Clive Chaman

Clive Chaman (born 5 September 1949) is a bassist and songwriter from Trinidad and Tobago, renowned as a UK-based session musician whose funky, soulful style influenced rock and jazz fusion in the 1970s.^[1]^[2] Chaman began his career in the mid-1960s as a member of the Latin/R&B club band Romeo Z, recording tracks such as “Kaleidoscope” (1966) and “Come Back, Baby Come Back” (1967).^[1] After relocating to the United Kingdom in the late 1960s, he gained early recognition through his appearance on Ram John Holder's London Blues album in 1969.^[2]^[3] Throughout the 1970s, Chaman became a prominent figure in several influential groups, including the Jeff Beck Group, where he contributed bass lines to albums like Rough and Ready (1971) and the self-titled Jeff Beck Group (1972), helping steer the band's sound toward jazz-rock fusion.^[2]^[3] He also played with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Cozy Powell's Hammer, and formed part of the supergroup Hummingbird alongside former Jeff Beck Group members Bobby Tench and Max Middleton, releasing three albums between 1975 and 1977: Hummingbird, We Can't Go On Meeting Like This, and Diamond Nights.^[1]^[3] As a prolific session player, Chaman collaborated with artists including Donovan on Cosmic Wheels (1973), Linda Lewis on Fathoms Deep (1973), and Hanson on Now Hear This (1973), while also contributing to the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (1971).^[3]^[1] His work often featured a Fender Precision bass, emphasizing harmonic extensions and grooves rooted in his Caribbean heritage.^[2] In later years, Chaman continued recording, including on Badness (1981) and Raven Eyes (1984), before retiring to Miami, Florida.^[1] Over his career, he amassed over 60 credits across genres like rock, jazz, and R&B.^[3]

Early life

Childhood in Trinidad

Clive Chaman was born on 5 September 1949 in Trinidad and Tobago, where he spent his formative years immersed in the island's vibrant musical culture. Growing up in this environment, he was exposed to local and Latin rhythms, influenced by Trinidad's proximity to Venezuela and the broader Caribbean traditions that emphasized rhythmic complexity and improvisation.^[4] During his teenage years, Chaman developed a strong interest in music, initially focusing on the guitar. He and his brother, Stanley Chaman—a vocalist—formed part of the local Latin/R&B club band Romeo Z in the mid-1960s, marking his entry into professional performance as a young musician. In this group, which included notable players like trombonist Eric Allandale and drummer Erwin Clement, Clive contributed on bass while honing his skills in a setting that fused R&B with Caribbean elements; the band even released a 1967 single on CBS.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[4] These formative experiences in Trinidad laid the groundwork for his fluid, soul-infused playing style, drawing from both regional sounds and international influences like Motown bassists such as James Jamerson, which he encountered through records during his youth.^[8]^[4]

Move to the United Kingdom

Chaman emigrated from Trinidad and Tobago to the United Kingdom in the late 1960s, drawn by the vibrant music industry in London. Initially arriving as a guitarist, he soon adapted to the local scene by switching to bass guitar, a decision influenced by the melodic style of Motown bassist James Jamerson. This transition allowed him to secure session work amid the city's flourishing blues and rock circuits.^[8] By 1969, shortly after his arrival, Chaman made his UK recording debut on Ram John Holder's album London Blues, contributing bass lines to tracks that captured the era's urban blues sound. This early collaboration marked his integration into the British music community, where he began building connections with fellow musicians from the West Indies and beyond. His prompt involvement in such projects underscored the opportunities available to skilled immigrants in London's diverse recording studios.^[9]^[5]

