Although vocalist and poet Pierre L. Chambers began performing nearly 40 years ago, he has never recorded a solo album. He had been thinking about recording an album, and an encounter with Cathy Segal Garcia at a performance was the spark he needed to set the project in motion. Chambers’ debut album, Shining Moments, is a collection of modern jazz classics in a range of styles, interspersed with a couple of his poems recited to improvised music. Whether singing a ballad or a bebop or swing tune, or reciting his poetry, Chambers’ warm baritone voice renders a song with heartfelt honesty. Chambers’ love of jazz is in his DNA. His father, bassist Paul Chambers, was one of the most iconic jazz musicians of the 20th century, but it was his mother, Annie Chambers, who instilled in him his love of jazz. Chambers dedicates Shining Moments to his parents and the influence they had on his artistry. Chambers has a resonant, soulful voice that cuts right to the emotional center of a song. His emotive renditions of classic jazz tunes reveal an artist who is not only well-versed in the language of jazz but a poet who is sensitive to the affective nuances of language. A pamphlet with three of his poems accompanies the CD package. Shining Moments is an auspicious debut for an artist who has been flying under the radar for far too long.
The Blue Note debut of tenorist Walter Smith III – a player who's been making great music for almost 20 years on record, yet who really seems to push himself even more here! The album seems to mark a new chapter in Smith's music, and one that also really has a distinct voice on the tenor as well – a mode that's pointed and personal, yet sometimes understated too – at a level that has Walter's role in the rest of the group's sound as important to his individual presence as a soloist. The group sparkles with work from Taylor Eigsti on piano, Matt Stevens on guitar, Harish Ragavan on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums – and Ambrose Akinmusire guests on trumpet on one key track too. But throughout, the vision is that of Smith – not just for his own horn, but that of the whole group – as they move through tunes that include "Shine", "Contra", "Lamplight", "Mother Stands For Comfort", and "Pup Pow". ~ Dusty Groove
The cornet work of Kirk Knuffke is always a treat, and Kirk is one of our favorite players in the world of brass in recent years – but it sounds especially nice here in the company of the great Karl Berger – who adds in vibes, Fender Rhodes, and even a bit of melodica – all in ways that really seem to bring out some new energy and different phrasing in Knuffke's horn! Both musicians have a distinct presence on their own, but really unite here with sympathetic vibrations that are great – not their first time together, but maybe their best pairing on record so far – working here in a quartet with Jay Anderson on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. The title track is a remake of the Pharoah Sanders tune of the same name, and the group also served up a nice version of Don Cherry's "Ganesh" – alongside originals that include "Why Not", "Noble Heart", "Ornette", "Gentle Giant", and "Before Or Since". ~ Dusty Groove
Cascading vibes from Behn Gillece – easily one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument, and a musician who always seems to find a great way to resonate with his bandmates on a session! This date has Gillece mixing his warmly chromatic sound with great contributions from Art Hirahara on piano and Fender Rhodes, Diego Rivera on tenor, Altin Sencalar on trombone, and Patrick Cornelius on alto, soprano, and bass clarinet – musicians who don't all crowd in at once, but are nicely spaced in ways that really help shape the sound of the record when they appear. Rhythm is from Peter Slavov on bass and Vinnie Sperrazza on drums – and the record is filled with great original tunes from Behn – including "Between The Bars", "Mindful Moments", "Roamers", "It's Like Magic", "Due Up Next", "Thinking Cap", "Celestial Lullaby", and "Horizons". ~ Dusty Groove
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