio. In the late '70s, he co-led a band with organist Larry Young. Chambers recorded with bands led by trumpeter Chet Baker and percussionist Ray Mantilla in the early '80s. He also maintained his association with Roach into the '90s. As a solo artist, Chambers has released a tidy number of albums including Almoravid (1973) with trumpeter Woody Shaw, New World (1976), New York Concerto (1981), Phantom of the City (1992), Mirrors (1998), and Urban Grooves (2002). Beginning with 2006's Outlaw, Chambers released a steady stream of albums for Savant Records with Horace to Max (2010), Joe Chambers Moving Pictures Orchestra (2012), and Landscapes (2016), featuring bassist Ira Coleman and pianist Rick Germanson. ~ Chris Kelsey http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-chambers-mn0000122897/biography

Born in Tokyo, Japan on October 12 1946 as a son of a jazz band leader and pianist, Yoshiaki Masuo grew up surrounded by jazz music, although he never had any formal musical training. At the age of 15, he started playing the guitar on his own. Prominent among his early influences were Wes Montgomery and Grant Green. While in Waseda University Jazz Club, Masuo was discovered by alto saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, and joined his group at the end of 1967. Masuo thus started his professional career on top as a regular of Japan's leading jazz group. He was in the group for three years, and experienced tours outside of Japan with Sadao, playing at Montreux and Newport jazz festivals. He was 1970's number one guitarist in the readers' poll of Swing Journal, Japan's most popular jazz magazine. He won the readers poll in the following years even after leaving Japan, five times in total. Masuo moved to New York City on June 13, 1971. There he played with Teruo Nakamura, Lenny White, Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, drummer Elvin Jones (Masuo took part in the recording of Merry Go Round) . He also played as a regular of Ashford and Simpson. In 1972, he was a member of Lee Konitz's group. In the spring of 1973, he joined the Sonny Rollins group. 

He was with Sonny three years the first time and three more years from 1982. He toured with the group all over the United States as well as Japan and Europe. He participated in recordings of four Rollins' albums including The Cutting Edge (of the five, one is released in Japan). One of the albums "Reel Life" contains a composition by Masuo "Sonny side up" being played by Rollins' band.  Between the two periods of his playing with Sonny Rollins, Masuo toured with drummer Elvin Jones in Europe, played with organist Larry Young, and formed his own electric fusion group. He recorded his fourth leader album in 1977 for the newly-established Electric Bird label (King Records of Tokyo). Released the next year as the label's first issue, this album turned out to be a remarkable success. He continued to make fine jazz fusion albums one after another over the following several years, winning new fans. He made tours with his own band in Japan and on the West Coast of the U.S., as well as appearing sometimes in NYC night clubs including Seventh Avenue South and Mikell's. On one tour in Japan, Jan Hammer played with him as a special guest. After the second period with Sonny Rollins group in the mid 80s, Masuo acquired his own studio in SoHo in NYC, and there he began experimenting with electronic instruments to create sound all by himself. This took shape as an album titled "Masuo," on which he not only played but also did the roles of composer, arranger, engineer and mixer. This was released in May, 1989. A couple of years before this release, his owning a studio happened to make him get involved as a producer of recordings for JazzCity (and later JazzCity Spirit) for a Japanese record company. He produced dozens of albums over the next ten years. As he got deeply into production, his career as a musician was virtually put on hold. He struggled to get back to playing, and released his album "Are You Happy Now" in Japan in December 1998 and then in the U. S. A. and Europe a year later. But still he was in record production until he closed The Studio in New York at the end of Jan, 2008. Determined to come back as a full-time guitar player, Masuo released his new album "Life is Good" in Aug, 2008 from his newly set-up Sunshine Ave. Label. The following year, 2009, his subsequent album "I'm Glad There is You" has come out. https://www.last.fm/music/Yoshiaki+Masuo/+wiki

Personnel:  Joe Chambers – Drums; Yishiaki Masuo – Guitar.

