Lester Chambers doesn't just play and sing his distinctive blend of rock and R&B infused gospel soul, he lives it. On his self titled debut for independent powerhouse label Explosive Records, Lester fuses the spirit of rock's early roots with the energy of today in a compelling blend of articulate yet uniquely original and cover material. As a member of the Chambers Brothers (whose landmark hit, "Time Has Come Today" became an integral part of the soundtrack of the '60s), he helped create the psychedelic soul genre that spawned Jimi Hendrix and Sly & The Family Stone. But it is as a contemporary artist that Lester is making his greatest contribution to the legacy of popular music.

Born and raised in Mississippi, Lester grew up on a steady diet of rural blues and the new hybrid of gospel and rock n' roll called rhythm and blues. When he and his three brothers moved to Los Angeles with their family in the late '50s, Lester became exposed to the urban R&B phenomenon which dominated local radio at the time. Not surprisingly, the Chambers Brothers' residency at the famed Ash Grove club, was in large part informed by Lester's uncanny ability to marry the defining elements of these companion genres. Observed then up and coming blues/folk icon Taj Mahal, "The Chambers Brothers weren't just a great band, they were an event!" Music critics at the time unanimously agreed that this was in large part due to the singularly striking presence of Lester Chambers.


-- David Budge