Before he achieved his tremendous success as a ballad singer, Nat “King” Cole was already a great jazz pianist, with the effervescent swing of Earl Hines and the grace of Teddy Wilson. The trio that he led through the ’40s was a unique musical group, a perfect forum for Cole’s talents as both a swing pianist and a …
The words and beats are crucial to the power of Bob Marley’s songs. When Hunter turns “Lively Up Yourself” and “Bend Down Low” from his Natty Dread into soul-jazz, organ-combo shuffles or “Dem Belly Full” into a Latin-jazz blowing session, he divorces them so completely from the originals that they lose their connection to Marley. They become generic …
Charlie Hunter always put his emphasis on the groove, using his eight-string guitar to create an uncanny blend of bright leads, bass lines, and chord riffs that can simulate classic funk organ. For Songs from the Analog Playground, he’s added a series of guest vocalists to the mix, touching on pop sensibilities with an eclectic mix of originals …
With this eponymous effort, guitarist Charlie Hunter continues the minimalist studio experimentation that he and percussionist Leon Parker spun together on the 1999 album, Duo. This time, though, the pair has expanded the concept to include a trio of percussionists. There’s also Josh Roseman on trombone and Peter Apfelbaum on tenor saxophone on several tracks. The drum section …
Bo Dollis and his Crescent City tribe the Wild Magnolias make quintessential Mardi Gras Indian music, brimming with the hedonistic pageantry of gaudy costumes; syncopated, “second-line” beats; and gruff, exhortatory vocals. Life Is a Carnival comes close to delivering the same sprawling splendor as one of the tribe’s town square gigs, with only the title track sacrificing its …
Medium 1You SworeIn The Name Of YouFood For ThotHoldin’ PatternBruha BembeImitation Of LoveNow That You Got MeCreole MoonGeorgiannaMonkey & BaboonTake What I Can GetQueen Of ColdLitenin’One 2 A.M. Too …