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Joe Chambers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Joe Chambers (basketball) and Joseph Chambers (disambiguation).
Joe Chambers
Joe Chambers (right) with Freddie Waits (left)
Joe Chambers (right) with Freddie Waits (left)
Background information
Born (1942-06-25) June 25, 1942 (age 83)
Stoneacre, Virginia, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Drums, piano, vibraphone
Years active1963–present
LabelsMuse, Finite, Baystate, Blue Note, Savant

Joe Chambers (born June 25, 1942)[1] is an American jazz drummer, pianist, vibraphonist and composer. In the 1960s and 1970s, Chambers gigged with many high-profile artists such as Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea and played on several iconic Blue Note albums of the 1960s.[2] During this period, his compositions were featured on albums by Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson.[2] Chambers has released sixteen albums as a bandleader and was a founding member of Max Roach's M'Boom percussion ensemble.[3]

He has also taught, including at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City, where he led the Outlaw Band.[4][5][6][7] In 2008, he was hired to be the Thomas S. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Jazz in the Department of Music at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.[8] He is a retired educator and works as a jazz musician, composer, and leader.[9]

Early life

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Joe Chambers was born in Stoneacre, Virginia in 1942.[10] However, Chambers was mostly raised in Chester, Pennsylvania.[9] He attended the Philadelphia Conservatory for one year before moving to Washington, DC.[11] The first instrument he played was the piano before he moved on to playing the vibraphone and drums.[12] He was inspired by various jazz drummers, such as Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Elvin Jones.[13]

Chambers lived in Washington from 1960 to 1963. Chambers’ earliest gigs were recorded during the time of his eighteenth year when he toured with Bobby Lewis and the JFK Quintet.[9] Chambers was mainly working at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., where he spent six nights a week playing gigs.[9]

Music career

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Chambers was recognized by Freddie Hubbard, who encouraged him to move to New York City in 1963, where he played with various artists such as Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Giuffre, and Andrew Hill.[14] Drummer Tony Williams set Chambers up with a recording of “Mirrors,” where he gained exposure and joined Blue Note.[13] His debut recording with Blue Note was on Freddie Hubbard's album Breaking Point, which also included his composition Mirrors. He soon joined Blue Note as the house percussionist and drummer.[13] In 1964, Chambers gigged at Minton’s Playhouse alongside Blue Mitchell and Chick Corea.[13]

In 1970, he joined Max Roach’s percussion ensemble M’Boom.[10] The group often practiced at Warren Smith’s Studio on West 21st Street, where Chambers first learned the vibraphone.[12]  He played alongside Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Charles Mingus, and Art Farmer. Chambers created the Super Jazz Trio with Flanagan and bassist Reggie Workman.[13] Chambers debut recoding as a band leader came in 1974 with The Almoravid.[10][9]  In the late 1970s, he helped lead a band alongside Larry Young, an organist. In the early 1980s, Chambers collaborated with artists such as Chet Baker and Ray Mantilla.

Chamber was hired as instructor in 1990 at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in NYC. He later taught at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.[10] He currently does not teach and is focusing on his career in jazz. In 2021 he returned to Blue Note and released his album, Samba de Maracatu.[10] He released Dance Kobina in 2023.[10]

Achievements and legacy

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During his time at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Chambers was titled the first Thomas S. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Jazz in 2008.[9] In 1994, the Nas song NY State of Mind sampled a piano loop from Mind Rain on Chambers's 1978 album Double Exposure.[15]

