Charles Fambrough—Modern Jazz Archive

Read About This Recording

Bassist Charles Fambrough was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers during part of the 1980s. With Blakey, he grew as an improviser and as an individual voice. He actually had little choice since the drummer forced his players to swing hard, pushing Fambrough as he had such earlier sidemen as Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter and Benny Golson, among many others.

In addition to his association with the Jazz Messengers, Charles Fambrough had important stints with McCoy Tyner, Grover Washington Jr. and Airto before leading his own groups. His first two CDs as a leader, The Charmer and The Proper Angle, comprise his Membran twofer. In both cases, he assembled very impressive all-star groups, including such notables as Grover Washington Jr., altoist Kenny Garrett, trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis, saxophonists Branford Marsalis and Joe Ford and pianists Kenny Kirkland and Abdullah Ibrahim. The music ranges from fresh hard bop originals to spiritual ballads, featuring some of the best musicians of 1990s jazz along with Fambrough's supportive and driving bass playing.

—Scott Yanow

Quotes

"To be quite frank and honest with you, the music I put on my records is what I want to hear. If I find myself making music for money then I would go make music that would make TONS of money! It would be a business venture. My albums are like puzzles. It's up to the audience to see how they piece together. They come from ... playing on the road for 25 years with different people: Art Blakey and McCoy Tyner ... Airto. Playing opposite George Benson, opening for Earth Wind and Fire ... Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Everyone has a goal. My goal is not to mix my concept of music with a monetary attitude." —Charles Fambrough

Contents

Imported from Europe!

CD 1: The Charmer (TT: 43:08): The Charmer; Beautiful Love; Alycia/Andrea; Oasis; Lullaby for Shana Bly; Little Man; Sparks Bill.

CD 2: The Proper Angle (TT: 61:09): Don Quixote; The Dreamer; Uncle Pete; Sand Jewels; Broski; Dolores Carla Maria; Earthlings; The Proper Angle; Our Father Who Art Blakey; One for Honour; The Tonality of Atonement.

Charles Fambrough, Bass; Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Trumpets; Kenny Garrett, Alto Sax; Grover Washington Jr., Soprano Sax; Joe Ford, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax; Branford Marsalis, Tenor Sax; Bill O'Connell, Abdullah Ibrahim, Kenny Kirkland, Steven Scott, Pianos; Jeff Watts, Billy Drummond, Drums; Doc Gibbs, Bashiri Johnson, Mino Cinelu, Jerry Gonzalez, Percussion.

Includes 20-page book.