Charlie Hunter • Friends Seen and Unseen

 

Review
by Sean Westergaard  
After a quartet album with guest vocalists to end his run at Blue Note, then a quintet album for his Ropeadope debut, Charlie Hunter has scaled back down to a trio, retaining drummer Derrek Phillips and saxman John Ellis from the last album. This is arguably the best way to hear Charlie Hunter: he's got a melodic foil to play off of, and someone supplying a beat, but not so many things going on that you can't concentrate on what he's doing. And it's well worth concentrating on because this man is simply amazing. He plays lead lines and chords while serving up funky basslines simultaneously on his eight-string guitar. Most folks would swear it's either two people or overdubbing, but it isn't. But it's not just about technique: Charlie Hunter makes great music, and seems to have found a collaborator in John Ellis. In addition to his excellent sax playing, Ellis contributed three compositions and collaborated with Hunter on two more (a first on a Charlie Hunter album). He also takes a lovely flute solo on "Darkly," plays some nice bass clarinet on "My Son the Hurricane," and supplies a full horn section of sax, flute, and bass clarinet on Abdullah Ibrahim's "Soweto" (here retitled "Soweto's Where It's At"). That track also features some beautiful and amazing soloing by Hunter. Then they turn right around and get kind of nasty on "Running in Fear from Imaginary Assailants," with Hunter's distorto-wah tone and Ellis' multiphonics. Derrek Phillips' drumming is tasteful and supportive, even on his excellent, slow melodic solo on "Darkly." The songs are totally accessible, but there's enough action in the solos and interplay to keep the real music freaks interested. Charlie Hunter has made a bunch of really good records, and this is one of his best.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/friends-seen-and-unseen-mw0000475621

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Revisar
por Sean Westergaard
Después de un álbum de cuarteto con vocalistas invitados para terminar su carrera en Blue Note, luego un álbum de quinteto para su debut en Ropeadope, Charlie Hunter se ha reducido a un trío, conservando al baterista Derrek Phillips y al saxofonista John Ellis del último álbum. Podría decirse que esta es la mejor manera de escuchar a Charlie Hunter: tiene un contraste melódico con el que tocar y alguien que proporciona un ritmo, pero no hay tantas cosas que te impidan concentrarte en lo que está haciendo. Y vale la pena concentrarse porque este hombre es simplemente asombroso. Toca líneas principales y acordes mientras ofrece líneas de bajo funky simultáneamente en su guitarra de ocho cuerdas. La mayoría de la gente juraría que son dos personas o una sobregrabación, pero no es así. Pero no se trata solo de técnica: Charlie Hunter hace buena música y parece haber encontrado un colaborador en John Ellis. Además de su excelente forma de tocar el saxo, Ellis contribuyó con tres composiciones y colaboró con Hunter en dos más (una primera en un álbum de Charlie Hunter). También interpreta un hermoso solo de flauta en "Darkly", toca un buen clarinete bajo en "My Son the Hurricane" y proporciona una sección de vientos completa de saxo, flauta y clarinete bajo en "Soweto" de Abdullah Ibrahim (aquí retitulado "Soweto's donde está"). Esa pista también presenta algunos solos hermosos y sorprendentes de Hunter. Luego dan la vuelta y se ponen un poco desagradables en "Running in Fear from Imaginary Assailants", con el tono distorsionado-wah de Hunter y los multifónicos de Ellis. La batería de Derrek Phillips es de buen gusto y de apoyo, incluso en su excelente y lento solo melódico en "Darkly". Las canciones son totalmente accesibles, pero hay suficiente acción en los solos y la interacción para mantener interesados a los verdaderos fanáticos de la música. Charlie Hunter ha hecho un montón de discos realmente buenos, y este es uno de los mejores.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/friends-seen-and-unseen-mw0000475621


www.charliehunter.com ...

Tracks:
1 - One For The Keepers
Written-By – John Ellis  6:32
2 - Freedom Tickler
Written-By – C. Hunter 5:41
3 - Lulu's Crawl
Written-By – C. Hunter 6:41
4 - Darkly
Written-By – C. Hunter*, J. Ellis 6:57
5 - Soweto's Where It's At
Written-By – Abdullah Ibrahim 6:23
6 - Running In Fear From Imaginary Assailants
Written-By – C. Hunter*, J. Ellis 3:43
7 - Eleven Bars For Gandhi
Written-By – C. Hunter 6:57
8 - Bonus Round
Written-By – John Ellis 3:55
9 - My Son The Hurricane
Written-By – C. Hunter 4:43
10 - Moore's Alphabet
Written-By – John Ellis 5:22


Credits:
    Artwork [Cocoon23] – Andrew Cunningham (3)
    Booking – Madison House Inc.
    Engineer – Adam Muñoz
    Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Jonathan Chi
    Management – Spire Artists Management
    Mastered By – Greg Calbi
    Musician, Drums – Derrek Phillips
    Musician, Guitar [8 String Guitar] – Charlie Hunter
    Musician, Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – John Ellis (5)
    Photography By – Michael DiDonna
    Producer – Lee Townsend

Label:    Ropeadope – RCD16049
Country:    US
Released:    2004
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Fusion
https://www.discogs.com/release/879248-Charlie-Hunter-Trio-Friends-Seen-And-Unseen

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