Charlie Hunter - Baboon Strength

I recently heard parts of Charlie Hunter's new album, Baboon Strength. It's alright! Definitely funky. I like that he's consciously trying not to overplay. If you joing his mailing list, you get a get a free MP3 of the Charlie Hunter Quartet performing Bob Marley's "Talkin' Blues", which also appears on Hunter's 1997 album Natty Dread.

1997 - that was the year when Charlie made his move to NYC and the Bay Area jazz scene lost one of its marquis players -- kind of like when Shaq left the Magic for the Lakers. Anyway, Charlie comes back to play here often. Right now, he's on tour with the personnel from Baboon Strength, Eric Deutsch on keys and Tony Mason on drums. They just finished a run at Yoshi's in December '08. Hunter's next gig in the Bay will be at Cafe Du Nord for Scott Amandola's Birthday Bash on February 6, 2009.