Wow, today
Willie Chambers told me these words ""Time Has Come Today again!" I was there in the front row 56 years ago when
The Chambers Brothers came first time to
San Francisco State University San Francisco State Folk Festival March of 1967 - they blew everybody's mind! Peace and Love everybody - I'm very happy to report Willie Chambers is doing great and still performing in So. CA! -
Jon Hammond
The
band scored its only major hit in the fall of 1968 with "Time Has Come Today", an 11-minute opus written by Joe and Willie Chambers and highlighted by echoing vocal effects and Keenan's drumming which gave the song a psychedelic feel. "Time Has Come Today" was edited for release as a single and spent five consecutive weeks in September–October at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, just missing the Top Ten.
Willie Chambers (born March 3, 1938) is a singer, guitarist, and former member of The Chambers Brothers, a rock band in the 1960s with hits "In The Midnight Hour", "I Can't Turn You Loose", and "Time Has Come Today". He continues to be a regular attraction at various venues in Los Angeles and further afield.
Later incarnations of the group included session guitarist Steve Hunter (known for his work with Alice Cooper) An album recorded in 1972 for Columbia, Oh! My God, has remained unreleased until October 28, 2022 when it was finally made available through multiple digital platforms. Although the group disbanded in 1972, they reformed and moved from Columbia to Avco Records and released Unbonded (1974) and Right Move (1975). In 1976 the brothers released Recorded Live In Concert on Mars for the Roxbury label. They have toured irregularly since.
They were signed to support Maria Muldaur on her Gospel Nights album. They also made commercials for Levi's Jeans.
Originally from Carthage, Mississippi,[3] the Chambers Brothers first honed their skills as members of the choir in their Baptist church. This arrangement ended in 1952 when the eldest brother, George, was drafted into the Army. George relocated to Los Angeles after his discharge, and his brothers soon joined him. Beginning in 1954, the foursome played gospel and folk music throughout the Southern California region, but remained little known until 1965 when they began performing in New York City.
Consisting of George (September 26, 1931 – October 12, 2019) on washtub bass (later on bass guitar Danelectro and Gibson Thunderbird), Lester (b. April 13, 1940) on harmonica, and Willie (b. March 3, 1938) and Joe (b. August 22, 1942) on guitar, the group started to venture outside the gospel circuit, playing at coffeehouses that booked folk acts. They played at places like The Ash Grove, a very popular Los Angeles folk club. It became one of their favorite haunts and brought them into contact with Hoyt Axton, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Reverend Gary Davis, and Barbara Dane.[6] When Dane spotted the brothers there, she knew they would be perfect to do these freedom songs that people wanted to hear then. Dane became a great supporter, performing and recording with the brothers. With the addition of Brian Keenan (January 28, 1943 – October 5, 1985) on drums, Dane took them on tour with her and introduced them to Pete Seeger, who helped put the Chambers Brothers on the bill of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. One of the songs they performed, "I Got It", appeared on the Newport Folk Festival 1965 compilation LP, which was issued on the Vanguard label.
Lester moved to New York and formed a band with former Electric Flag bassist Harvey Brooks. Guitarists Willie and Joe would find work as session men; George went back to singing gospel music and would later become a deacon of his church. Keenan retired to Stamford, Connecticut where he set up his own recording studio, and died of heart failure in 1985
American Session Drummer, Lee Szymborski, also from Stamford Connecticut, was hired by George Chambers to replace Brian Keenan in 1980, in Los Angeles, CA., and performed live with The Chambers Brothers at the Hollywood Bowl's Fourth Annual Survival Sunday Anti-Nuclear Benefit Concert, with Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, Bonnie Raitt, Graham Nash, Gary U.S. Bonds, Peter Yarrow, Kenny Rankin and others in Los Angeles, CA. on June 14, 1981. Lee Szymborski also performed live with The Chambers Brothers and Etta James for two shows at McCabe's Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA. July 16, 1981. Lee Szymborski left The Chambers Brothers and joined the critically acclaimed Louisiana Cajun group; "The Savery Brothers" in San Diego, CA.; also playing recording sessions notably with Legendary Country Music Artists Merle Haggard, Doug Kershaw, Johnny Paycheck, Asleep at the Wheel, and Juice Newton. Lee Szymborski currently records and performs in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2006, guitarist Willie Chambers sat in with a group called Vince and the Invinceables at a benefit concert for Arthur Lee of the group Love and delivered an acclaimed performance.
