paul chambers

klepto · #1 11-10-2004, 03:23 PM

very little information about the great p.c. seems to be available to the general public...

does anyone know:

*where his bass is?

*if any of his children are still alive? ...if so: where they live?

*does he have any other living relatives? ex-wife; siblings; anyone?

*where he is buried ...or was his body cremated?

*any friends/associates who may still be living who would be willing to talk about him, possibly for a biographical project?

Dennis Kong · #2 11-11-2004, 12:35 AM

Al Obedinski- (my 1st DB instructor in the 70's) used to hang out with him in the 50's in Detroit along with Doug Watkins, Chet Baker, Pepper Adams,and Miles. (The net misspells his
name as "Obidinski."- if you look it up.)

I used to ask him questions about Paul & Doug and he 'd give a little story or too. Unfortunately I don't remember most of them because it was long ago for me too. At that time, I
used to go over his house ,and his family & I would be cooking
dinner & "tastin' (drinking) all thru dinner. Afterwards I 'd
have a lesson & he' d tell me a story about so & so.

The one I remember was: Paul & him were eating a restaurant and Paul put his leather coat on the chair,
(I think it's the one on BN album) and when he (Paul)
came back from the restroom; it was gone!

Another one: Paul & him bought basses from the basses
from the same German ??old man that owned a bass shop in Detroit. ( Don't know if it was the Lion's head bass or not.)

Anyways I 'll ask Al if he 's interested in sharing more his stories with you. I talk to him every so often. Nowdays he &
I have different schedules: as he's retired from his day gig and still plays 4 or 5 nites a week and I have a day gig and play on the weekends.

Bruce Lindfield · #3 11-11-2004, 02:47 AM

Although it may seem that there is little biographical info - there are lots of books and TV documentaries about Miles Davis and John Coltrane where Mr PC is heavily featured - so if you read something like Ashley Kahn's book about the making of "Kind of Blue" , or any of the books about this period of Miles' bands, you get a strong sense of his presence.

Alexi David · #4 11-11-2004, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klepto

does anyone know:

*where his bass is?

I do remember that luthier David Mix had Chambers' Kay Bass for sale, though it needed a lot of restoration.

Paul Warburton · #5 11-11-2004, 06:28 PM

Everyone keeps mentioning Pauls bass with the 'lions head scroll' the one I know was the head of a lady. Am I blind or am I missing a bass that he had?

klepto · #6 11-11-2004, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

the one I know was the head of a lady

yea... it's an angel's head--or so i've been told--not a lion

Dennis Kong · #7 11-11-2004, 10:09 PM

Is it a lady's head or an angel's head? I don't know either.
Another question for Al!!

Ashley's book is quite good, there's a few quotes from Paul
transcribed from studio tapes (talking about mistakes on one of the tunes).
The book reviews on Eric Neisen's Kinda Blue book which came out about the same time is not very good.

Paul Warburton · #8 11-12-2004, 05:26 AM

It was a female angel!

Matt Ides · #9 11-12-2004, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

It was a female angel!

Richard Davis has the lions head scroll on one of his basses.

Paul Warburton · #10 11-12-2004, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssab67

Richard Davis has the lions head scroll on one of his basses.

Yes, and I think that is a Jacobus Hornsteiner.
To see a fabulous lions head....go to Basses, at the top sticky, click on The Talkbasses, then click on the last entry....Jeff Bollbach's Lion Head Bass!!!
We are so lucky to have that kind of talent around here.
Back to PC...This thread has made me realize how little we know about Paul. You hear some negative **** about drugs and from what I understand, with Paul, his Jones was booze.
A bassist from here, Buddy Catlett (there's another one) that somebody on TBDB brought up one time knew Paul fairly well, but all I ever really heard were the drinking stories.
I worked a couple of nights with Pepper Adams down in Dallas back in the mid 80's, and as someone else has mentioned, they were close. I never got the chance to ask much...but really nothing important.
Anybody else????

klepto · #11 11-12-2004, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

This thread has made me realize how little we know about Paul.

yes, for someone who has had such a profound impact on the music, there is very little information available about his personal life

it is my hope to compile enough information to eventually write a biography

Dennis Kong · #12 11-12-2004, 12:48 PM

According to Al: Paul's bass did have a lion's head.(not the hot babe- lady angel's head as we all had wished for...)

