Charlie Hunter Quartet - March 9th, 2002
The Isaac Hayes Club, a new venue for Silver Wrapper, proved to be a great fit for the Charlie Hunter show. Tables were set up around the stage for those who wanted to lounge and simply take in Charlie's awe-inspiring talent, yet for those of us who were ready to shake it there was still plenty of room.

Before the show kicked off, even the background music was getting the party started (remember Moma Dance? Nice change of pace!) Charlie and company took the stage around 11 and jammed straight through to closing. Johnny Vidacovich of Astral Project on drums, Josh Roseman on trombone, and John Ellis on sax played alongside Charlie, allowing him plenty of room to get creative. Johnny Vidacovich's presence definitely gave a New Orleans feel to the show...keeping beats quick and funky with lots of cymbals as kickstarts.

The show's intro was straight from the roots of jazz. It was a collaborative effort that started rather slowly, gradually building momentum. Each band member took a turn in the spotlight, molding the beat into their own perception and eventually tying back to the melody. John Ellis took control for a good part of the night, while Johnny V beat out a slow and steady N'awlins crawl that the crowd fed off of.

Josh Roseman kept heads bobbing all through the show, often playing bassline with Charlie. Hunter remained calm, cool, and unbelievably gifted - playing hollow and high at some points, and soulful and bassy at others. His fingers flew over the strings with precision, kicking a great vibe from start to finish. For those of us ready to hit it at Jazzfest, this was just the beginning of the music-laden months ahead.

Band Information
Charlie Hunter — 8 string guitar
Johnny Vidacovich — drums
Josh Roseman — trombone
John Ellis — sax

For more info on Charlie Hunter see charliehunter.com.