Jazz Kat Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 Oh, and his guitar is one of the oddest things I've ever seen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Kat Posted July 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 Or should we say Bassitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 The only Hunter I own are the two Groundtruther albums. Both are pretty good, if a bit long... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 Whatever you call it, that's one weird looking axe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted July 15, 2005 Report Share Posted July 15, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 I'm not a purist and CH works just fine for me. I just got the Blue Note compilation and now I have to take some time to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 As mentioned earlier Groundtruther..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 I have Return of the Candyman, which I remember is pretty good but haven't heard in at least a few years. I'll get back to this thread if I listen to it again. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 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)... ... and "Right Now Move". I'd love to get the DVD of that. 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Kat Posted July 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 All I have is... ...but I like it and intend to get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Wow..if that's one of his worst, I need to get busy! I can't say it's an absolute favorite of mine, but it certainly makes me want to hear more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) Purists, shmurists! Big Hunter fan 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. Edited July 22, 2005 by Ed Swinnich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed S Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 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. ← 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 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. ← 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 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. ← Adam Cruz. I saw that, too. Very enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonF Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 22, 2005 Report Share Posted July 22, 2005 - featuring Dave Ellis on tenor...far and away one of the most underrated sax players in the country. ← Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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