Charlie Hunter: Solos The Jazz Sessions (2011)

Guitarist John Abercrombie combines bop and free jazz stylistic elements with electronics utilizing phase shifters, guitar synthesizers and the good old volume pedal. What has kept his playing fresh is his refusal to be chained to these digital devices. As he told Down Beat writer Bill Milkowski, "I try to adjust my playing to the timbre and learn something about how to play that sound, yet at the same time I have to try and force the instrument to play with me a little bit. In other word, I sometimes try to overplay the instrument."

SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree is the highly anticipated followup to the 2021 GRAMMY nominated eponymous album, by genre-bending trailblazers Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter. Joining forces with multi-instrumentalist duo drummer Corey Fonville and bassist-keyboardist DJ Harrison (of Richmond, VA-based jazz-funk fusion quintet Butcher Brown) for a kaleidoscopic collection of new songs, surprising covers, and dynamic reinventions, these are all animated by crafty production, crack musicianship, and Elling’s instantly identifiable vocal prowess. If the first album was a somewhat radical departure for Elling, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree is more of an exquisite progression upon the template.

Charlie Hunter is the best kind of restless musician. Just about every new album brings another new ensemble and new possibilities. This time out, Hunter teams with drummer Bobby Previte (who he has recorded with extensively) and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes (who played on Hunter's 2003 album Right Now Move). Both players have been stalwarts of the N.Y.C. jazz scene since the late '70s but have played on any number of jazz, rock, and pop recordings. As players, they really know how to serve a song rather than put their imprint on it and Hunter takes full advantage with a really strong batch of tunes that play less like jazz and more like classic pop and soul tunes. They've got strong, catchy melodies, nice changes, and in-the-pocket grooves that can't be beat.

Charlie Hunter & Lucy Woodward - Music!Music!Music! (2019)
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44.1kHz - Official Digital Download (7digital.com) -> 328 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 130 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2019 Charlie Hunter / Lucy Woodward
Blues / Jazz / Jazz Funk / Soul / Guitar / Vocals

An exhilarating blast of blues, soul and funk, Music!Music!Music! marks the recorded debut of the musical partnership between guitarist Charlie Hunter and vocalist Lucy Woodward. Recorded in High Point, North Carolina, with longtime Hunter collaborator Derrek Phillips on the drums, Music!Music!Music! showcases the dazzling interplay between Hunter’s funky guitar and Woodward’s stunning voice, while also beautifully capturing the spontaneity and good vibes of the duo’s live performances.