# Paul Chambers

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American jazz double bassist

For other people named Paul Chambers, see [Paul Chambers (disambiguation)](/source/Paul_Chambers_(disambiguation)).

Paul Chambers Background information Born Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. (1935-04-22)April 22, 1935 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Origin Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Died January 4, 1969(1969-01-04) (aged 33) New York City, U.S. Genres Jazz modal jazz bebop hard bop Occupations Musician composer Instrument Double bass Years active 1954–1969 Labels Blue Note Prestige Verve Riverside

Musical artist

**Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr.** (April 22, 1935 – January 4, 1969)[1] was an American [jazz](/source/Jazz) [double bassist](/source/Double_bassist). A fixture of [rhythm sections](/source/Rhythm_section) during the 1950s and 1960s, he has become one of the most widely-known jazz bassists of the [hard bop](/source/Hard_bop) era.[2] He was also known for his bowed solos.[3][4] Chambers recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, and more than 100 as a sideman, especially as the anchor of trumpeter [Miles Davis](/source/Miles_Davis)'s "[first great quintet](/source/Miles_Davis_Quintet#First_Great_Quintet.2FSextet)" (1955–63) and with pianist [Wynton Kelly](/source/Wynton_Kelly) (1963–68).

## Biography

Born in [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, on April 22, 1935,[1] to Paul Lawrence Chambers and Margaret Echos, he was brought up in Detroit, Michigan, following the death of his mother.[5] He began playing music with several of his schoolmates on the [baritone horn](/source/Baritone_horn).[2] Later he took up the tuba.[1] "I got along pretty well, but it's quite a job to carry it around in those long parades, and I didn't like the instrument that much".[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Bass playing

Chambers switched to the double bass around 1949.[2] His formal bass training began in earnest in 1952, when he began taking private lessons with Gaston Brohan, principal bassist of the [Detroit Symphony Orchestra](/source/Detroit_Symphony_Orchestra). Chambers did some classical playing himself, with a rehearsal group called the Detroit String Band. He studied at [Cass Technical High School](/source/Cass_Technical_High_School) intermittently from 1952 to 1955, and played in Cass' symphony, and in various other student groups, in one of which he played [baritone saxophone](/source/Baritone_saxophone).

When he left for New York City at the invitation of tenor saxophonist [Paul Quinichette](/source/Paul_Quinichette), he had a working knowledge of many instruments.[2] Jazz bass players were largely limited to timekeeping with drums, until [Duke Ellington](/source/Duke_Ellington)'s bassist [Jimmy Blanton](/source/Jimmy_Blanton) began a transformation in the instrument's role at the end of the 1930s. Chambers was about 15 years old when he started to listen to [Charlie Parker](/source/Charlie_Parker) and [Bud Powell](/source/Bud_Powell), his first jazz influences. [Oscar Pettiford](/source/Oscar_Pettiford) and [Ray Brown](/source/Ray_Brown_(musician)) were the first bassists he admired, and these were followed by [Percy Heath](/source/Percy_Heath), [Milt Hinton](/source/Milt_Hinton) and [Wendell Marshall](/source/Wendell_Marshall) for their [rhythm section](/source/Rhythm_section) work, and [Charles Mingus](/source/Charles_Mingus) and [George Duvivier](/source/George_Duvivier) for their technical prowess and for their efforts in broadening the scope of jazz bass. Blanton was his all-time favorite.

## First performance on bass

From 1954 on through 1955, he gained significance touring with such musicians as [Bennie Green](/source/Bennie_Green), Quinichette, [George Wallington](/source/George_Wallington), [J. J. Johnson](/source/J._J._Johnson) and [Kai Winding](/source/Kai_Winding).[1] In 1955, he joined the [Miles Davis](/source/Miles_Davis) quintet, and he was awarded the *[DownBeat](/source/DownBeat)* "New Star Award" the following year.[6] Chambers stayed with the group until 1963,[1] and he appeared on many classic albums, including *[Kind of Blue](/source/Kind_of_Blue)*.[3] One of Chambers' most noted performances was on that album's first track, "[So What](/source/So_What_(composition))", which opens with a brief [duet](/source/Duet) featuring Chambers and pianist [Bill Evans](/source/Bill_Evans).[7] From 1963 until 1966, Chambers played with [Wynton Kelly](/source/Wynton_Kelly)'s trio.[1] He freelanced frequently as a sideman for many others throughout his career.

## Personal life

Chambers developed addictions to both [alcohol](/source/Alcohol_(drug)) and heroin.[1] He was hospitalized at the end of 1968 with what was thought to be a severe case of influenza, but tests revealed that he had [tuberculosis](/source/Tuberculosis). As his organ functions deteriorated, Chambers lapsed into a coma for 18 days. It is believed his addictions to heroin and alcohol contributed to his health problems.[8] On January 4, 1969, he died of tuberculosis at the age of 33.[3]

## Influence

From his role in the Davis band, Chambers was the bassist in two rhythm sections. The first, with [Red Garland](/source/Red_Garland) on piano and [Philly Joe Jones](/source/Philly_Joe_Jones) on drums, came to be known as "the rhythm section", that name featured on a celebrated album by saxophonist [Art Pepper](/source/Art_Pepper), *[Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section](/source/Art_Pepper_Meets_the_Rhythm_Section)*. The second, with Wynton Kelly and [Jimmy Cobb](/source/Jimmy_Cobb), made many sessions as a unit, recording albums with [John Coltrane](/source/John_Coltrane), [Wes Montgomery](/source/Wes_Montgomery), and by themselves under Kelly's name on albums such as *[Kelly Blue](/source/Kelly_Blue)*.