In 2015, Joe Chambers was appearing at venues such as Harold's Place on Pacific Ave. San Pedro as The Joe Chambers Experience.[
In 2016, Willie, Joe, and occasionally George, along with their nephew Jerry Warner on bass, Crazy Tomes on guitar, and LA drummer Jon McCracken, reformed as the Chambers Brothers to do shows in the Los Angeles area;[20][21] including the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live.[22]
George Chambers died October 12, 2019, at age 88.
Joe Chambers collaborated with Marva Holiday, recording their version of "To Love Somebody".
Summer of Soul
In 2021 the Chambers Brothers appeared in the Questlove music documentary "Summer of Soul," about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.
Members
In 1970, there was some confusion whether The Chambers Brothers were still with their label, Columbia. The source was an article in the March 28, 1970 issue of Record World. Apparently, singer Judd Hamilton was at a party for an American International Records signing and there was confusion about the Chambers Brothers signing to the label and whether or not Hamilton was a member of the group. The next issue of Record World, (April 4) clarified that The Chambers Brothers were not with the American International label and were still with Columbia Records. It also stated that Hamilton was not a member of The Chambers Brothers.
There was another error, this time by Cashbox magazine, in the April 18 issue. Cliff Chambers who had his own label Cyclone Records and composed “Finders Keepers” and “Somebody Ought to Write a Book” was credited with being a member of The Chambers Brothers while he was signing a contract with Kent Records. The error was picked up and Cashbox wrote in the May 9 issue (Cliff Chambers Not Ex-Chambers) that the group's manager, Charles H. LaMarr said that Cliff Chambers was never a member of the group and that the Chambers' included Joseph Chambers, George Chambers, Willie Chambers and Brian Keenan.
John Castellano joined the band as a guitarist, touring with them during 1971 and 1972. This came about as a result of the brothers finding out that Castellano's mother made the clothes that Jimi Hendrix wore. They headed out to Bath Avenue, in Brooklyn to have the clothes fitted and heard Castellano playing on guitar. Eventually Castellano came on board.
Jon Hammond Show 08 19 2023 from organist Jon Hammond, Music, Travel, News, Photography - 40th year on Public Access Television - 28 minute program. Manhattan Neighborhood Network MNN - air time: 01:30AM late Friday nights.
- Topics
- Public Access Television, Jon Hammond Show, Music, Travell, News, Photography, Manhattan Neighborhood Network, Hammond Organ, HammondCast, Hammond Report
- Language
- English
Lady in The Harbor - Stephen Ferrone and Jon Hammond rhythm section backing Phoebe Snowexcerpt Ken Burns movie The Statue of Liberty (1985) - famous Romanian Poet Andrei Codrescu asks 'Does she have enough deodorant?'! - photos credit / and Hammond B3 organ on Phoebe track: Jon Hammond
Annual Oiling of my Hammond B3 Organ Aug. 18th 2023My B3 is a 1959 which has the 2 oiling cups, which I fill up only with real Hammond Oil - each cup has lines running to the cups which drip it down on to the Tone Generators and Vibrato Scanner - in these photos you can see the actual drops coming in off the lines and the Hammond oil which can be purchased from B&H Photo or Hammond Organ Co. USA - Jon Hammond
Stephen Ferrone and Jon Hammond 38 years later after recording session Lady in The Harbor:
