Jump to content

Charlie Hunter

Jazz Kat

By Jazz Kat
in Artists

 Share

Recommended Posts

Jazz Kat Newbie

Jazz Kat

Posted
Posted

Do you guys hate him? I read somewhere the jazz purists hate him. Not that I'm calling you jazz purists, but do you like Charlie Hunter?

I think he's great. Well what I've heard. I bought his Trio album, Friends Seen and Unseen, and I mean that is one hell of an album. I don't think one song was in 4/4.

I find it amazing how he can play that 8 string guitar, doing the bass at the same time playing lead.

Any fans?

Rosco Newbie

Rosco

Posted
Posted

I've only got a couple of Charlie Hunter things but I like them. There's a good DVD out as well, Right Now Live which lets you study his technique up close... it really doesn't sink in listening to the records but watching him is quite staggering. The first few tracks are solo guitar, the rest is with a good band with John Ellis on tenor & bass clarinet and Gregoire Maret on harmonica.

Aggie87 Collaborator

Aggie87

Posted
Posted

The only Hunter I own are the two Groundtruther albums.  Both are pretty good, if a bit long...

I haven't seen the 2nd one out yet, how is it compared to the first with Osby? I love that one - in fact it IS probably my favorite Hunter album.

I still have the Natty Dread cd and the Candyman one, but rarely pull them out. They are my favorites of his BN stuff at any rate.

I'd bet he'd be fascinating to see live (or on the DVD), but I've grown a little tired of the "thin" sound of most of his discs. Not enough going on for me in general.

JSngry Grand Master

JSngry

Posted
Posted

Don't hate him at all. rather like him, actually. He grooves.

For a little different side of his musicality, I always turn to the duet album he did with Leon Parker, one of those really interesting BN albums that they didn't promote worth squat. Too bad.

2434991872.jpg

scottb Newbie

scottb

Posted
Posted

I'm a fan of CH. I saw him live a while back and his playing is much more impressive in real life. Listening to his discs I tend to forget he is playing both organ and bass on a GUITAR! To see how comfortable he is playing that beast is amazing.

REcently my Favorite Hunter has been his disc with Previte prior to the Groundtruther projects.

Alexander Newbie

Alexander

Posted
Posted

The only Hunter I own are the two Groundtruther albums.  Both are pretty good, if a bit long...

I haven't seen the 2nd one out yet, how is it compared to the first with Osby? I love that one - in fact it IS probably my favorite Hunter album.

I still have the Natty Dread cd and the Candyman one, but rarely pull them out. They are my favorites of his BN stuff at any rate.

I'd bet he'd be fascinating to see live (or on the DVD), but I've grown a little tired of the "thin" sound of most of his discs. Not enough going on for me in general.

Well, I got the first one *because* it has Osby, and it is a very good disc. I got the second one because I was curious to see the series continue. The guest artist on this one is DJ Logic, and the three of them do create some EXTRAORDINARY sounds. All of the music was performed live in the studio, so everything DJ Logic does he's doing with his own two hands in real time. The album doesn't have that "programmed" sound that so much electronica has these days. That said, I think the disc rambles at times. Worth a listen, though...

Jim Alfredson Enthusiast

Jim Alfredson

Posted
Posted

Groundtruther... cool... I haven't heard of that project. I think Hunter is fantastic! I have almost all his solo stuff. My favorite so far is a tie between this one (eponymously titled)...

B00004T2RK.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

... and "Right Now Move". I'd love to get the DVD of that.

B00008J2UW.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I'd also like to see him live. He recently played in Detroit but I was giggin'. To those purists who diss him, who cares? He's unique, his music is rhythmically and harmonically interesting as well as melodic, he has great technique, and he writes a lot of his own stuff... all trademarks of a great jazz musician and improvisor.

:tup

Jim Alfredson Enthusiast

Jim Alfredson

Posted
Posted

That's one of his worst records (which means it's still pretty good). I think he broke off with Bluenote after that one. From listening to it, it sounds like it was all the idea of the head-brass at BN, rather than Charlie.

Ed S Contributor

Ed S

Posted
Posted (edited)

Purists, shmurists!

Big Hunter fan :cool:

I've got all his BN stuff plus on TJ Kirk. Still have to pick up the Ropeadopes. I've seen him live a couple of times - puts on a great show. :cool:

Edited by Ed Swinnich
Ed S Contributor

Ed S

Posted
Posted

Don't hate him at all. rather like him, actually. He grooves.

For a little different side of his musicality, I always turn to the duet album he did with Leon Parker, one of those really interesting BN albums that they didn't promote worth squat. Too bad.

2434991872.jpg

One of the live shows of Hunter's that I saw was in a duo setting. Different drummer - can't recall who. Adam somethingorother. Great show. :cool:

RonF Newbie

RonF

Posted
Posted

Don't hate him at all. rather like him, actually. He grooves.

For a little different side of his musicality, I always turn to the duet album he did with Leon Parker, one of those really interesting BN albums that they didn't promote worth squat. Too bad.

2434991872.jpg

Right you are Jim. Duo is fine. This one is too, imho - featuring Dave Ellis on tenor...far and away one of the most underrated sax players in the country.

f74568ig97o.jpg

Joe G Newbie

Joe G

Posted
Posted

One of the live shows of Hunter's that I saw was in a duo setting.  Different drummer - can't recall who.  Adam somethingorother.  Great show.  :cool:

Adam Cruz. I saw that, too. Very enjoyable.

Joe G Newbie

Joe G

Posted
Posted

As far as his ability with the instrument, albeit much better than any level of competancy I can ever aspire to, it is not all that much different than what the fingerstyle guitarists do.  True, he does it with eight strings, but the concept is still pretty much the same -- bass with the thumb, melody with the fingers.

Well, there's nothing new under the sun, and actually the very same thing occurred to me after seeing him with Cruz. Unlike you, though, I enjoyed the show, and I personally find Hunter to be inspiring as a musician. He's put his own stamp on things, and found a unique way to present himself, and one that's not gimmicky, IMO.

RonF Newbie

RonF

Posted
Posted

Well, there's nothing new under the sun, and actually the very same thing occurred to me after seeing him with Cruz. Unlike you, though, I enjoyed the show, and I personally find Hunter to be inspiring as a musician. He's put his own stamp on things, and found a unique way to present himself, and one that's not gimmicky, IMO.

I agree. Oddly enough, I've heard people compare Charlie to Stanley Jordan which I completely reject. Jordan, to me, is gimmickry. In some respects, I don't even consider him a guitar player. What he can do is dazzling and all of that but in terms of being a musician, he's not in Hunter's league....imho.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...