Charlie Hunter Albums (20)
'Baboon Strength'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 9
Label Charlie Hunter/Spire Artist Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The third installment of the Groundtruther trilogy sees Charlie Hunter and Bobby Previte inviting John Medeski to be the third wheel. With both Hunter and Medeski on board, one could be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a funky good time, but Groundtruther is about pure spontaneous improvisation and totally unconcerned with getting people out on the dancefloor. There are two discs: Above Sea Level is the electrified set and Below Sea Level is the acoustic set. The electric set has Medeski playing his full array of vintage keyboards (including some really nice Mellotron) with Previte playing a hybrid electric/acoustic drum kit and electronics and Hunter using a near lethal amount of distortion. Medeski and Hunter compete for wicked tones, and with Previte's knack for triggered samples, it can be difficult to figure out who's doing what at times. Medeski and Previte have both been recorded in "out" situations, but you've never heard Charlie Hunter playing like this. The funk and soul-jazz leanings are mostly abandoned and there's a raw aggressiveness to his playing and tone that's a bit surprising. On "Pyramid of Giza," he actually lets his completely distorted chords ring into feedback. At other times, you'd almost be hard pressed to identify his sounds as guitar and not some keyboard. Previte moves back and forth between his acoustic drums and the electronic ones as Medeski coaxes some really odd sounds from his keys. They can go from spacy to noisy in a heartbeat, with all players clearly listening to each other and responding. The acoustic disc is another beast entirely. Previte sticks to a regular kit, Medeski plays acoustic piano (melodica on one track) and Charlie Hunter plays acoustic exclusively (his first acoustic recordings), so here, you can easily identify the players. This disc is really out there; closer at times to a Derek Bailey project than anything Hunter has been associated with. Much of Hunter's playing sounds almost like prepared guitar although he adopts an almost flamenco style for part of "Mariana Trench," probably the prettiest track on the second disc. And he doesn't just play the strings of the guitar either, throughout you can hear him tapping and slapping the body of the guitar as well. Medeski plays lots of skittering piano while Previte's role is more of a colorist than a timekeeper. The tunes on Below Sea Level are generally more sparse, although "Submarine Canyon" sounds almost like a busy locked loop. "Cold Seep" has an Asian flavor to it, with some low groaning vocalizing in the background. It's interesting to contrast the two sets, where the same basic method of operation leads to two very different sets based on the instrumentation. Altitude probably won't get your toe tapping (at least not in any steady time), but it's filled with the magic of spontaneous music creation from three modern masters. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Despite lineup changes, Charlie Hunter's trio has always consisted of a sax player and a drummer in addition to Hunter's seven- or eight-string guitar heroics. After about a decade with that template, John Ellis added a bit of keyboard and melodica to his sax for Copperopolis, almost presciently setting the stage for Mistico. With Ellis moving on to concentrate on a solo career, Hunter decided to form a brand new trio, bringing in Simon Lott on drums and Erik Deutsch on keyboards. That's right: no sax. The varied keyboards vs. sax give the album a sound that's less overtly jazz than previous efforts, but Copperopolis also showcased Hunter and company in more of a rock mood and that trend continues on Mistico. Hunter also brought in Scott Harding (aka Scotty Hard) to co-produce, pushing the envelope a bit and bringing some of the subtle magic studio touches he has used with the likes of Sex Mob, DJ Logic and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Hunter always gets great tone, whether playing with tremolo ("Estranged"), wah-wah/fuzz ("Special Shirt") or a nice distorted twang ("Balls"). His whole playing concept is totally unique and impressive from both a technical and musical standpoint. Deutsch switches freely between piano and Rhodes, sometimes adding some more spaced out sounds via Casio and acting as a worthy foil to Hunter's guitar. Lott is in the pocket all the way, giving the tunes just what they need rhythmically (and even getting a brief solo on "Spoken Word"). And it's another great set of songs too, from the soul-influenced "Speakers Built In" to the slow and slinky title cut (with cool dub effects) to the rocking "Balls" and the loopy melody of "Wizard Sleeve." Mistico is another winner from a guy with an uncommonly consistent track record of quality releases. The Charlie Hunter Trio is dead. Long live the Charlie Hunter Trio. