Paul Chambers came to New York from Detroit late in 1955, and most of his time since had gone to Miles Davis's quintet. Robert Levin, in the original notes, credits the Davis band with sharpening his solos, bowed and plucked. He was also the bass player Blue Note called again and again that year, on dates for Hank Mobley, Curtis Fuller and others. Levin ties the title to Jimmy Blanton, Duke Ellington's bassist, and sees Chambers as the one carrying Blanton's role on.
The date was Sunday, July 14, 1957, at Van Gelder's in Hackensack, with Alfred Lion producing. It was a quartet. Kenny Burrell, another Detroiter, played guitar. Hank Jones, the elder brother of Thad and Elvin, played piano, and Art Taylor played drums. Six tunes made the record. A seventh, later called "Chamber Mates," waited for a Japanese LP and the CD.
Side one puts the bow first.
Side one begins with a mournful but not maudlin Yesterdays.
Robert Levin, original liner notes
Chambers takes three bowed choruses, with Burrell filling around him. On Cole Porter's "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" he plucks, at a finger-snapping tempo, with solos from Chambers, Burrell, Jones and Chambers again. Charlie Parker's "Chasin' the Bird" opens the floor to the whole quartet.
Side two starts with "Dear Old Stockholm," the Swedish folk tune Davis had recorded for Blue Note years before, on what became BLP 1501. Here it is mostly Burrell's, with Chambers and Jones in the middle. Then comes a tune Chambers knew well.
The Theme, used as a "sign-off" item by Miles, is a piece that Paul has no doubt become quite familiar with.
Robert Levin, original liner notes
Chambers opens it with the bow, and Burrell and Jones follow. "Confessin'" closes the record as an encore, Chambers alone out front with a short spot for Jones.
The sleeve was designed by Harold Feinstein, with photography by Francis Wolff.
The record came out in October 1957 and the reviews were warm. Ralph J. Gleason gave it four and a half stars in Down Beat and called Chambers "certainly the most exciting performer to appear in recent years." Three weeks after this date Chambers was back at Van Gelder's, behind Bud Powell.
Paul Chambers – bass
Kenny Burrell – guitar
Hank Jones – piano
Art Taylor – drums
