Joe Chambers - Urban Grooves

[Stefan Wood]

I picked this up on cduniverse.com this past week, and gave it a couple of spins. I really had high expectations, but this disc is a lot milder and low key than I would have imagined. I think it has to do with the selction of tunes. All but four are covers (Softly as in a Morning Sunrise, Sid's Ahead, In A Sentimental Mood, Stella By Starlight, Surrey with the Fringe on Top) , and the ground has been plowed so many times that even with the stature and talent of the supporting cast (Gary Bartz, Rufus Reid, Eric Reed, Bobby Sanabria) can't elevate this and make it sound fresh and new. Some of the covers sound boring, which is the worst offense for me in a jazz album. Of course, the Joe Chambers written tunes are more exciting, continuing in part where he left off from that amazing and under appreciated cd on Blue Note, Mirrors. Third Street starts off the cd with a bang, and Irina (originally written for Bobby Hutcherson on the Blue Note album Patterns), he plays vibes with authority and is a momentary flashback to the golden days of that Blue Note era. But I am not excited by this cd, which is a shame, since Joe Chambers is one of my favorite musicians, and I have been wanting him to get the attention he so richly deserves. Perhaps the choice of material is a conscious effort to do that. I was expecting something on the level of Mirrors, but this is quite different.

Edited August 17, 2003 by Stefan Wood

[Shrdlu]

Thanks for the review, Stefan.

It's sad that this isn't a good album. I agree with your comments about "Mirrors". I especially love the first track, where Joe plays that "Poinciana" type rhythmic pattern. The album is worth getting just for that.

[Jazzdog]

Yeah, I was hoping for a good review on this..from the outside it looks promising. Hell it's Joe Chambers...wish he'd get some more credit, but hey, thats life, eh?

[Guest GregM]

I like it. I find it formulaic, but very enjoyable. It's definitely a departure from Chambers' material recorded for Blue Note, so if you're expecting that, you may be disappointed.

[jlhoots]

As Cedric the comedian once said in a commercial, "it ain't that bad".

Not many chances to hear Chambers or Bartz these days, so I feel it's worth getting.

[Stefan Wood]

Oh, it's worth getting. I don't want to put people off. I had been used to the music he has put forth on Mirrors and Phantom of the City, so was expecting something along the same lines, but was thrown a curve. I'm not really big on standards right now.