New York Concerto

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Joe Chambers - Mirrors

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:24
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Tu-Way-Pock-E-Way
(6:05)  2. Mirrors
(7:24)  3. Caravanserai
(7:09)  4. Ruth
(5:52)  5. Mariposa
(5:43)  6. Lady In My Life
(3:43)  7. Circles
(5:17)  8. Come Back To Me
(7:24)  9. Ruthless

Drummer Joe Chambers, 56, recorded his first Blue Note sessions as a youthful twenty year old, deeply immersed in the New York City jazz scene. While the 1960s were healthy years for the drummer’s professional development, the decade included many distractions for the jazz world. Fusion with rock music and the electronic revolution in equipment introduced many changes and several rifts. The music survived to witness its ‘90s comeback and usher in a generation of young lions. Leaders with whom Chambers worked and recorded in his early years include Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea. They’ve survived the changes as well, and each of them has remained true to his original ideas. Fred Jung’s interview with Joe Chambers contains a revealing look at the drummer’s spirit and professional goals. Seven of the nine pieces are the leader’s compositions. The two exceptions are pop favorites "Lady in My Life" and "Come Back to Me." "Mirrors" takes modern mainstream to its core with ride cymbal, walking bass, and solos from tenor saxophone, trumpet, piano & bass. "Caravanserai" issues a Middle Eastern mood, while "Mariposa" clears the air with a fast-moving arrangement led by Vincent Herring’s soprano sax. The quintet moves lightly but quickly, and in all directions at once - like a butterfly. As the ending nears, Chambers steps up to solo and the piece appears to have attracted a whole swarm of tiny butterflies. For "Circles" and "Lady in My Life" the leader adds vibraphone to the mix. His lyrical two-mallet approach is a little too percussive for the ballad. It’s more appropriate on "Circles," however, as Chambers gives the ensemble a rest and multi-tracks two vibraphones and drum set to provide a syncopated percussion adventure that’s similar to the work he’s done with Max Roach and M’Boom. There’s no hidden connection between "Ruth" and "Ruthless." One is a soft modal ballad featuring Herring’s alto and tempered by brushes and a bass interlude. The other is at the core of straight-ahead jazz, driven hard and culminating in fours with the drummer. Highly Recommended. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mirrors-joe-chambers-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Joe Chambers- drums, vibraphone; Mulgrew Miller- piano; Ira Coleman- bass; Vincent Herring- tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Eddie Henderson- trumpet.

Mirrors

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Rickey Woodard - The Tokyo Express

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:39
Size: 145.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992/2008
Art: Front

[ 6:38] 1. Recorda-Me
[ 5:49] 2. The Very Thought Of You
[ 7:39] 3. Just Friends
[ 8:55] 4. Sand Dance
[ 8:06] 5. Easy Living
[ 6:33] 6. Groovy Samba
[ 8:15] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[11:41] 8. The Tokyo Express

Alto Saxophone – Rickey Woodard; Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Joe Chambers; Piano – James Williams (2); Tenor Saxophone – Rickey Woodard.

Rickey hails from Nashville and was born into a family of musicians and was taught the saxophone and piano by his father. With his sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles and anybody in the neighborhood who wanted to play or sing, they formed a family band in the roadhouses and clubs of Tennessee. His earlier gigs were in blues and R&B but leaning toward jazz. Influenced by the big explosive style of Gene Ammons, Coleman Hawkins and Hank Mobley and the intellectualism of John Coltrane, Rickey has developed a distinctive, soulful and seductive style. By his late twenties he was a permanent member of the Ray Charles Band and toured worldwide for seven years. He currently works with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Frank Capp's Juggernaut Big Band. Rickey is also a popular visitor to Europe and the UK - and the international jazz festival circuit. In addition to playing the tenor, Rickey also plays the alto and soprano saxophones, along with the clarinet, flute and guitar. Rickey has performed worldwide with such legends as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ernestine Anderson, Benny Carter, and Horace Silver.

The Tokyo Express

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Tyrone Washington - Natural Essence

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:11
Size: 90,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Natural Essence
(6:29)  2. Yearning For Love
(8:08)  3. Positive Path
(8:04)  4. Soul Dance
(6:15)  5. Ethos
(5:11)  6. Song of Peace

This release is a bit of a mystery, because this sole date as a leader by Tyrone Washington seems to mark his final appearance on record (following two sessions as a sideman, including Stanley Cowell's Brillant Circles and Horace Silver's The Jody Grind); his name doesn't show up in jazz encyclopedias, so one wonders if he died prematurely or quit music for some other reason. Only 23 at the time of the recording, the tenor saxophonist composed six originals and is joined by other promising young lions who went onto great careers (pianist Kenny Barron and trumpeter Woody Shaw), along with alto saxophonist James Spaulding, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Joe Chambers. Washington shows the influence of John Coltrane during his rapid-fire runs, while his playing during his more straight-ahead works proves to be more memorable. The opener, "Natural Essence," is an interesting alchemy of blues, funk, and hard bop. "Yearning for Love" is an emotional piece with spirited interaction between the three horns in places. The remaining tracks don't make as strong an impression, so it is possible that the inclusion of some standards or pieces by either Shaw or Barron might have added to the appeal of the date. Long out of print since its appearance on LP, it has been reissued on CD by Toshiba-EMI of Japan; fans of hard bop who are willing to spend a little extra for this import reissue may want to investigate the only CD by this mysterious tenor saxophonist. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/natural-essence-mw0000368572

