After recording as a solo artist, in a duo, trio and quartet, guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter expands to the realm of a quintet with his latest and ninth recording, Right Now Move. Hunter is joined here by his touring band from the summer of 2002, John Ellis on tenor saxophone, Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Derek Phillips on drums and Gregoire Maret on harmonica. Hunter impressively handles the duties of both guitar and bass simultaneously on his custom 8-string, (giving new meaning to the term "multitasking") as he continues to be an innovator on his instrument.
Right Now Move features a colorful collage of different styles, ranging from the salsa infused "Changui" to the down and dirty funk of "Whoop-Ass". This album marks Hunter's deput on Ropadope Records and contains 13 new instrumental songs, which is a departure from his last release
Songs from The Analog Playground, which called upon the vocals of the likes of Norah Jones, Mos Def and others. "Mestra Tata", a tune inspired by a master Brazillian percussionist, kicks off the album displaying the solid chops of Phillips. With the help of a hammond organ simulator, Hunter's rhythmic stabs propel the tune into a nice groove reminiscent of something you would hear from organ legends Jimmy Smith and Big John Patton. The hip-hop beat and bassline of "Oakland" will certainly get your head bobbing, while the catchy horn line will have this song bouncing through your head for hours. The organ-groove influence emerges again in the high-octane funk of "Whoop Ass", where Hunter's guitar lines dance and weave through the articulate horn lines of Ellis and Fowlkes.
An underlying influence of latin music on Hunter is evident throughout the album, especially on tunes such as "Freak Fest" and "Changui". The memorable horn lines of "Changui" are sure to get you out of your seat and ready to tango. Among the slower jazz songs on the album, "Mali" stands out due to its wonderfully harmonized horn lines, showcasing Hunter's composition skills.
Right Now Move was recorded entirely in only one day and features almost all first takes, which is a real testament to the quality of the musicianship on this album. By listening to and absorbing various different styles of music from around the world, Hunter has been able to continually evolve as a musician, composer and band leader.
