Sunday Jazz — Charlie Hunter Trio
The winner of MSD’s 2008 Album Of The Year, Charlie Hunter for Baboon Strength, was the focus of last week’s Sunday Jazz post. We had such an overwhelmingly positive response to the show, we’ve decided to post another of Charlie’s shows. This one finds Charlie at the Jazzno Festival in Switzerland from 10/30/98.
01. Enter the Dragon 9:49
02. Huggy Bear 12:12
03. Shango Pt. III 12:08
04. Mean Streak 10:38
05. Pound for Pound 13:42
06. Higher Ground 11:24
Musical Stew Daily’s Best Of 2008
Musical Stew Daily’s Best Of 2008
Best Album: 1.) Charlie Hunter Baboon Strength 2.) My Morning Jacket Evil Urges 3.) Mike Gordon Green Sparrow 4.) Fleet Foxes
Best Archival Release: Bob Dylan Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs
Best DVD: 1.) Phish Walnut Creek (7/22/97) 2.) Keller Williams with Mosely, Droll & Sipe Live 3.) Grateful Dead Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978
Best Concert: 1.) My Morning Jacket Bonnaroo 6/13/2008 2.) Matisyahu Atlanta, GA 11/8/2008 3.) Wilco 8/13/08
Best Box Set: Phish At The Roxy
Sunday Jazz — Charlie Hunter
Cincinnati, OH (9/15/1996)
Thursday the 12th
The Heckler
Mean Streak
Lively Up Yourself
Revolution
Natty Dread
The Shango, Pt. 3
Charlie Hunter — Baboon Strength
On a Charlie Hunter album, you always expect guitar virtuosity, but this album is different. Let me explain.
Charlie has a knack for always taking his music and becoming the front and center and everything in between. On Baboon Strength, Charlie takes a step back and allows his collaborators, Tony Mason (drums) and Erik Deutsch (organ), into the spotlight with him. From the first notes of the opening track you know that this is going to be a party album. Initially sounding like another Garage-A-Trois album, the music settles in as swirling and other worldly sounds dance out of the speakers, leaving you in a groovin’ daze.
The music is thick, dense and funky. Much care and effort was put into the recording of the album, with musical terrain that is covered, the color palette that is harmonically sketched and the supreme sound quality that oozes out of the hi-fi. Several of the cuts feature a somewhat cheesy Casio keyboard sound that is an acquired taste and something I’ve grown to kind of dig. Track 7, “Fine Corinthian Leather,” showcases sparse, yet snakey organ and guitar trade-off and certainly stands out amongst its peers on this collection. “Abadaba” has kind of a Buckethead Colma vibe, but is better. All nine of the tracks are excellent and as stated before, this is a party album. Highly recommended and definitely in our top ten of 2008.
Recommended tracks: “Athens”, “Astronaut Love Triangle”, “Fine Corinthian Leather” & “Abadaba”
Stanton Moore, Skerik, Charlie Hunter — New Orleans, LA (4/25/1998)
Before they were Garage-A-Trois. Recorded at The Palace.
1. Boogaloo Boogie
2. Green Chimneys
3. Tchefunkta
4. Angel Nemali
5. Common Ground
~ encore ~
6. Blues for Ben
Charlie Hunter — Cincinnati, OH (9/14/1996)
Thursday the 12th
The Heckler
Mean Streak
Lively Up Yourself
Revolution
Natty Dread
The Shango, Pt. 3
Charlie Hunter — Baboon Strength
Charlie Hunter, formerly of Concord, Ropeadope and Blue Note Labels, will self-release his next endeavor, Baboon Strength, on Spire Artist Media. The label is a co-venture with his long time manager, Chris Cuevas (Spire Artist Management). With a career spanning 15 years and a catalog that includes over 17 albums, Charlie Hunter continues to astound audiences with his prodigious and unique ability to play both guitar and bass lines simultaneously. Though he continues this tradition on Baboon Strength, the record is an absolute progression from his previous albums. The music has an electronic feel to it yet the tone is undeniably playful. Due out in mid-September, Baboon Strength will feature Tony Mason on drums, Erik Deutsch on organ, and of course, Charlie Hunter on his custom 7-string Novax guitar. The trio will tour the US and Europe throughout the fall and into 2009 in support of the record.
Charlie Hunter — Just Closer Walk With Thee
Check out Charlie’s playing and his beautiful 8 string guitar.