Paul Chambers was in great demand as a [session musician](/source/Session_musician),[3] and played on numerous albums including such landmarks as [Thelonious Monk](/source/Thelonious_Monk)'s *[Brilliant Corners](/source/Brilliant_Corners)*, Coltrane's *[Giant Steps](/source/Giant_Steps_(album))*, and [Oliver Nelson](/source/Oliver_Nelson)'s *[The Blues and the Abstract Truth](/source/The_Blues_and_the_Abstract_Truth)*. Many musicians wrote songs dedicated to Chambers. Red Garland wrote the tune "The P.C. Blues", and Coltrane's song "[Mr. P.C.](/source/Mr._P.C.)" is named after Chambers.[1] [Tommy Flanagan](/source/Tommy_Flanagan_(musician)) wrote "Big Paul", which was performed on the [Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane](/source/Kenny_Burrell_and_John_Coltrane) Prestige 1958 [LP](/source/LP_album). [Max Roach](/source/Max_Roach) wrote a drum solo called "Five For Paul", on a 1977 drum solo LP recorded in Japan, and [Sonny Rollins](/source/Sonny_Rollins) wrote "Paul's Pal" for him as well. In the world of alternative rock, [Barenaked Ladies](/source/Barenaked_Ladies) bass player [Jim Creeggan](/source/Jim_Creeggan) wrote the song "Paul Chambers" for their 2021 album *[Detour de Force](/source/Detour_de_Force)*.

In an interview, fellow bassist [Charlie Haden](/source/Charlie_Haden) recalled his admiration for Chambers:

"[T]he first guy who was really distinctive to me — when I was 19 or so — was Paul Chambers, who I heard on all those Prestige and Riverside records. There’s an underrated player! He had a way of playing chromatic notes in his bass lines that was just unreal. He would go up into the high register, and then skip down, tying it together… He had this great sound, and this great time."[9]

## Discography

Main article: [Paul Chambers discography](/source/Paul_Chambers_discography)

- *[Chambers' Music](/source/Chambers'_Music)* (Jazz: West, 1956)

- *[Whims of Chambers](/source/Whims_of_Chambers)* (Blue Note, 1957)

- *[Bass on Top](/source/Bass_on_Top)* (Blue Note, 1957)

- *[Paul Chambers Quintet](/source/Paul_Chambers_Quintet)* (Blue Note, 1958)

- *[We Three](/source/We_Three_(Roy_Haynes_album))* (New Jazz, 1959) with [Roy Haynes](/source/Roy_Haynes) and [Phineas Newborn Jr.](/source/Phineas_Newborn_Jr.)

- *[Go](/source/Go_(Paul_Chambers_album))* (Vee-Jay, 1959)

- *[1st Bassman](/source/1st_Bassman)* (Vee-Jay, 1960)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-LarkinJazz_1-7) [Colin Larkin](/source/Colin_Larkin_(writer)), ed. (1992). *[The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)* (First ed.). [Guinness Publishing](/source/Guinness_Publishing). p. 82/3. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85112-580-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85112-580-8).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ALLMUSIC_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ALLMUSIC_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ALLMUSIC_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ALLMUSIC_2-3) [Yanow, Scott](/source/Scott_Yanow). ["Paul Chambers Biography"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-chambers-mn0000747984/biography). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [All Media Network](/source/All_Media_Network). Retrieved August 28, 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-JohnDavis-2012_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-JohnDavis-2012_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-JohnDavis-2012_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-JohnDavis-2012_3-3) Davis, John S. (2012). [*Historical Dictionary of Jazz*](https://books.google.com/books?id=c-_1LifRPJkC&pg=PA64). [Rowman & Littlefield](/source/Rowman_%26_Littlefield). p. 64. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0810867574](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0810867574). Retrieved November 9, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Coryat, Karl (1999). [*The Bass Player Book*](https://books.google.com/books?id=m0Bwm9QCU3gC&pg=PA210). [Hal Leonard Corporation](/source/Hal_Leonard_Corporation). p. 210. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0879305738](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0879305738). Retrieved November 9, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Chambers, Paul (Laurence Dunbar, Jr.)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131110194115/http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/chambers-paul-laurence-dunbar-jr). jazz.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/chambers-paul-laurence-dunbar-jr) on November 10, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Artist of the Month: Paul Chambers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220101182314/http://www.wncu.org/artist-of-the-month/paul-chambers/). *WNCU 90.7 Jazz*. Archived from [the original](http://www.wncu.org/artist-of-the-month/paul-chambers) on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Miles Davis: 'Kind of Blue'"](https://www.npr.org/2011/01/04/10862796/miles-davis-kind-of-blue). [NPR](/source/NPR). August 1, 2001. Retrieved November 9, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Paul Chambers - Pittsburgh Music History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201031151435/https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/jazz/modern-era/paul-chambers). Archived from [the original](https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/jazz/modern-era/paul-chambers) on October 31, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2020 – via Google Sites.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DoTheMath_9-0)** Ethan Iverson (March 2008). ["Interview with Charlie Haden"](https://ethaniverson.com/interviews/interview-with-charlie-haden). *Do The Math*. Retrieved November 18, 2016.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Paul Chambers](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Paul_Chambers)***.

- [Paul Chambers](https://www.discogs.com/artist/259778-Paul-Chambers-3) discography at [Discogs](/source/Discogs)

- [Paul Chambers](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2424848/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e Paul Chambers Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise. Albums Chambers' Music (1956) Whims of Chambers (1956) High Step (with John Coltrane, 1956) Bass on Top (1957) Paul Chambers Quintet (1957) We Three (with Roy Haynes and Phineas Newborn Jr., 1958) Go (1959) 1st Bassman (1960) Related articles Discography

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paul Chambers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Chambers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Chambers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.