Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
He was referring to the title of Honor, the new release by his amorphous ensemble the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, and all it takes is a brief glimpse at the latest headlines or social media feeds to realize that he’s right to find that particular value in short supply these days. But he could, setting modesty aside, just as easily have been talking about the music on this captivating LP, which thrives on the kind of communal involvement and scintillating chemistry that we’re all missing during this time of lockdowns and distancing.
Due out September 25th, 2020 via Make Records, Honor finds the membership of the Complex shifting once again, though the core of the band remains the trio of Chamberlin, bassist/producer Billy Mohler, and guitarist Sean Woolstenhulme. Keyboardist Adam Benjamin returns from the complex’s 2005 debut, Life Begins Again, this time joined by tenor saxophonist Ben Wendell and trumpeter Shane Endsley, Benjamin’s bandmates in the genre-defying Kneebody, and tenor saxophonist Frank Catalano, Chamberlin’s longtime collaborator from the Chicago jazz scene.
The notion of Honor is one that Chamberlin regards as core to both his personal and professional lives. It’s also a tenet that he strives to instill in his two teenage children, despite the challenges presented by the tumultuous times they’re living in. “I think every generation has its challenges,” Chamberlin says. “It can be very confusing to try to navigate, emotionally and spiritually, where things are going. I think if you take solace in the universe, you’ll find rules and consistency that you can replicate in your own life to be more congruent with the way things are supposed to be.” The four transportive pieces on the EP are each named for a foundational principle upon which honor can be built: “Integrity,” “Humility,” “Service” and “Grace.” These ideas are embodied in the way that the members of the Complex make music together, locking into intoxicating collective grooves while leaving space for thrilling individual statements that express each player’s singular voice while contributing to the whole. That all stems from the leader’s approach to his own instrument, whether under his own name or in his contributions to The Smashing Pumpkins.
“The same way you honor yourself, you have to honor your instrument,” he explains. “My relationship with the drums is the oldest relationship I have outside of my family. Since I was 8 years old I’ve had this incredibly intimate relationship that’s taken me on a journey predicated on the ability to play this instrument. That has to be rooted in accountability and honor, so I just wanted to pay homage to that while making a subtle commentary on what’s going on today.”
Glide is very proud to premiere the album’s exhilarating closing track “Grace,” an instrumental ride that coasts, turns, menaces and surprises. Combining rock rhythms and tenacious jazz leads, this number combines the post-rock muscle of Mogwai alongside the avant-garde jazz rules of Ornette Coleman.