Amendment to the Al's stories: Sorry my memory is not what it used to be..

He did not know Paul very well but knew Doug Watkins
very well as they went to high school together.

1)He was invited to a rib shack joint after Paul finished his
gig with Miles that nite for some breakfast and put his coat
down,came back and the coat was gone. Paul was fuming,
mad as hell and went to go look for his coat. So Al didn't
have breakfast that morning with Paul.

2)The bass shop was owned by an old guy who used to be called: "Jesus" by the local bassists in the black neighborhood. He stocked many great basses no one could afford at that time. They were selling for $200.+ in '50s. (1950's dollars-Nowdays that would be $20,000) for same instr. No one could afford those basses in those days, so
they would say to him: "J---" I can't afford that!! And he would lend the basses out too and have also offer time payments. Paul, Doug & AL all bought basses from him,
including the Paul's " lady angel head -(lion's head) bass.

3) At that time in Detroit ('50's) Cass-Tek high school was the only high school offering jazz classes. The Jones Bro's.(
Thad, Elvin, Hank, & Eddie), Pepper Adams, Doug Watkins, Paul Chambers & Al were some of the famous alumni of the school.

to Mr K:
Al didn't know Paul very well but he's willing to share any stories he has with you. 650-756-6887
He & I suggest you contact Sunny
Buxton at www.kcsm.org radiostation- 91.1( 24 hour jazz college radio) as he's the man with stories about everyone.
His show is on Sat Morn 0900- 100. 650-574-6586.
And what part of Arnold's California are you in??

Dennis Kong · #13 11-12-2004, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MingusFingus

I do remember that luthier David Mix had Chambers' Kay Bass for sale, though it needed a lot of restoration.

Out of curiosity: Is the bass still for sale & how can I get
a hold of him??

Dennis Kong · #14 11-12-2004, 01:08 PM

Mr Paul W.:
Being a newbie here, how do I post a photo in this posting?
Have an "scanned" copy of a B&W VeeJay 8x11 promo shot of
Paul with Wynton, Jimmy, Paul's autographs on it. (If anyone
wants to see it.)
The owner didn't want to sell the original,

so he sent me a scanned copy of it.

I had it on the music stand when I was in the studio recording "Stolen Moments" (with my King bass & Golden
Spirals) for a club demo.
Thanks
Dennis

klepto · #15 11-12-2004, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Kong

According to Al: Paul's bass did have a lion's head.(not the hot babe- lady angel's head as we all had wished for...)

ok...

if you search the internet for pics of pc, you will see that he did have a bass with an angel's head on the scroll....

i have never seen a picture nor have i heard anything about a lion's head--i am not claiming it did not exist, there is just nothing anywhere else to support this

you can see this bass clearly on the cover to a jazz delegation from the east

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Kong

And what part of Arnold's California are you in??

santa cruz -- i'm playing at the hotel de anza in san jose on saturday night with eric pan and doug ellington

**Matthew Tucker** · #16 11-12-2004, 02:01 PM

Quote:

if you search the internet for pics of pc, you will see that he did have a bass with an angel's head on the scroll....

My goodness, you're right!

klepto · #17 11-12-2004, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

My goodness, you're right!

Dennis Kong · #18 11-13-2004, 12:42 PM

Mr K.
Ya- re right !!!

Al was mistaken or / and just trying to recall from his memory of many years ago (50+/-).

I' ll inform him about it when I see him next!!

*I also have that album too & didn't think to look thru
my Paul albums to see if there was a good big photo of
him & the "angel lady" bass.
Another senior moment for me!!!

And: another Bay Area TB!! Nice...
I 'll try to come down tonite to the hotel, if I'm not too tired. Had rehearsal last nite in the city, and another rehearsal today in the E. Bay.

Mike Goodbar · #19 11-13-2004, 09:49 PM

I was discussing the subject of PC's bass with Wallace Roney, and if I recall correctly, he claimed that it was in the hands of Richard Davis (a circumstance that, as Wallace put it, "broke Ron Carter's heart.")

klepto · #20 11-14-2004, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Goodbar

...claimed that it was in the hands of Richard Davis (a circumstance that, as Wallace put it, "broke Ron Carter's heart.")

i can't help but wonder why this would break ron carter's heart?

does he want the bass for himself
or
is it his opinion that richard davis is not worthy of it?