Charlie Hunter Steady Groovin': The Blue Note Groove Sides CD

Personnel: Charlie Hunter (8-string guitar, percussion); Charlie Hunter (guitar); David Phillips (pedal steel guitar); John Ellis , John MacArthur Ellis (tenor saxophone); Stephen Chopek (drums, cowbells, cymbals); Stephen Chopek (drums); Robert Perkins (tambourine); Calder Spanier (alto saxophone); Dave Ellis, Kenny Brooks, Peter Apfelbaum (tenor saxophone); Josh Roseman (trombone); Stefon Harris (vibraphone); Leon Parker (drums, percussion); Jay Lane, Scott Amendola (drums); John Santos, Chris Lovejoy (percussion).
Photographer: Gerrard Needham.
Charlie Hunter turned in his last album for Blue Note, Songs From the Analog Playground in 2001 before moving over to Ropeadope. Several years down the line, the time seemed right for Blue Note to reinvigorate sales with Steady Groovin', a collection taken from Hunter's seven albums recorded for the label. With no real "hits" to speak of, the task simply became one of highlighting Hunter's phenomenal playing in the variety of settings he's recorded in, from a duo setting to a seven-piece band. While the choices may be arbitrary, compilation producer Eliott Wolf has done a fine job of selecting tunes that fit the title bill. He also wisely stayed away from the collaborative elements of Songs From the Analog Playground, where a number of vocalists joined the band, thereby keeping the focus squarely on Hunter. The non-chronological sequencing was a good choice, too: Steady Groovin' plays like an album, not just a collection of tunes, despite the changing lineups on nearly every track. Charlie Hunter is the undisputed king of the eight-string guitar, maintaining funky basslines while simultaneously playing leads or comping, and his technique is mind-boggling. But Hunter is about much more than technique: he's an agile improviser with an ear for great tone, and always has excellent players alongside him in order to make great music, not to show off. Steady Groovin' makes for an excellent introduction to the music of Charlie Hunter, but will probably just whet the appetite for more. ~ Sean Westergaard
Charlie Hunter is the undisputed master of the eight-string guitar (he plays bass figures while simultaneously comping and soloing on the high strings), and the albums he released on Blue Note between 1995 and 2001 provide ample evidence of his stunning technique. STEADY GROOVIN' is a 12-track compilation of Hunter's Blue Note output, and the perfect place for the uninitiated to sample his talents. Hunter's music recalls the soul-jazz and funk-inflected jams that characterized the late-'60s and early-'70s catalogues of Blue Note and Verve, with plenty of heady, sophisticated improvisation.
STEADY GROOVIN' works wonderfully as a collection--although it spans numerous albums, it comes across as remarkably cohesive. Hunter plays with a rotating roster of musicians here, all of whom are excellent, and the configurations shift as well. Hunter is featured in duo (with drummer Leon Parker on the salsa-fueled "Mean Streak"), trio (with drummer Jay Lane and tenor-sax man Dave Ellis on the bobbing-and-weaving "Greasy Granny"), and quartet settings throughout. STEADY GROOVIN' is aptly titled, and shows off the spectacular "two-instruments-in-one" guitar heroics of Hunter.