Career

1960s beginnings

Clive Chaman began his professional music career in the mid-1960s as the bassist for Romeo Z, a six-piece Latin/R&B ensemble with international roots, including members from Trinidad, Spain, Ghana, and Dominica.^[5]^[6] The band, led by his brother Stanley Chaman on vocals and guitar, performed regularly as the resident group at London's Chi-Chi Club and Pickwick Club, blending calypso, soul, and jazz influences in the vibrant West Indian music scene of the city.^[6] Other core members included Eric Allandale on trombone and vocals, Jerry Elboz on congas and vocals, Eddie Cuansa on trumpet, and Erwin Clement on drums.^[6] Romeo Z's early recordings marked Chaman's entry into the studio. In 1966, the group contributed the instrumental track "Kaleidoscope" to the soundtrack of the British thriller film Kaleidoscope, directed by Jack Smight and starring Warren Beatty and Susannah York; the song was released as a 7-inch single on a private label.^[10] The following year, they issued their sole major-label single, "Come Back, Baby Come Back" b/w "Since My Baby Said Goodbye," on CBS Records, showcasing Chaman's emerging rhythmic style on bass guitar amid the band's soulful, upbeat arrangements.^[11] These releases highlighted Romeo Z's fusion of Caribbean rhythms with British pop sensibilities, though the group remained primarily a club act without widespread commercial breakthrough.^[7] In the mid-1960s, after relocating from Trinidad to the United Kingdom, Chaman transitioned into session work, initially contributing on guitar before fully adopting the bass as his primary instrument to better support arranging and songwriting.^[8] He gained early recognition in 1969 through his appearance on Black London Blues, the debut album by Guyanese-British blues guitarist Ram John Holder, where Chaman played lead guitar on select tracks alongside a lineup featuring piano, harp, and rhythm sections tailored to Holder's acoustic folk-blues sound.^[2]^[7] This recording, issued on Beacon Records, captured the era's burgeoning London blues scene and introduced Chaman to influential figures in the British rock and jazz circuits.^[5] During this period, he also handled freelance sessions for BBC radio, providing bass lines for rhythm sections and string arrangements, which honed his versatile, melodic approach inspired by Motown bassist James Jamerson.^[8]

1970s collaborations

In the early 1970s, Clive Chaman joined the second incarnation of the Jeff Beck Group, where he provided bass lines that blended funk, jazz, and rock elements on the band's albums Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972).^[2] The lineup featured guitarist Jeff Beck, drummer Cozy Powell, keyboardist Max Middleton, and vocalists Bobby Tench and Alex Ligertwood, marking a shift toward instrumental jazz-rock fusion in Beck's sound.^[12] Chaman's contributions, including his soulful grooves on tracks like "Situation" and "Definitely Maybe," helped define the group's dynamic energy during live performances and studio recordings.^[2] Following the Jeff Beck Group's disbandment in 1973, Chaman contributed bass to the funk-rock album Now Hear This (1973) by Junior Marvin's band Hanson, working alongside Tench, pianist Jean Roussel, and percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah to deliver a gritty, soul-infused sound. Later that year, he collaborated with drummer Cozy Powell in the short-lived project Cozy Powell's Hammer, which emphasized heavy rock with progressive touches.^[2] The ensemble included guitarist Bernie Marsden, keyboardist Don Airey, and vocalist Frank Aiello, releasing the single "Na Na Na" in 1974, though no full album materialized.^[13] By 1974, Chaman co-founded the jazz-rock band Hummingbird with former Jeff Beck Group members Tench on vocals and guitar, and Middleton on keyboards, later joined by drummer Bernard Purdie.^[2] The group released three albums between 1975 and 1977: Hummingbird (1975), We Can't Go On Meeting Like This (1976), and Diamond Nights (1977), showcasing Chaman's versatile bass work in tracks like "Scorpio" that fused R&B grooves with progressive improvisation.^[14] Concurrently, from 1975 to 1977, he played with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, appearing on live recordings and albums such as Reinforcements (1975) and Happiness Heartaches (1977), where his rhythmic foundation supported Auger's Hammond organ-driven jazz fusion.^[15] Toward the decade's end, in 1979, Chaman briefly rehearsed with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, though he did not record or tour with the hard rock outfit.^[3]

1980s and beyond

In the 1980s, Chaman maintained his reputation as a versatile session bassist, contributing to jazz-funk and rock projects. He played bass guitar on the British jazz fusion duo Morrissey–Mullen's third studio album, Badness, released in 1981 on DJM Records, which featured a blend of funk rhythms and sophisticated arrangements alongside musicians such as drummer Chris Ainsworth and keyboardist John Critchinson.^[16] Chaman's international collaborations continued with his appearance on Japanese guitarist Raven Ohtani's solo debut Raven Eyes, released in 1984 on SMS Records. On this hard rock album, he provided bass lines supporting Ohtani's guitar work, joined by notable guests including keyboards by Max Middleton (from the Jeff Beck Group era) and additional guitar by Snowy White.^[17] Following these efforts, Chaman's recorded output became more sporadic, reflecting a shift toward lower-profile session and live work in the UK music scene, though specific later credits remain limited in public documentation.

