TJ Kirk: If Four Was One

[steve(thelil)]

I don't know how many people are into Charlie Hunter's music, which is often quite funky in a soul jazz type of way, featuring Charlie's unique sound on his hybrid 8 string guitar/bass, which sounds more like an organ when he plays it through a Leslie (I assume)

In any event,this 1996 CD by TJ Kirk, a cooperative effort rather than a "Charlie Hunter project" holds up really well, and I would recommend it to anyone who digs organ trios and funk.

Here's a portion of the AMG review>

The idea of three guitarists and a drummer who play the music of Thelonious Monk, James Brown andRahsaan Roland Kirk may seem odd or limiting, but the musicianship of the players in question has produced an album that explicitly explores the connections between the compositions of these three legendary musicians while raising the stakes in the debate about what is and isn't "jazz." Scott Amendola's drumming is precisely funky throughout, and Charlie Hunter's 8-string guitar supplies both the punchy basslines and the heavily chorused chords that Will Bernard and Will Schott build upon, resulting in a tightly rendered "The Payback," a stirring version of the eternal "Ruby, My Dear" and the multiple tempos and timbres of "Brake's Sake."

[mjzee]

I've been thinking of starting a Charlie Hunter Corner, as I've been listening to a lot of his work lately. The TJ Kirk albums are excellent; they have a "mash up" approach, along with a "why the hell not" sensibility, but they make the concept work, since they all have a lot of chops. I have two others as well, and can recommend them all:

[Aggie87]

I've got their other disc, "Talking Only Makes it Worse" (signed no less!), and it's pretty cool. Have to seek this one out sometime. I think I may have had it before when I was in a Charlie Hunter phase, but can't find it now.

[steve(thelil)]

I was previously unaware of the cd "Talking Only Makes It Worse" Thanks for the tip!

[Ed S]

I was buying everything Hunter put out around this time. I've got this one but have not listened to it for some time - have to give it a spin.

I always enjoyed Hunter, but sort of lost track of him. Threads like this and the new Hunter corner have rekindled interest. Maybe I'll have a Charlie Hunter weekend.

[steve(thelil)]

My history with Charlie is much the same. It's not that I started liking him less, it's more that he put out so much product that I didn't keep up, and once I got out of the habit of buying everything I stopped buying anything. Should probably remedy that.

[Ed S]

In the midst of a Hunterpalooza, I'm realizing the same. I was surprised to see how prolific he's been since he fell off my radar.

[ejp626]

I've been thinking of starting a Charlie Hunter Corner, as I've been listening to a lot of his work lately. The TJ Kirk albums are excellent; they have a "mash up" approach, along with a "why the hell not" sensibility, but they make the concept work, since they all have a lot of chops. I have two others as well, and can recommend them all:

So strange, several of the Amazon reviews are clearly referencing Kirk's Work (aka Funk Underneath) with RRK and Jack McDuff rather than the self-titled T.J. Kirk album. Both sound worth a listen. Looks like eMusic has Talking Only Makes it Worse, so I'll probably check it out that way next month.

[steve(thelil)]

Just purchased and downloaded "Talking About it Makes it Worse" Looking forward to listening.

Edited June 9, 2013 by steve(thelil)