Dennis Chambers
Dennis Chambers | |
---|---|
Birth name | Dennis Milton Chambers |
Born |
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | May 9, 1959
Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, funk |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Drums |
Years active | 1978–present |
Labels | Sugar Hill |
Associated acts | Parliament-Funkadelic |
Website |
www |
Milton "Dennis" Chambers (born May 9, 1959),[1] is an American drummer. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2001.[2]
Early life
Chambers began drumming at the age of four years, and was gigging in Baltimore-area nightclubs by the age of six. He was recruited in 1981 by the Sugar Hill Label to be their "house drummer." Chambers played on many Sugar Hill releases, including "Rapper's Delight".
In an interview by Bonedo in 2011, Chambers was asked who some of his influences and favorite drummers were and he mentioned Clyde Stubblefield, Al Jackson Jr., Steve Gadd, Vinnie Colaiuta, Gary Husband, Jack Dejohnette, Billy Cobham, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, and Tony Williams.
Career
In 1978 (at 18 years old) he joined Parliament/Funkadelic, and stayed with them until 1985.[3] In 1986 he joined the John Scofield band. Since then he has played with most of the major figures in jazz fusion music.[4]
He has recorded and performed with John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin, Niacin, Mike Stern, CAB, Greg Howe, and many others.
He has toured extensively with Carlos Santana and makes appearances with his band Niacin.
Equipment
He plays and endorses Pearl drums, pedals, hardware & racks, Zildjian cymbals, Zildjian drumsticks & general accessories, LP percussion, Ddrum electronics and Evans Drumheads.
Selected discography
Year | Constellation | Title | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | P-Funk All Stars | Live at the Beverly Theater in Hollywood | Westbound |
1986 | John Scofield | Blue Matter | Gramavision |
1987 | John Scofield | Loud Jazz | Gramavision |
1987 | John Scofield | Pick Hits Live | Gramavision |
1989 | Gary Thomas | By Any Means Necessary | JMT |
1990 | Bill Evans Group (Bill Evans, Chuck Loeb, Jim Beard, Darryl Jones, Dennis Chambers) | Let the Juice Loose (Live at the Blue Note, Tokyo) | Bellaphon |
1990 | Gary Thomas | While the Gate Is Open | JMT |
1991 | Dennis Chambers | Big City | Glass House |
1991 | Gary Thomas | The Kold Kage | JMT |
1992 | Carl Filipiak Group (Carl Filipiak, Dennis Chambers, Paul Soroka, Jim Charlsen, Victor Williams, George Gray, Dave Fairall, Rod Daniels) | Right on Time | Geometric |
1992 | Petite Blonde (Bill Evans, Chuck Loeb, Mitchel Forman, Victor Bailey, Dennis Chambers) | Petite Blonde | Lipstick |
1992 | Brecker Brothers | Return of the Brecker Brothers | GRP |
1992 | Dennis Chambers | Getting Even | Glass House |
1993 | Graffiti (Dennis Chambers, Haakon Graf, Gary Grainger, Ulf Wakenius) | Good Groove | ESC |
1993 | Charles Blenzig, Mike Stern, Will Lee, Alex Foster, Dennis Chambers, Manolo Badrena, Michael Brecker) | Say What You Mean | Big World |
1994 | John McLaughlin & the Free Spirits | Tokyo Live | Japan Import |
1995 | Steely Dan | Alive in America | Giant |
1997 | John McLaughlin, Gary Thomas | The Heart of Things | Verve/Universum |
1999 | Victor Bailey | Low Blow | ESC |
2000 | John McLaughlin | The Heart of Things / Live in Paris | Polygram |
2000 | CAB | CAB | Tone Center |
2001 | CAB | CAB 2 | Tone Center |
2001 | Brett Garsed, T. J. Helmerich, Gary Willis, Scott Kinsey | Uncle Moe's Space Ranch | Tone Center |
2003 | CAB | CAB 4 | Tone Center |
2002 | Dennis Chambers | Outbreak | Esc |
2003 | Greg Howe, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers | Extraction | Tone Center |
2003 | Biréli Lagrène, Dominique Di Piazza, Dennis Chambers | Front Page | Sunnyside |
2006 | Dennis Chambers | Planet Earth | BHM |
2006 | Dennis Chambers, Jeff Berlin, David Fiuczynski, T Lavitz | Boston T Party | Tone Center |
2006 | True Spirit John Grant, Victor Williams, Dennis Chambers, Najee | True Spirit | Independent release |
2007 | Carl Filipiak Group | I Got Your Mantra | Art of Life |
2007 | Maceo Parker WDR Big Band Cologne, Michael Abene conductor, Rodney "Skeet" Curtis (bass) | Roots and Grooves | Heads Up |
2007 | Brett Garsed, T. J. Helmerich, Gary Willis, Scott Kinsey | Moe's Town (Uncle Moe's Space Ranch) | Tone Center |
2008 | Paul Hanson | Frolic in the Land of Plenty | Abstract Logix |
2009 | Dean Brown | DBIII: Live at the Cotton Club Tokyo | BHM |
2009 | Tony Bunn | Small World | ATP |
2010 | Greg Howe, Tetsuo Sakurai, Dennis Chambers | Vital World | Abstract Logix |
References
- ↑ "The Trap Set". The Trap Set with Joe Wong. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
- ↑ "Modern Drummer's Readers Poll Archive, 1979–2014". Modern Drummer. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ↑ "Dennis Chambers: Biography". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ↑ Wynn, Ron. "Dennis Chambers: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-04-21.