Musical style and equipment

Influences and technique

Chaman's bass playing was profoundly shaped by the melodic and rhythmic innovations of Motown bassist James Jamerson, whom he regarded as the quintessential model for aspiring players. In a 2000s interview, Chaman described Jamerson as "just about everything as far as I was concerned, that a bass player or a young bass player should have listened to," highlighting how Jamerson's fluid, note-dense lines and pocket grooves informed his own approach to blending melody with propulsion in rock and fusion contexts.^[8] This influence is echoed by contemporaries; bassist Neil Murray, who studied under Chaman in the early 1970s, noted that Chaman's style evoked Jamerson's Motown sensibility, emphasizing syncopated fills and soulful phrasing over straightforward root-note playing.^[18] His technique drew from an initial background as a guitarist in Trinidad, where he began playing in local bands before relocating to the UK and switching to bass around 1968. This guitar foundation facilitated a melodic orientation on the instrument, allowing him to incorporate chordal extensions and linear runs that elevated bass lines beyond mere support. During his tenure with the Jeff Beck Group (1971–1972), this approach shone in tracks like "Definitely Maybe," where his lines combined Jamerson-esque funk with rock edges, using a Fender Precision Bass to deliver taut, driving riffs that locked seamlessly with drummer Cozy Powell's powerhouse style.^[2] Chaman's style prioritized groove and riff-centric playing, reflective of the early 1970s era when "riffs were everything," as he recalled in reflecting on session work with artists like Cat Stevens and Gonzalez. Rooted in soul and funk traditions, his contributions often featured harmonic sophistication—such as implied chord voicings—while maintaining a disciplined rhythmic pocket suited to live improvisation. This fusion of influences made him a versatile session player, capable of adapting Jamerson's subtlety to the edgier demands of British rock.^[8]

Signature gear

Throughout his career in the 1970s, Clive Chaman primarily relied on the Fender Precision Bass as his instrument of choice, delivering its characteristic punchy tone to support the dynamic rock and fusion styles of the Jeff Beck Group and Hummingbird.^[2] This model, with its single split-coil pickup and slab body design, suited Chaman's melodic and groove-oriented playing, evident on albums like Rough and Ready (1971) and the self-titled Jeff Beck Group (1972), as well as Hummingbird's Hummingbird (1977).^[2] During the Jeff Beck Group era, the band's setup incorporated Sunn Coliseum amplifiers, known for their high-wattage solid-state power and robust low-end response, which complemented high-energy live performances and studio recordings in the early 1970s.^[19] These rigs provided the clean headroom necessary for Chaman's fluid bass lines amid Jeff Beck's intricate guitar work, though specific cabinet configurations varied by tour. Later session work with artists like Brian Auger and Donovan likely drew on similar versatile electric bass setups, emphasizing reliability over elaborate effects.^[2]

Personal life

Family background

Clive Chaman was born on 5 September 1949 in Trinidad and Tobago, where he grew up immersed in Latin and South American musical influences due to the island's proximity to Venezuela.^[1]^[4] He has an older brother, Stan Chaman, a musician who served as bandleader and drummer for the Latin/R&B group Romeo Z in the mid-1960s, with whom Clive initially played guitar before transitioning to bass.^[1] The brothers later collaborated in the UK, forming the short-lived band Flare with keyboardist Max Middleton around 1970, during which Stan also played guitar.^[4]^[8] Little is documented about Chaman's parents, though his early exposure to music in Trinidad shaped his foundational style, blending calypso, Latin rhythms, and Motown grooves.^[4] In the late 1960s, shortly after moving to England, Chaman married, and his wife was pregnant with their first child during a recording session at that time.^[8]

Later residence

In the later stages of his life, Clive Chaman relocated from the United Kingdom to the United States, establishing residence in Florida by the early 2000s. An interview conducted in April 2000 took place at his home in North Miami, Florida, where he discussed his career and musical influences.^[8] Chaman later moved south within the state to Palm Bay, Florida, purchasing a property at 189 Wading Bird Circle SW in 2009,^[20] which he continues to own through a family trust.^[21] Public records list this as his current residential address, shared with family members including Arin Brandon Chaman.^[22] From his Palm Bay home, Chaman remains engaged with music, producing and sharing original jazz, soca, and steel drum compositions on platforms such as ReverbNation.^[23]