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Tyrone Washington;  Alto Saxophone, Flute – James Spaulding;  Bass – Reggie Workman;  Drums – Joe Chambers;  Piano – Kenny Barron;  Trumpet – Woody Shaw

Natural Essence

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Joe Chambers - Phantom of the City

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:01
Size: 135,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:23)  1. Phantom of the City
( 6:27)  2. Fun
( 8:11)  3. For Miles
(10:38)  4. Nuevo Mundo
( 8:45)  5. El Gaucho
( 8:18)  6. You've Changed
(10:15)  7. In and Out

Drummer Joe Chambers works with an intriguing lineup on this 1991 quintet set. Young lion trumpeter Phillip Harper teams with journeyman Bob Berg, who holds his own with the lyrical, energetic Harper. Chambers never hurries or crowds the soloists, and he interacts easily and fully with pianist George Cables and bassist Santi Debriano. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/phantom-of-the-city-mw0000095319

Personnel: Joe Chambers (drums); Bob Berg (tenor saxophone); Philip Harper (trumpet); George Cables (piano); Santi Debriano (bass guitar).

Phantom of the City

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Joe Chambers - Horace To Max

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:52
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. Asiatic Raes
(8:08)  2. Ecaroh
(4:07)  3. Man From South Africa
(7:23)  4. Mendacity
(7:19)  5. Portia
(4:57)  6. Water Babies
(5:03)  7. Lonesome Lover
(3:42)  8. Evidence
(3:38)  9. Afreeka

In this follow up to the critically-acclaimed The Outlaw (Savant 2006) recording, Joe Chambers tips his hat to colleagues Horace Silver and Max Roach with Horace To Max, paying tribute to mentor Roach and recognizing Silver as one of the most important composers of the post-bop era of jazz. A highly-regarded session drummer of the '60s appearing on many of Blue Note's greatest jazz recordings, Chambers builds on the foundation of The Outlaw where he was featured prominently on mallet instruments as well as the drums performing here on the vibes and marimba. While featuring standards from Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller and Thelonious Monk the repertoire includes three charts from Roach and one from Silver covering the the theme of the album. Though technically not truly a "drummers" disc by being overly percussive in nature Chambers delivers his fair share of drum solos and includes Steve Berrios on percussion as part of the personnel. It is Berrios who introduces the opening "Asiatic Raes" on the congas accompanied by the drummer in what is in fact a dicey percussion-driven number. Exhibiting considerable chops on the vibes, Chambers crafts a warm and sensitive rendition of Silver's gorgeous "Ecaroh" featuring tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and Xavier Davis on piano.

Vocalist Nicole Guiland appears on a couple of pieces beginning with "Mendacity," a tune associated with both Roach and Abbey Lincoln and then again on "Lonesome Lover" featuring a sparkling overdubbed performance on the vibes. Saxophonist Alexander is especially expressive on "Man From South Africa" and demonstrates why he is considered one of the finest reed man in the business with his take of Wayne Shorter's "Water Babies." Pianist Davis sets up Chamber's strong stick work on Monk's classic "Evidence" in a brisk but brief treatment of the standard and ends the album in percussive manner using Berrios on the drums and congas. The finale "Afreeka" enjoys another marked performance on the vibes with more overdubbed work on the marimba as a lasting reminder of this artist's versatility as a musician. 

An unquestioned talent who should not be defined by his mastery of the drums alone, Chambers cements his legacy as one of the most influential musicians of our time with a remarkable multi-instrumental performance on Horace To Max. Using a mainstream approach to an all around contemporary jazz sound, Joe Chambers manages to speak with different voices all saying the same thing: this is superb jazz the kind of music no doubt, Horace Silver and Max Roach would definitely be part of. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/horace-to-max-joe-chambers-savant-records-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Joe Chambers: drums, vibes, marimba; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis: piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Steve Berrios: percussion, drums; Helen Sung: piano (7); Richie Goode: bass (7); Nicole Guiland: vocals (4, 7).

Horace To Max

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