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“Mind Rain” is track 3 on Joe Chambers’ 1978 release “Double Exposure.” The album was recorded in New York City at C.I. Recordings.

Joe Chambers is an extremely well renowned and celebrated jazz drummer, pianist, vibraphonist, and composer.

Around the time of this release, Joe Chambers had also been working with Chet Baker and Charles Mingus, among others.

Although best known for his drumming, “Mind Rain” features Chambers’ playing piano and cymbals, and features Larry Young on organ.

This part of “Mind Rain” was sampled by DJ Premier to make Nas’ famous “N.Y. State of Mind.”

DJ Premier is one of hip-hop’s most iconic record producers, and has carved the path for many of hip-hop’s production styles.  He has produced for JAY Z, D’Angelo, and does regularly for Gang Starr and Royce Da 5’9”.

DJ Premier said that he and Nas sat in the studio playing through jazz records and found the sample together, then he made the beat on the spot.

During the session, Premier failed to settle everyone down in the studio to record, so he cued Nas with a 4-second countdown for the recording.  Nas coincidentally looked up at the right time, and rapped his lyrics on the spot without rehearsing.  That first take became the final cut for the track.

Premier stated that “Mind Rain” sounded noisy at first, and emphasized letting songs play through to find the right sample as he did with this record.

Rakim of Eric B. & Rakim stated that Premier had fully converted the Joe Chambers record into hip-hop form with “N.Y. State of Mind.”

“Double Exposure” is Joe Chambers’ third studio album of 10 total, released in 1978 with organist Larry Young.

Larry Young was an iconic jazz organist who re-shaped jazz's approach to the Hammond B3 organ.

Brother Jack McDuff among others deemed Larry Young the “Coltrane of the Hammond Organ.”

“Double Exposure” is the record where Joe Chambers makes his studio debut on piano, heard on 4 of 6 tracks including “Mind Rain.”

Originally from Chester, PA near Philadelphia, Chambers spent a year at the Philadelphia Conservatory before moving to New York in the 1960s as a young adult.

In NYC, Chambers played with many jazz greats, which helped foster his approach to jazz as he began his recording career.

With his 1978 release “Double Exposure,” Chambers produced a chain of performances that make "one unified suite." The mood has been self-proclaimed "full of wonder, reinforced by Young’s organ."

Harvey Milk & Gay Rights

In 1978, a bill on homosexual rights advanced in San Francisco, passed by Harvey Milk:  the first openly gay elected official in the history of California.

1978 International Computer Music Conference

The International Computer Music Conference also took place at Northwestern University, discussing various topics including programming music scores & building software.

1978 in Film

Iconic films like Grease and Animal House were also released.

1978