Discography

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As leader

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  • 1973: The Almoravid (Muse, 1974)
  • 1976: New World (Finite, 1976)
  • 1977: Double Exposure (Muse, 1978)
  • 1979: Joe Chambers and Friends: Chamber Music (Baystate, 1979)
  • 1979: Joe Chambers Plays Piano (Denon, 1979)
  • 1981: New York Concerto featuring Yoshiaki Masuo (Baystate, 1981)
  • 1991: Phantom of the City (Candid, 1992) – live
  • 1995: Isla Verde with Trio Dejaiz (Paddle Wheel, 1995)
  • 1998: Mirrors (Blue Note, 1999)
  • 2002: Urban Grooves (Eighty-Eight's, 2002)
  • 2005: The Outlaw (Savant, 2006)
  • 2009: Horace to Max (Savant, 2010)
  • 2012: Joe Chambers Moving Pictures Orchestra (Savant, 2012)
  • 2015: Landscapes (Savant, 2016)
  • 2020: Samba de Maracatu (Blue Note, 2021)
  • 2022: Dance Kobina (Blue Note, 2023)[16]

As sideman

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With Franck Amsallem

With Chet Baker

With Donald Byrd

  • Mustang! (Blue Note, 1967) – recorded in 1964-66
  • Fancy Free (Blue Note, 1970) – recorded in 1969

With Chick Corea

With Stanley Cowell

With Miles Davis

With Art Farmer

With Don Friedman

With Jimmy Giuffre

With Joe Henderson

With Andrew Hill

With Freddie Hubbard

With Bobby Hutcherson

  • Dialogue (Blue Note, 1965)
  • Components (Blue Note, 1966) – recorded in 1965
  • Happenings (Blue Note, 1967) – recorded in 1966
  • Total Eclipse (Blue Note, 1969) – recorded in 1968
  • Now!, (Blue Note, 1970) – recorded in 1969
  • Oblique (Blue Note, 1979) – recorded in 1967
  • Spiral (Blue Note, 1979) – recorded in 1965-68
  • Patterns (Blue Note, 1980) – recorded in 1968
  • Medina, (Blue Note, 1980) – recorded in 1969
  • Blow Up, (JMY, 1969 released 1990)

With Robin Kenyatta

With Lee Konitz

With Hubert Laws

With Ray Mantilla

  • Mantilla (Inner City, 1978)

With M'Boom

With Charles Mingus

With Grachan Moncur III

  • Shadows, (Denon, 1977)

With Karl Ratzer

With Sam Rivers

  • Contours, (Blue Note, 1967) – recorded in 1965

With Jeremy Steig

With Woody Shaw

With Archie Shepp

With Wayne Shorter

With Heiner Stadler

With John Stubblefield

With Ed Summerlin

With The Super Jazz Trio

With Hidefumi Toki

  • City (Baystate, 1978)

With Charles Tolliver

  • Paper Man (Freedom, 1975) – recorded in 1968

With McCoy Tyner

With Miroslav Vitous

With Tyrone Washington

With Joe Zawinul

  • Zawinul (Atlantic, 1971) – recorded in 1970

References

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  1. ^ "Legendary jazz drummer and Chester native Joe Chambers returns to area Friday night". Delcotimes.com. 14 June 2000. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 450. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  3. ^ "Joe Chambers | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Jazz News: Joe Chambers and the Outlaw Band at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music February 28, 8:00 pm". 16 March 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-03-16. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  5. ^ "untitled" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  6. ^ "Faculty Biographies – The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music". Archived from the original on 2007-08-02. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  7. ^ "School of Jazz | College of Performing Arts | The New School". Newschool.edu. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. ^ Welcome to University of North Carolina Wilmington News Archived 2008-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Joe Chambers Comes with Full Circle with 'Samba de Maracatu". Blue Note. February 25, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Stefon, Terae (April 21, 2023). "Drummer Joe Chambers' evolution from session player to band leader". KNKX.
  11. ^ "Joe Chambers Interview". Vermontreview.tripod.com. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  12. ^ a b Lutz, Phillip (February 18, 2021). "Joe Chambers Heads Back To Blue Note". Downbeat.
  13. ^ a b c d e Harris, George W. (April 13, 2021). "Joe Chambers: Musical Mallets". Jazz Weekly.
  14. ^ "Joe Chambers". Blue Note. November 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Powell, Jon (July 5, 2024). "19 of Hip Hop's most notable hometown anthems". Revolt. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  16. ^ "Joe Chambers Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
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