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2008-10-11
12:30AM
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Gordon Chambers celebrates his birthday with a special one night only Late Night show at the Blue Note! |
[ Complete Show Schedule... ] |
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FEATURING:
Gordon Chambers, vocals & compositions
Other Musicians, TBA |
LOVE STORIES, the eagerly-awaited sophomore album by award-winning songwriter, producer and artist Gordon Chambers is reminiscent of the joyful music heard in the '70s by artists like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Chambers declares, "A lot of that music was happy-sounding and fun, orchestral but with a beat. As this album evolved, I found we were recording more material with a tempo. That wasn't something I planned, but I'd like to think that LOVE STORIES is in that tradition of the classic soul music of the '70s with a fresh, cutting-edge feel."
Like many of the great works of that era, the original compositions on Chambers' follow-up to his critically-acclaimed self-titled 2005 debut consist of full-on stories in song or musical vignettes. "Every song on the album is a love story," says the accomplished music man, whose catalog of credits includes hits with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Yolanda Adams, Patti Labelle and The Isley Brothers (2006's R & B chartopper, "Just Came Here To Chill"). "Some are personal but mostly, they're not. I'd like to think that, as a listener, wherever you are in your journey of love, there's something here for you."
With a focus on upbeat songs that allow Chambers to emphasize the energy and dynamism audiences have come to expect from his live shows, LOVE STORIES exudes a certain joy and sense of celebration: "Get To Know," co-written and produced by Barry Eastmond (with whom Chambers collaborated on the Grammy-winning "I Apologize" for Anita Baker) is a 'stepper's delight'; "Stay Together," a rendition of a song recorded in recent years by The Temptations; and the pop-flavored "Unfair" (co-produced with top Swedish hitmaker Arnthor Birgisson), are prime examples. Not that the album is bereft of the kind of great love ballads for which Chambers has built a reputation as an established songwriter: try "By My Side," the inspirational "Still Blessing Me" (featuring Melonie Daniels) or the haunting "If It Wasn't For Your Love," which Chambers explains, "was originally written about my parents. Heather Headley recorded it on her first album and I continually get requests for sheet music for it. People want to use it for different themes - weddings and anniversaries and so on. One of the lyric lines says, 'Finally, I see how it is to live a dream.' My parents have always supported me with a real foundation in life so the song was written from a place of my gratitude to them. It's very personal and expresses the heart of who I am."
Writing lyrics that touch and inspire has been Gordon Chambers' stock in trade since he began his journey as a multi-faceted artist after some years as the entertainment editor for world-renowned ESSENCE magazine. An interview with Queen Latifah in 1993 resulted in Chambers' first songwriting assignment ("Winki's Theme" on Latifah's Black Reign album), but he had in fact been preparing to step into the world of music from an early age. "My parents always encouraged me as a child and I was able to take music lessons whenever I wanted and needed. They really gave me an environment which could explore my creativity and I'm so grateful that they supported me," he recalls, noting that he started out playing several instruments including trumpet and piano. In college, he befriended fellow students like star session singer Cindy Mizelle and Gordon's own vocal skills first came to the fore in the jazz genre. "I liked jazz because it had no rules and you didn't have to have a 'big' voice. I could have my own sound so experimenting with jazz and singing off the cuff worked just fine!"
The turning point in Chambers' decision to step into the foreground as an artist came at a Houston session: "I was working with Whitney on the song, "I Wish" and I had to sing some of it as a guide for her. She turned to me and said, 'You want to do what I do, don't you? So...go for it!'" Those words of encouragement from Houston, along with constant support for live performances he'd been doing in and around New York for the past few years, was the catalyst for Chambers to get to work on his debut album, released in 2005. Working closely with producers Troy Taylor, Barry Eastmond and Brian Bacchus, and with special guests including singer-songwriter Glenn Lewis and saxophonist Mike Phillips, Chambers fashioned a tour-de-force record that served as a dazzling showcase for his soulful vocal artistry. From his own versions of songs he's written but were recorded by others - such as "I Apologize" and "My Valentine" (recorded by hitmaking vocalist Carl Thomas who is featured on the track with renowned trumpeter Roy Hargrove) - to strong originals like "Touch You There," "Still In Love," "That's When You Fall In Love" and the standout ballad, "I'll Miss You Most," the album immediately began picking up rave reviews, particularly with discerning music lovers both in the U.S., Europe and beyond.
The enthusiastic international response to his debut album resulted in performances in London, Paris and Canada and before 2006 was over, Chambers had landed a Grammy nomination for the song "Family Reunion" (featuring Yolanda Adams, Chaka Khan, Carl Thomas and Gerald Levert), as well as working on songs with both Adams and Patti Labelle. Inspired by the reaction to his first album, Chambers began working on LOVE STORIES in 2006. "Being out on the road and performing, it was a wonderful surprise to know that there really is a healthy, adult, R & B-supporting community out there for independent artists such as myself," he says. "The presence of internet and e-commerce websites, soul music conferences and promoters has been a tremendous help. They received my music so well. Now, with the confidence I've gotten vocally from performing live and knowing there is an audience out there for good soul music, I'm ready to get out there again and share LOVE STORIES."
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