BLUES JUNCTION Productions
7343 El Camino Real
Suite 327
Atascadero, CA 93422-4697
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There has been a popular trend in the world of blues and vintage music over the past several years in the direction of soul music or what is often called soul-blues. This particular dialect has several distinct accents.
Many artists reference the adult contemporary styling’s of the 80’s and 90’s era Malaco Records' sound. By way of example, Johnny Rawls has a brand new 2016 release that mines this familiar territory. Others, like Curtis Salgado, have more of a gospel influence in their approach.
Many artists are informed by the late 60’s and early 70’s sounds of Memphis based Stax Records and what that label’s musicians brought to the lexicon. The Bo-Keys are a prime example of interpreters of this sound. Tad Robinson and John Nemeth come at this brand of music with their own ideas and sensibilities.
Just last year two highly acclaimed albums by Wee Willie Walker and the Bey/Paule Band made big waves in the blues pond by going down the soul-blues path with great artistic success. Perhaps the biggest name in this soul revival is Sharon Jones and her band The Dap Kings who incorporate healthy doses of funk to their mix.
Then you have the one and only James Hunter. The veteran performer’s new release Hold On! is his first on the Daptone label and maybe the best of his career. Hunter’s music sounds like everything people have always loved about vintage r&b and soul. However, that doesn’t even begin to tell you the entire story.
Hunter takes the music back to the very early 60’s when soul music was just getting its footing. Hunter is where the King/Federal recording artists such as Hank Ballard and the Midnighters meet James Brown and his Famous Flames with some Lowman Pauling guitar licks mixed in. It has sonic elements of the early Duke/Peacock sides of Bobby Bland as well as the early Muscle Shoals sides cut by Arthur Alexander and even some of the musical ideas that came from the Ray Charles Orchestra from that same time period. His vocal phrasing might remind listeners of Sam Cooke or Jackie Wilson.
If one were to combine all of this with the creativity of a true musical visionary and word smith like Hunter, you get something very special.
The 53 year old Colchester, Sussex, England, born musician started out in a straight ahead Chicago style blues band called, Howlin’ Wills and the Veejays. Their initial recording in 1986 didn’t receive much distribution or notice. Hunter did garner some attention with his live performances all over England. Then there was one night where a future knight got hip to James Hunter. It wasn’t long before one could hear Hunter singing back-up vocals on Van Morrison’s 1994 live album, A Night In San Francisco and on the Belfast Cowboy’s studio recording 1995’s Days Like This.
Hunter released his first solo album in 1996 under his own name, Believe What I Say, on the U.K. based Ace Records label. Even though Morrison returned the favor and appears on a couple of tracks on this terrific CD, Hunter had by this time clearly developed that rarest of commodities, his own musical vision.
He then recorded 1999’s Kick it Around on Ruf Records, 2006’s People Gonna Talk on the Rounder label, 2008’s The Hard Way on Hear Music and 2013’s Minute by Minute on Universal. During this time Hunter became a Grammy nominee and an International Festival headliner.
With Hold On! and under the banner of The James Hunter Six, the guitarist and vocalist offers up ten brand new, original songs. Is this any way for a revivalist to behave? The band inhabits this material with the same natural grace as their leader. They are drummer Jonathan Lee who is enjoying his twentieth anniversary with Hunter, bassist Jason Wilson, while on piano and organ is Andrew Kingslow. The sax section consists of Lee Badau on baritone and Damian Hand on tenor.
As far as Hunter’s guitar playing is concerned, he has explosive chops which he often unleashes in a somewhat quirky and unorthodox manner. In the hands of a lesser player this could constitute a mess. He seems to harness his talent and makes the right choices for each tune. With Hunter it is all part of the unique tapestry that imbues Hold On! with a continual stream of musical ideas that are simply a lot of fun. Subsequently, this record doesn’t sound like just another guitarcentric romp down memory lane. Hold On! feels like James Hunter is driving a 1960 Jaguar XKE convertible on fresh pavement.
- David Mac
The James Hunter Six will be performing at this year’s Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point, California. The Festival takes place on May 21st & 22nd 2016 at Doheny State Beach Park. For more information visit the festival website at www.dohenybluesfestival.com
Copyright 2022 BLUES JUNCTION Productions. All rights reserved.
BLUES JUNCTION Productions
7343 El Camino Real
Suite 327
Atascadero, CA 93422-4697
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