Discography

Studio albums with bands

Clive Chaman served as bassist for multiple rock and jazz-fusion bands during the 1970s, contributing to their studio recordings with his distinctive funk-influenced style. His band affiliations began with the Jeff Beck Group, where he joined in 1971 following the group's lineup changes, providing the rhythmic foundation for two key albums that blended rock, blues, and jazz elements.^[3]

Jeff Beck Group

Chaman's tenure with the Jeff Beck Group marked his entry into high-profile rock circles. He played bass on Rough and Ready (1971), an album that showcased the band's evolving sound with tracks like "Shapes of Things" and "Morning," emphasizing groove-oriented interplay among guitarist Jeff Beck, vocalist Bobby Tench, keyboardist Max Middleton, and drummer Cozy Powell. The follow-up, the self-titled Jeff Beck Group (1972), further explored fusion influences, with Chaman's bass lines supporting extended improvisations on songs such as "Going Down" and "Definitely." These releases solidified the group's reputation before its dissolution in 1973.^[12]

Hanson

In 1973, Chaman appeared on Now Hear This by the British funk-rock band Hanson, led by Junior Marvin. As a core contributor on bass, he helped craft the album's blend of Hendrix-inspired guitar work, jazz fusion, and R&B grooves, evident in tracks like "Traveling Like a Gypsy" and the instrumental "Smokin' to the Big 'M'." This collaboration reunited him with former Jeff Beck Group vocalist Bobby Tench, highlighting Chaman's versatility in a more rhythm-driven ensemble.^[24]^[3]

Hummingbird

Chaman co-founded the jazz-rock band Hummingbird in 1974 with ex-Jeff Beck Group members Tench and Middleton, alongside second guitarist Bernie Holland and drummer Conrad Isidore. The band's debut, Hummingbird (1975), featured Chaman's prominent bass work on soulful tracks like "Horrors," establishing their fusion of rock, funk, and R&B. They followed with We Can't Go On Meeting Like This (1976), where Chaman's contributions added depth to ballads and uptempo numbers such as "Trouble Maker." The final album, Diamond Nights (1977), continued this trajectory with polished production, though the band disbanded soon after amid shifting musical trends.^[14]

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express

Joining Brian Auger's Oblivion Express in 1975, Chaman brought a rock edge to the jazz-fusion outfit. On Reinforcements (1975), his bass anchored energetic tracks like "Brain Damage" and supported Auger's Hammond organ-driven arrangements, featuring vocalist Alex Ligertwood. Chaman remained for Happiness Heartaches (1977), contributing to the album's more introspective fusion sound on songs such as "Spice Island" and "Never Gonna Come Down," before departing as the band experimented with new directions.^[25]^[26]

Session contributions

Chaman established himself as a sought-after session bassist in the early 1970s, contributing to high-profile rock and theatrical projects. His bass work appears on the original rock opera recording of Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, released in 1970, where he provided rhythmic foundation for the ensemble-driven tracks.^[27] Similarly, he played bass on Ram John Holder's blues album Bootleg Blues (1971), adding groove to the guitarist's London-based sessions. In the mid-1970s, Chaman's versatility shone through collaborations with folk-rock and soul artists. He supplied bass for Donovan's Cosmic Wheels (1973), enhancing the album's eclectic blend of acoustic and electric elements alongside drummer Cozy Powell.^[28] His contributions extended to Linda Lewis's soul-pop outings, including Fathoms Deep (1973) and Not a Little Girl Anymore (1975), where his precise lines supported her vocal-centric arrangements. Later in the decade, Chaman participated in jazz-fusion and soundtrack sessions. On Paul Kossoff's Back Street Crawler (1973), he provided bass support for the Free guitarist's solo effort, contributing to its hard rock edges.^[2] He played bass on Lenny White's Big City (1977), a CTI Records release that highlighted his funk-jazz phrasing amid tracks like the title cut. Chaman returned for Auger’s Happiness Heartaches (1977), where his bass anchored soulful grooves with drummer Lenny White.^[29] Notable among his broader contributions was bass duty on the 1978 soundtrack Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a star-studded adaptation featuring tracks reinterpreted by artists like the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton. Other sessions from this period include Rod Argent's Moving Home (1978) and Chris Rainbow's Looking Over My Shoulder (1978), underscoring his role in progressive and pop rock circles. In the 1980s, Chaman contributed to Morrissey-Mullen's jazz-funk album Badness (1981) and Raven Ohtani's Raven Eyes (1984).^[16]^[17]