The
bassist and the pianist of Beatlejazz, Charles Fambrough and David Kikoski, are
Melvin’s collaborators of many years standing. About the Philadelphia-born
bass-versatilist Charles Fambrough, the periodical MC Review once enthused: «
Where most jazz players arrive at a muddled mess when they endeavor to link Brazilian,
Latin, and African rhythms, Fambrough comes up with concise, thoughtful hybrids, pieces
that have a deep sense of melodic purpose». The man himself, a worthy exponent of the
resplendent lineage of Philly bassists — Tyrone Browne, Stanley Clarke, Christian
McBride, Jaco Pastorius, Gerald Veasley and on — has the following to say. «Everyone
has a goal. My goal is not to mix my concept of music with a monetary attitude… My
view of music is purely a view of my aspirations toward people like Trane and
Miles…"Over the decades Fambrough’s aspirations have brought some admirable
results. His compositions have been recorded by Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Roy
Hargrove, Stanley Turrentine, Craig Handy et al. Highly respected by fellow musicians and
music critics alike, Fambrough has played remarkable gigs with a/o. Wynton Marsalis,
Horace Silver, Woody Shaw, Thad Jones and Dexter Gordon.
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