Album of the Week – Pierre L. Chambers – Shining Moments

Vocalist, and poet Pierre L Chambers have been performing for nearly 40 years. It’s difficult to believe he has never recorded a solo album, until now. He had been thinking about recording one, and an encounter with Cathy Segal Garcia at a performance was the push needed to set this project in motion. Chambers’ debut album, titled ‘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, bebop, swing tune or reciting his poetry, Chambers’ warm baritone voice renders a song with heartfelt honesty.

Chambers has a resonant, soulful voice that provides an emotional anchor to 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 responsive to the affective nuances of language. This album marks a much-welcomed move into the realm of being a full-blown recording artist in his own right, jarring his uniqueness with the energy and a vibe reminiscent of Callier, Jarreau, Benson, and others of this musical generation. The compositions, delivered masterfully with Karen Hammack (piano), Henry Franklin (bass) Clayton Cameron (drums), Jeff Kaye (horns) Dori Amarilio (guitar), and producer Cathy Segal- Garcia (backgrounds) successfully combine elements of acoustic and psychedelic folk, lush sweet soul and immersive memorable jazz.

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 this project to his parents and the influence they had on his artistry. Arranged by Matt Gordy and  Dori Amarilio, this is an album any jazz fan can proudly add to their collection. It drops this March 17th.

• Review by David Emmanuel Noel for Occhi Magazine