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Longtime Charlie Hunter associates John Ellis (reeds and keys) and drummer Derek Phillips were soon to leave the fold after the recording of this session, but there is no sign of undue tension in this typically impressive set. The proceedings kick off with the hard rocking "Cueball Bobbin'...," where Ellis switches from keys to sax and back as Hunter rips into some of his hardest rocking riffs, weaving around the other instruments like a prizefighter taunting his opponent. If nothing else quite matches the driving intensity of that track, the rest is immensely enjoyable jazz-rock fusion that plays far more to the jazz side of that equation. The disc was recorded in New Orleans, which might account for the spooky second-line rhythm of "Swamba Redux," a taut concoction that features Ellis' melodica on the opening lines, followed by his impassioned tenor blowing. These three play together with a loose precision that's both slippery and rugged, finding a groove and riding it on material that slides through surprises and changes but never seems showy for the sake of it. The trio pushes into minor-key avant-garde territory on the opening of the title track, before settling into a dark bluesy shuffle somewhat like Miles Davis' work with John McLaughlin. When Ellis blows dirty sax against Hunter's growling, tremolo guitar lines, the tune takes off to the stratosphere. It's one of the moments that, even at close to six minutes, fades out too soon. Co-producers Hunter and Chris Finney often isolate the guitar in one speaker and the sax in the other, which provides a live feel and a vivid tension between the two instruments. The portentously titled "A Street Fight Could Break Out" is a surprisingly jaunty side trip; its walking, finger-popping bassline provides some of the album's lighter moments. The closing take on Thelonius Monk's "Think of One," the album's sole cover, is transformed by more second-line drumming and an Ellis tenor solo that sizzles. Most impressive, though, is how the three members play off and respond to each other, with nobody, even Hunter, stealing the spotlight on a disc that keeps revealing new twists. If this is to be the final bow of this configuration, at least the bandmembers leave on top. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It's been nearly a decade since Charlie Hunter collaborated with other guitarists (the great T.J. Kirk band of the mid-'90s), but Earth Tones finds him revisiting the format with very different results. T.J. Kirk was a fun band, but there was a bit of shtick involved: they brought an outgoing fusion sensibility (and a good bit of humor) to the music of Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Earth Tones is something far more sublime. Hunter got together with legendary Jamaican guitarists Ernest Ranglin and Chinna Smith for an easygoing set of (mostly) covers that largely tread the kind of Jamaican-flavored jazz that Ranglin's been known for for years. There are some reggae and dub elements here and there, but you'd be hard-pressed to call it a reggae album. Recorded with very few overdubs, the cooperative arrangements are perfect, with plenty of space for everyone and the players almost finishing each other's thoughts. Hunter's guitar always has a bit of Leslie effect on it (remember, he's throwing down the basslines at the same time!), Chinna sticks to acoustic, and Ranglin plays with his trademark clean electric sound, so it's really easy to pick out who's doing what and compare their different styles. Ranglin's fluid melodic lines contrast nicely with Smith, who makes some surprising yet wonderful note choices and wild intervalic leaps in his solos. Sharing the spotlight, there's less of Hunter's soloing than on his "proper" albums, but his playing is always fantastic and he lays down some big fat basslines. Drummer Shawn Pelton is ultra-supportive on drums and contributes tasteful drum programming that sometimes bubbles up from underneath, while session percussionist Manolo Badrena adds just the right accents. This album has the casual feel of a one-off affair, but that certainly doesn't mean it's any less enjoyable than Hunter's myriad other projects. In fact, this would have to rank right up there with his best, although one wouldn't necessarily consider this a Charlie Hunter project; it's a true collaboration. Regardless, putting these guys together was a stroke of genius. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Groundtruther have an interesting concept: electric/acoustic drummer Bobby Previte and eight-string guitar genius Charlie Hunter team up with an invited third member for albums of live improvisation. The first album, Latitude, was basically a continuation of Come In Red Dog, This Is Tango Leader (Hunter and Previte's first collaboration), with Greg Osby on sax adding an additional melodic element. For Longitude, DJ Logic is the invited guest, and the roles shift considerably. Since Logic has a wider sound palette than Osby does, Previte moves away from the electronic drums and triggered samples of earlier releases toward a more standard kit as Logic takes control of the "odd sounds." Hunter assumes more of a lead role without a melodic foil and often applies thick distortion. In fact, you've never heard so much distortion coming out of Hunter's rig, and it sounds fantastic. He also shows that he's a wicked lead player, and not always about sounding like two guys at once. Logic adds all kinds of interesting sonic flotsam and jetsam, and Previte really lets loose on a couple tunes. The album basically plays as serious grooves separated by shorter, sometimes ambient pieces, but it never gets boring or formulaic. It seems Groundtruther are just as versatile as they are musical. It will be interesting to see where the music goes when Altitude, the third in the trilogy, is released. The Thirsty Ear Blue Series has had a great run of very interesting, very new sounds in jazz, and Longitude is another winner. