Multi-instrumentalist and composer Joe Chambers releases his new album, Samba de Maracatu, via Blue Note Records. The album’s Brazilian flavoured title track 'Samba de Maracatu', was composed by Chambers and features him performing drums, vibraphone, and percussion with Brad Merritt on keyboards and Steve Haines on bass. The album is a nine-song set of original compositions, standards, and pieces by Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, and Horace Silver...

In the mid-to-late 1960s, Joe Chambers played drums for numerous Blue Note luminaries appearing on some of the decade’s most progressive albums including Wayne Shorter’s Adam’s Apple and Etcetera, Bobby Hutcherson’s Components and Happenings, Freddie Hubbard’s Breaking Point, Joe Henderson’s Mode for Joe, Sam Rivers’ Contours, Andrew Hill’s Andrew!!!, Donald Byrd’s Fancy Free, and many more.

On Samba de Maracatu, Chambers uses the vibraphone as the lead melodic and improvisational voice that often converses with Merritt’s piano accompaniments and solos. While Samba de Maracatuisn’t a Brazilian jazz album in this strictest sense, Chambers uses various rhythms and indigenous Brazilian percussion instruments on several pieces, including the title track, which references the syncretic Afro-Brazil rhythms that were originated in the north-east region of Brazil.

It's a well rounded album that hits so many sweet spots. Collector's of jazz will get a huge kick out this.

7

Nick Smithson