Rivers Chambers
Encyclopedia
Rivers Chambers was one of the major leaders in the jazz
scene, part of the music of Baltimore
. He was originally a pianist with John Ridgely
, part of the first jazz band in Baltimore, and later led the house band at the Royal Theatre
for many years. His Rivers Chambers Orchestra was a fixture on the Baltimore jazz
scene for many years.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
scene, part of the music of Baltimore
Music of Baltimore
The music of Baltimore, the largest city in Maryland, can be documented as far back as 1784, and the city has become a regional center for Western classical music and jazz...
. He was originally a pianist with John Ridgely
John Ridgely
John Ridgely was an American film character actor with over 100 film credits. He appeared in the 1946 Humphrey Bogart film The Big Sleep as blackmailing gangster Eddie Mars and had a memorable role as a suffering heart patient in the film noir Nora Prentiss .The Chicago, Illinois-born actor...
, part of the first jazz band in Baltimore, and later led the house band at the Royal Theatre
Royal Theatre (Baltimore)
The Royal Theatre, which first opened in 1922 as the black-owned Douglass Theatre, was the most famous theater along West Baltimore City's Pennsylvania Avenue, one of a circuit of five such theaters for black entertainment in big cities...
for many years. His Rivers Chambers Orchestra was a fixture on the Baltimore jazz
Baltimore jazz
Baltimore jazz is a major part of the music of Baltimore, Maryland, and is a field that has produced several well-known artists, including Billie Holliday,...
scene for many years.