Let's talk about Paul Chambers

[Soul Stream]

How in the hell did he get so good, so fast. He was a phenom at a young age. Everytime I hear him I'm blown away. Been listening to his first leader session..."Chambers' Music" lately. Damn. Maybe it's just a Coltrane connection, but he and Jimmy Garrison are just about my favorites....(with Doug Watkins pretty damn close.)

[White Lightning]

PC was a monster, but he isn't my favorite (Wilbur Ware amyone?). I prefer him as a sideman rather than a leader and I really dislike his arco work.

[Guy Berger]

I wouldn't say I DISLIKE his arco work, but yeah, it's not very good. Not as bad as Ron Carter torturing the cello.

Guy

[White Lightning]

I wouldn't say I DISLIKE his arco work, but yeah, it's not very good. Not as bad as Ron Carter torturing the cello.

Guy

Ron Carter is another great musician I think shines as a sideman but lacks as a leader.

[CJ Shearn]

I love his sideman work, the feel he had. I really need to listen to the Mosaic Select more, nothing really hit me over the head, although I do very much like the "Whims of Chambers" date. Thought about selling the set, but no, good music grows over time right?

[Soul Stream]

I'm not going crazy on his leader work in particular, although I do think "Bass On Top" is just a classic album. I'm more talking about his body of work as a musician. The Prestige stuff with Coltrane solo, Garland solo and with the Miles group. He's got a huge sound and his choice of notes is just very compelling to me. What a golden era. Does anybody know how he died?

[Chas]

I prefer him as a sideman rather than a leader and I really dislike his arco work.

I wouldn't say I DISLIKE his arco work, but yeah, it's not very good.

I agree with both of you .

Leaving aside the question of tuning , the interjection of a Chambers' arco solo tends to break the rhythmic continuity/momentum of the music in a way that brings the swing to an abrupt halt .

My favorite Chambers-led date is First Bassman , but that's largely because of Yusef Lateef's contribution both compositionally and instrumentally .

[Chas]

Does anybody know how he died?

In the months before his death at age 33 he was ill with tuberculosis so that may have been the proximate cause , but what really killed him was a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse or as they used to say , 'bad-living' .