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Groundtruther is not a band, actually, but a project created by guitarist/composer Charlie Hunter and drummer, composer, and electronics maestro Bobby Previte. There will be three albums in the Groundtruther catalog when it's all done, of which Latitude is the first -- Longitude and Altitude are the other titles in the series. In addition to the duo, each album will play host to a different guest instrumentalist, making each album a trio offering. On Latitude, it is saxophonist Greg Osby. Illustrating the conceptual nature of the outing are the track titles, "North Pole," "Arctic Circle," and "40th Parallel," all the way to "Tropic of Calms," and "South Pole" on the other end with many stops between. This is a freewheeling recording, improvisation based on rhythm and riff are the framework for each selection while Osby is the bridge not only between musicians, but the interpolator whatever language is being spoken. Strange sonics and beats come popping out of Previte's ether as Hunter struts and snakes around them with this jazz-o'-time-and-space warp style of bending not only individual notes but entire chords and riff figures into something exotic and new. Where he appears, Osby in his wonderfully articulated blues-meets-free jazz manner of soloing, offers historical weight to these proceedings, but also a melodic construction that roots them to jazz's heritage in the moment. Whether it's the freely improvised "North Pole," the shifty futuristic bluesy funk of "Horse Latitudes North," the steamy, slim-line funk of "Equator," or the shimmering, futuristic ambience in "Antarctic Circle," he brings the focus to the tradition itself, allowing his bandmates to extrapolate and bead it on geographical meditation. Osby is absent on "Tropic of Cancer," and the result is an excursion into fragmented, angular junglism, and Previte's breaks and Hunter's guitar spar and turn on a dime in some sort of humid futurist twilight zone. Latitude is an engaging if sometimes confounding listen and offers plenty of interest as to what the next two volumes will hold. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Friends Seen and Unseen'
Release Date 7/12/2004
Tracks 10
Label Rykodisc
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After a quartet album with guest vocalists to end his run at Blue Note, then a quintet album for his Ropeadope debut, Charlie Hunter has scaled back down to a trio, retaining drummer Derrek Phillips and saxman John Ellis from the last album. This is arguably the best way to hear Charlie Hunter: he's got a melodic foil to play off of, and someone supplying a beat, but not so many things going on that you can't concentrate on what he's doing. And it's well worth concentrating on because this man is simply amazing. He plays lead lines and chords while serving up funky basslines simultaneously on his eight-string guitar. Most folks would swear it's either two people or overdubbing, but it isn't. But it's not just about technique: Charlie Hunter makes great music, and seems to have found a collaborator in John Ellis. In addition to his excellent sax playing, Ellis contributed three compositions and collaborated with Hunter on two more (a first on a Charlie Hunter album). He also takes a lovely flute solo on "Darkly," plays some nice bass clarinet on "My Son the Hurricane," and supplies a full horn section of sax, flute, and bass clarinet on Abdullah Ibrahim's "Soweto" (here retitled "Soweto's Where It's At"). That track also features some beautiful and amazing soloing by Hunter. Then they turn right around and get kind of nasty on "Running in Fear from Imaginary Assailants," with Hunter's distorto-wah tone and Ellis' multiphonics. Derrek Phillips' drumming is tasteful and supportive, even on his excellent, slow melodic solo on "Darkly." The songs are totally accessible, but there's enough action in the solos and interplay to keep the real music freaks interested. Charlie Hunter has made a bunch of really good records, and this is one of his best. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
'Come in Red Dog, This Is Tango Leader'
Release Date 11/4/2003
Tracks 8
Label Ropeadope
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Come in Red Dog, This Is Tango Leader was the first recorded meeting of eight-string wunderkind Charlie Hunter and master drummer/composer Bobby Previte, but it went so well that they decided to make an ongoing project of it called Groundtruther where the two of them play with a rotating third member (similar to Samm Bennett and Tom Cora's Third Person). However, this is just the two of them and although the album was "recorded live as all get out, baby," it's sometimes difficult to believe. Charlie Hunter is pretty well known for sounding like more than one person on his eight-string guitar, but Bobby Previte's electronic hybrid drum set allows him to do much the same thing with triggered samples. Previte's got an unreal setup, with a wild set of assorted sounds and triggers, and apparently the ability to manipulate them on the fly while continuing to keep the beat! It's an odd and wonderful mixture of drums, cymbals, sampled vocals and who-knows-what that is both highly entertaining and highly musical. And once you latch on to Hunter's simultaneous basslines and leads, it's hard to fathom that Previte is totally responsible for the rest of the music. Charlie Hunter's various projects have always been fun, but Previte's palette of sounds substantially ups the loopy quotient and gives this project a charm all its own. Fans of either musician should check this out, as should anyone interested in a groovy, quirky good time. ~ Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
