Joe Chambers


Joe Chambers 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. During this period, his compositions were featured on albums by Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson. Chambers has released sixteen albums as a bandleader and was a founding member of Max Roach's M'Boom percussion ensemble.
He has also taught, including at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City, where he led the Outlaw Band. 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. He is a retired educator and works as a jazz musician, composer, and leader.
WWW josephachambers.com

Early life

Joe Chambers was born in Stoneacre, Virginia in 1942. However, Chambers was mostly raised in Chester, Pennsylvania. He attended the Philadelphia Conservatory for one year before moving to Washington, DC. The classical composer Talib Rasul Hakim was his younger brother. The first instrument he played was the piano before he moved on to playing the vibraphone and drums. He was inspired by various jazz drummers, such as Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, and Elvin Jones.
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. Chambers was mainly working at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., where he spent six nights a week playing gigs.

Music career

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. Drummer Tony Williams set Chambers up with a recording of “Mirrors,” where he gained exposure and joined Blue Note. 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. In 1964, Chambers gigged at Minton’s Playhouse alongside Blue Mitchell and Chick Corea.
In 1970, he joined Max Roach’s percussion ensemble M’Boom. The group often practiced at Warren Smith’s Studio on West 21st Street, where Chambers first learned the vibraphone.  He played alongside Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Charles Mingus, and Art Farmer. Chambers created the Super Jazz Trio with Flanagan and bassist Reggie Workman. Chambers debut recoding as a band leader came in 1974 with The Almoravid. 
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. 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. He released Dance Kobina in 2023.

Achievements and legacy

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

Discography

As leader

  • 1973: The Almoravid
  • 1976: New World
  • 1977: Double Exposure
  • 1979: Joe Chambers and Friends: Chamber Music
  • 1979: Joe Chambers Plays Piano
  • 1981: New York Concerto featuring Yoshiaki Masuo
  • 1991: Phantom of the City – live
  • 1995: Isla Verde with Trio Dejaiz
  • 1998: Mirrors
  • 2002: Urban Grooves
  • 2005: The Outlaw
  • 2009: Horace to Max
  • 2012: Joe Chambers Moving Pictures Orchestra
  • 2015: Landscapes
  • 2020: Samba de Maracatu
  • 2022: ''Dance Kobina''

As sideman

With Franck AmsallemSummer Times
With Chet Baker
With Donald ByrdMustang! – recorded in 1964-66Fancy Free – recorded in 1969
With Chick CoreaTones for Joan's Bones – recorded in 1966
With Stanley CowellBrilliant Circles – recorded in 1969Back to the Beautiful
With Miles DavisThe Complete In a Silent Way Sessions – recorded in 1968-69
With Art FarmerSomething Tasty
With Don FriedmanMetamorphosis
With Jimmy GiuffreNew York Concerts
With Joe HendersonMode for Joe Big Band – recorded in 1992-96
With Andrew HillAndrew!!! – recorded in 1964Compulsion!!!!! – recorded in 1965One For One – recorded in 1965-70
With Freddie HubbardBreaking Point
With Bobby HutchersonDialogue Components – recorded in 1965Happenings – recorded in 1966Total Eclipse – recorded in 1968Now!, – recorded in 1969Oblique – recorded in 1967Spiral – recorded in 1965-68Patterns – recorded in 1968Medina, – recorded in 1969Blow Up,
With Robin KenyattaNomusa
With Lee KonitzFigure & Spirit – recorded in 1976
With Hubert LawsWild Flower
With Ray MantillaMantilla
With M'BoomRe: Percussion M'Boom Collage To the Max! – recorded in 1990–91
With Charles MingusCharles Mingus and Friends in Concert Something Like a Bird Me, Myself an Eye
With Grachan Moncur III
  • Shadows,
With Karl Ratzer
With Sam Rivers
With Jeremy Steig
With Woody ShawIn the Beginning – recorded in 1965The Iron Men with Anthony Braxton – recorded in 1977
With Archie SheppFire Music On This Night New Thing at Newport – recorded in 1965. also features a set by John Coltrane.For Losers Kwanza
With Wayne ShorterEt Cetera – recorded in 1965The All Seeing Eye – recorded in 1965Adam's Apple – recorded in 1966Schizophrenia – recorded in 1967
With Heiner StadlerBrains On Fire Vol. 1 – recorded in 1966-71
With John StubblefieldPrelude
With Ed SummerlinSum of the Parts
With The Super Jazz TrioThe Super Jazz Trio Something Tasty The Standard
With Hidefumi TokiCity
With Charles TolliverPaper Man – recorded in 1968
With McCoy TynerTender Moments – recorded in 1967
With Miroslav VitousInfinite Search, – recorded in 1969
With Tyrone WashingtonNatural Essence – recorded in 1967
With Joe ZawinulZawinul – recorded in 1970