The Chambers Brothers

The Chambers Brothers' second album, Now! was not wholly representative of what the concurrent combo -- consisting of siblings George Chambers (bass/vocals), Willie Chambers (guitar/vocals), Lester Chambers (harmonica/vocals), and Joe Chambers (guitar/vocals), as well as Jesse Cahn (drums) -- sounded like when this platter actually came out in 1966. In fact, by the time the Chambers Brothers began garnering national attention, these recordings were already several years old and hopelessly dated. The Brothers are captured here in a state of transition. They're moving away from their traditional gospel roots and into an electric folk-meets-R&B groove. This blend parallels the Grateful Dead's pre-psychedelic days. In fact, their inspiration seems to have been drawn from similar sources, as evidenced by the spirited remake of Tommy Tucker's "Hi-Heel Sneakers" that both bands incorporated in their early live sets. One definitive delineating factor is the Chambers' flawless vocal harmonies and the testifyin' intro that even gets its own track listing -- appropriately enough as "Introduction To." The tempo slows down for a remake of James Brown's "Please, Please, Please" that (perhaps owing to royalty and copyright related issues) slips under the radar as "Baby Please Don't Go." Another favorite seems to be the nearly eight-minute exploration of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." Not only do the Chambers stretch out and jam a little bit, but they work in some well-received call-and-response interaction with the audience. Of the remaining selections, "Long Tall Sally," "Bony Maronie," "C.C. Rider," and "So Fine" stick close to the originals, and the Brothers' back-to-basics instrumentation and comparatively rudimentary chops do not offer much in the way of experimentation or stylistic variation. Although credited on the LP sleeve to someone named "C. Perry," Joe Chambers' bluesy "It's Groovin' Time" also appeared on two of the band's other releases -- including an earlier version issued on their platter supporting Barbara Dane. Here it takes on a grittier and more earthy quality than its studio counterpart. In 2007, Collectors' Choice Music licensed all four of the Chambers Brothers' Vault Records long-players, marking the first time they have been available in over three decades. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide