Natty Dread (Cover Series)

Charlie Hunter | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 25, 1997)
• Original Release Date: March 25, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000005H6C
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,588 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #46 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Acid Jazz
  • #79 in Music > Jazz > Jazz Jam Bands
  • #90 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Jambands

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's so great about Charlie Hunter -, June 26, 2000

By 

Will Flannery (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natty Dread (Cover Series) (Audio CD)

Charlie Hunter graduated from Berkeley High School, like Joshua Redman, Bennie Green, and a number of other jazz players, and formed a little trio that played locally. They played the San Francisco club scene, mostly young people into all sorts of music, not your hard core jazz audience. They released a record, "The Charlie Hunter Trio" on a local label, and it was something of a local hit. Unprecedented for a SF group to my knowledge. On the basis of this record they landed a deal with Blue Note and recorded two more albums before they disbanded.

What was so great about the trio and the first CD? Lot's of things. First is the two gimmicks, a drums/guitar/sax trio, and Charlie's 9-string guitar that he uses to play both lead and bass. Then, there is the rhythm. This group doesn't restrict itself to the standard chink chinka chink jazz rhythm but instead uses funk, hip-hop, fusion and other rhythms. So, it swings much harder then the typical jazz group. And, Charlie's comping on guitar/bass has the rhythmic drive of a Hammond organ combo. Second is the tunes. CH writes catchy tunes, this is of inestimable value. Third, Dave Ellis, the sax player, is a great melodic soloist. And forth, because the group is so small, the players support each other, and it's unusual to hear a sax player supporting the guitar. It gives the band a sound that is unique.

So, after experiencing meteoric success, based in large part on sensitive mutual support, the Charlie Hunter Trio disbanded! To record "Natty Dread" Dave Ellis was replaced by two local sax players, Calder Spanier and Kenny Brooks. The whole sound of the band changed.

So, what's so great about this CD? What's so great about this CD is the cut "Lively Up Yourself". It's absolutely great. It has a clever melody, played as a backdrop, based on the Bob Marley tune; it has Charlie Hunter's patented driving, organ like, rhythm that is infectious and doesn't let up start to finish. And it has two of the best sax solos you're ever going to hear. Spanier lead off with a quirky alto solo; his playing can only be compared with Paul Desmond's, he doesn't have the 'dry martini' sound, but he does have the oblique melodicism that made Desmond great. Then Kenny Brooks comes on with a solo that kicks out the jams. Way out. It's a staggeringly good solo, with laid back but intense inner workings alternating with wild flights to the extreme reaches of the horn. Take my word for it, this isn't senseless noodling, this is hard driving melodic jazz that is as good as it gets. Check this one out.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazon Review Misses The Point!!, May 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Natty Dread (Cover Series) (Audio CD)

This excellent album by Charlie Hunter is part of the "Blue Note Cover Series" a series of albums in which Blue Note JAZZ artists interpret classic albums by contemporary artists. Part of Hunter's genius was to alter the rhythms, making "Lively Up Yourself" swing with his pseuo-organ sound, and locking 'Walking Blues" into a soul jazz groove. This is an excellent intro to soul jazz and Hunter.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fresh and inventive, July 30, 1999

By 

Mark Noferi (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natty Dread (Cover Series) (Audio CD)

Natty Dread is a creative, inventive adaption of Bob Marley's songs to the jazz idiom. Rather than attempting to play reggae, Hunter and his band translate the structure of Marley's songs into jazz, and highlight their versatility as melodic statements and jamming vehicles. High energy throughout.