1. Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. (April 22, 1935, Pittsburgh, PA, USA – January 4, 1969, New York City, NY) was a leading jazz double bassist. A prominent figure in many rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic improvisations.
2. Paul Chambers, an electronic artist who toured with Soulwax before releasing his first record (Yeah! Techno) in 2010.
3. Paul Chambers, a British minimal electronics experimenter, best known for his contribution to the “The Apprentices Dance” LP compilation from 1981 (released by US label Sounds Interesting Records).
1. Chambers born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was raised in Detroit, Michigan following the death of his mother. He began playing music with several of his schoolmates; the baritone horn was his first instrument. Later he took up the tuba. "I got along pretty well, but it's quite a job to carry it around in those long parades, and I didn't like the instrument that much." Chambers became a string bassist around 1949. His formal bass training got going in earnest in 1952, when he began taking lessons with a bassist in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Chambers did some classical work himself, with a group called the Detroit String Band that was, in effect, a rehearsal symphony orchestra. Studying at Cass Technical High School off and on from 1952 to 1955, he played in Cass' own symphony, and in various other student groups, one of which had him playing baritone saxophone. By the time he left for New York at the invitation of tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette, he had absorbed a working knowledge of many instruments.
Jazz bass players were largely limited to timekeeping with drums, until Duke Ellington's bassist Jimmy Blanton began a transformation in the instrument's role at the end of the 1930s. Chambers was about 15 when he started to listen to Charlie Parker and Bud Powell, his first jazz influences. Oscar Pettiford and Ray Brown were the first bassists he admired, and these were followed by Percy Heath, Milt Hinton and Wendell Marshall for their rhythm section work, and Charles Mingus and George Duvivier for their technical prowess and for their efforts in broadening the scope of jazz bass. Blanton was his all-time favorite. Playing his first gig at one of the little bars in the Hastings Street area, he was soon doing club jobs with Thad Jones, Barry Harris and others.
Paul Chambers gained significance from 1954 on through 1955, touring with such musicians as Bennie Green, Paul Quinichette, George Wallington, J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding.
In 1955 he joined the Miles Davis quintet, staying on with the group until 1963 and appearing on the 1959 classic Miles Davis album Kind of Blue. One of Paul's most noted performances was on that album's first cut, "So What," which opens with a brief duet with pianist Bill Evans.
Possessing one of the most immediately recognizable bass playing sounds and styles, Paul Chambers played bass in the Miles Davis quintets and sextets from the mid-'50s through the early '60s. From 1963 until 1966 Chambers played often with the Wynton Kelly trio, also freelancing as a sidemen for other important names in jazz all throughout his career.
Over his lifetime Paul Chambers developed addictions to both alcohol and heroin. On January 4, 1969 he died of tuberculosis at the premature age of 33.
His accompaniment and solos with Davis and other leaders remain distinctive and influential. He and Slam Stewart were among the first jazz bassists to perform arco or bowed features.
Paul Chambers played on a great many albums during the period he was active including such landmark albums as John Coltrane's Giant Steps. Many musicians wrote songs dedicated to Paul. John Coltrane's song "Mr. P.C." is named after Chambers. Tommy Flanagan wrote "Big Paul", which was performed on the John Coltrane and Kenny Burrell Prestige 1958 LP. Max Roach wrote a drum solo called "Five For Paul", on his 1977 "impossible to find" Solos drum solo LP recorded in Japan. Sonny Rollins wrote a song called "Paul's Pal" for him as well, and finally, long time fellow bandmate with Miles Davis, pianist Red Garland wrote the tune "The P.C. Blues".
A hard drinker and frequent drug user, Chambers died from tuberculosis in 1969 at the age of thirty-three.
Lush Life
Paul Chambers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distinguish traces that used to be there
You could see where they'd been washed away
Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong
Life is lonely again and only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts
Could only be a bore
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
The lyrics of Paul Chambers's song Lush Life paint a picture of someone who used to enjoy going to vibrant, entertaining places where jazz and cocktails were the norm. However, it's clear that this person is now very lonely and longing for someone to fill the void in their life. They describe the girls they used to know as "sad and sullen," and reminisce about the times when they would spend their days immersed in gossip and stories.
Then comes the crux of the song, where a person who seems to have been in love with the singer arrives, and they fall for their "siren song." Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that this love wasn't mutual, and in fact, the singer was wrong. They find themselves utterly miserable and lonely again, and the only thing that could ease the pain is a vacation to Paris or to live a lush life in a small dive bar.
The song ends on a somber note, comparing the singer's life to others who are living lonely existences. The lyrics suggest that even though love can be stifling, living without it is far worse. It's a poignant commentary on the pain of unrequited love and the search for meaning in a seemingly empty life.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to visit all the very gay places
I frequented places of revelry and entertainment
Those come-what-may places
They were very spontaneous gathering spots
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
These places were where people could take a break from the high pressures of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
Jazz music and drinks helped them to connect with life itself
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
The women I knew were unhappy and had a demeanor of despair
With distinguish traces that used to be there
The signs of their former attractiveness were still there
You could see where they'd been washed away
However, they had lost that luster due to the harshness of time
By too many through the day, twelve O'clock tales
They had experienced too many late nights and disappointments that had taken a toll on their beauty
Then you came along with your siren song
But then you arrived with your alluring voice and song
To tempt me to madness
Leading me down a path of craziness by tempting me with your charm
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
At first, I believed that your deep smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Was an indication that you felt a deep love for me
Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong
But alas, I was incorrect in my assumptions once again
Life is lonely again and only last year
Life has returned to being unfriendly, after just last year being wonderful
Everything seemed so sure
This time last year, I was very optimistic about the future
Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts
Now life has become a miserable existence, with endless encounters resulting in heartbreak
Could only be a bore
My life has once again turned uneventful and monotonous
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
Perhaps a week in Paris could alleviate the pain
All I care is to smile in spite of it
All I really desire is to be able to smile in spite of the pain
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
I will try to forget about you, even though you still consume my every thought
Burning inside my brain
Your memory still consumes me
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
Love is often stifling to those who have ambitions
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
Instead, I will choose to live a luxurious life in a small, less glamorous place
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
I will live there until I too decay and become just like the other lonely people in the world
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Of those who like me, have also lead a life of solitude
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Strayhorn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind