Wow guys! Honored and humbled by this. Truly.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼thank you so much for spending the time . All the best to you in all of your endeavors.💯💯💯💯💯🏅🏅🏅🏅🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️CH
Well...hats off sir. You truly are a unique talent. Nice discovery. I personnaly will stick to my bass player... not even trying to dream about matching your skills😂. Cheers from France.
Hearing you play changed the way I thought about guitar on a fundamental level. Your music brings me so much joy and enjoyment! You deserve all the praise!
Just to let you know, Charlie came to the Panama Jazz Festival, and a drummer friend that sadly passed away, challenged him to do a foot clave while playing a tumbao, and he said "I've never done it, let me try"... effortlessly, he did it, which comes to now surprise, Charlie probably has the ability to swim and sleep like cetaceans, he can disconnect his brain hemispheres! And such a lovely person, to boot!
I'm glad you compared Charlie Hunter to an organist, because my understanding is that that's what he was originally going for-to play organ-like parts on guitar. It's what led him to committing to learning how to play in this style with that incredible instrument. And he often even plays through a Leslie cabinet as well, just for that extra organ vibe.
Yes, Sam Yahel is amazing example. He can play great basslines with his feet, play chords with his left hand and a improvise a solo with his right hand - and all three on a extremely high level.
Nice to see someone finally do a deep dive on Charlie. He's been doing this for so long. The combo of feel, tone, taste, and stamina is unbelievable. Thanks for this!
Met Charlie a couple times up in greensboro at a house show. He is one of the most humble and kind people I have ever met. Combined with his infectious stage presence and guitar gusto, I truly cannot say enough good things about this man. A true guitar hero
I saw Charlie up close several years back. He is light years ahead, in all likelihood a alien from a nearby dimension. It is really fun to listen to how he's evolved thru the years. Even the configuration of his guitars have changed. And unlike some jazz guys who are all about playing obscure scales at warp speed, Charlie got soul.
I've seen Charlie Hunter live several times. Jaw-dropping is the only words that come to mind. I always try to sit as close to the stage and on the side where you can see his hands clearly. It's beyond amazing! And while watching him I go back and forth between thinking how is this possible? And just sitting back and enjoying the song. Very inspiring to watch, but kind of not at the same time because I know that I'll never play that good! He's beyond genius or virtuoso ... he's just Charlie!
Truly exceptional musicianship. I asked Pete Huttlinger how he was able to play Stevie Wonder’s Superstition on finger style guitar. He said he “just wrote all the parts out on sheet music and then sight read while he played it. “. OMG, amazing brain power! RIP Pete! We miss you.
Always great to see new people giving Charlie Hunter his due recognition the guitar genius he is. he has been at it for years (speaking of which....anyone catch him at the Somerville Theatre back in 2002? What a phenomenal show!). Side note: I am surprised you guys did not mention the "Leslie" tone he gets out of the higher strings (which I am pretty sure he gets out of an actual split to a Leslie!). I always found it super unique. What a gem this guy is.
I was lucky enough to stumble upon him in the 90’s with Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy’s William Burroughs collaboration Spare Ass Anne and other tales, and the amazing group T.J. Kirk doing a mashup of Thelonious Monk, James Brown and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Charlie Hunter is so badass. One thing that makes it even more impressive for me listening as a bass player is the right hand muted/ghost notes on bass. All the chops and all the feel.
Charlie is truly remarkable and I have followed him for quite some time now. He seems to never run out of ideas, he's always got that sense of humor, he's as groovy as anyone could ever be and just straightforward musical. I like Rhett's mention of virtuosity, spot on!
WOW so cool that Charlie Hunter saw this and commented!! I saw Charlie Hunter in Atlanta years ago and I had no idea what was going on. He is truly one of a kind. His work on That Spanish Joint on D'Angelo's album is one of the best things about humanity. He is on another level and it's just like you say, there is no gimmick, and when you close your eyes it's two instruments. Everything serves the song.
I had the good fortune to see Charlie Hunter play two nights in a row in wildly different settings and styles. The first night I saw him as the guitarist in Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy opening for Nirvana in front of 16000 people. The following night I walked down to my local night club, the Paradise Lounge just to grab a drink, and there was Charlie Hunter with his jazz trio playing to an audience of nine people. It was one of those epiphany moments a musician (me) has where you realize that for a great musician it isn’t about fame and screaming crowds. Here he was, playing for the nine of us with the same intensity he had given the night before to an arena full of people. Which is saying something, because the night before, between Hunters guitar playing and Michael Franti’s dynamic charisma as a front man,the Disposable Heroes had actually blown Nirvana off the stage.
I saw Charlie in '95 on the "Bing! Bing! Bing!" tour and in '99 on the "Duo" tour - he took audience requests in '95 and I called out "Giant Steps" to be a wiseass and he just launched right into it. I got to talk to him at both shows and he said he was a frustrated organist and recommended Larry Young and "Boss Guitar" by Wes Montgomery. Great drummer, great at playing Blind Blake / ragtime / pre-war blues, just such a tasteful and inventive player.
I checked out Charlie years ago because I heard about the crazy technique, but I’ve stayed a fan for life because of that sick groove. I especially love his albums where he accompanies a singer (Lucy Woodward, Dionne Farris).
I watched in interview with him a while back where he talked about how he spent a significant amount if time learning exactly how a drummer thinks and plays, and learning how to LOCK into it. he said in the interview this was a major part of his learning process how to play like this. also I think some of my favorite playing if his is with the singer Lucy Woodward. shes amazing, hes amazing and they seem to play with different drummers each of whom is amazing as well.
long overdue breakdown of charlie's amazing playing!! reggae, dub, montunos, tumbaos, funk and pretty much anything (incredibly challenging) he has ever done is a lesson in pocket , groove, tone and tasteful note choices. worth pointing out that he splits his signal between a bass amp (top 3 strings) and usually another setup for his sweet (mostly leslie like) guitar sound. huge thanks!! You rule!!
Return of the Candyman and Natty Dread are still in my phone. Hearing Charlie is like listening to two musicians who are respecting each other. In the mid nineties he and Marc Ribot were my favourite contemporary guitar players.
I highly suggest the Josh Smith interview, Charlie really gets into his process there. its super fascinating, for him its a lifetime study and it shows. Great stuff
First person I ever saw play like this was Richard Thompson sometime around 1996. His song Vincent Black Lightning is still one of the most impressive things I’ve ever heard. Guys like Charlie, Richard Thompson, Ichika, Tosin and Javier from Animas As Leaders… they’re beyond human. I can’t even begin to comprehend playing 2-3 parts at once, much less emulate it. It’s mind boggling.
💯 Decades later I still can’t emulate guys like him and Charlie. Beyond just the raw talent, that’s a dedication to an instrument far beyond anything I was ever able to do.
I had an instrument I found on reverb where it was like a guy looked a picture of Charlie's guitar and said "yeah sure I can make something like that" for the past year but was even longer scale. Super exhausting. Charlie is part of Hybrid Guitars in Hillsboro NC you can actually get one, and despite the cost, it's the nicest fret work I've ever seen. I've been on the new instrument for a couple months, and am extremely happy.
Thanks Rhett and Phillip for this excellent breakdown. I've been following Charlie Hunter's career off and on since the mid-90s and every time I check in on what he's up to, recorded or live, it's invariably something musically satisfying. As you say Rhett: the extraordinary technique is always in the service of the tune & the groove, and that combination makes him one of the most consistently delightful guitarists to listen to.
Saw Charlie play back in ‘98 when he was touring with John Santos & Stefan Harris. It was such an amazing show back then and he’s just as solid a player 25 years later!
Charlie has been one of my favorite guitarists my whole life. I first heard him I can't even remember how long ago when a buddy gave me a cassette tape of TJ Kirk. It blew my mind and I've been a fan since. I have been lucky enough to meet Charlie a few times and he is absolutely the nicest guy ever. Nothing but praise for the man and his playing.
Charlie Hunter = amazing musician, who deserves to be much more widely known. Like a few others in the comments here, I first heard him with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy in 1992 (the track was called Music and Politics, if I remember correctly). Already then, it was unbelievable that so much music could come from just one guy and his electric guitar. Not sure if he had an 8-string or a 7-string back then, but probably an 8-string.
I saw him supporting his Ready Set Shango tour, at UCSB. You’re absolutely right, it’s dizzying to watch him do his magic. His craft is indeed magical and not just a flex. Great video bringing Charlie Hunter some well deserved attention.
This has been my favorite musician since 2000. I literally went to music school to try and one day play like this guy. I am now studying math lol. He is incredible!
What's beautiful about Charlie's style is that his approach naturally creates space for both the guitar lines and the bass lines, which naturally suits his jazz/funk fusion style, IMO
Charlie Hunter … I discovered Charlie AFTER I thought it would be cool to develop a way to play bass and guitar simultaneously. I heard him and was like, “shit, he already did it”. He used to play an 8 string, but lately his Hybrid guitars are 6 strings. Hybrid Guitars is the name of the company, they’re out of Hillsborough, NC. I asked him about his influences in developing his style and he mentioned Joe Pass and Tuck Andress, and that he played a lot of bass and drums. I think he should get a Farmer Footdrum and just be a band.
I've seen him play with Scott Amendola and it was mesmerizing. I also saw hi play 6-string in NYC with Medeski and Martin and an upright bass player, a really small show to raise money for a new electric wheel chair for a guy who ran a label that was important to them and that did not disappoint either! He's just an endless stream of fresh, happening musical ideas with all the firepower in the world to bring them to life. His records are all so cool too - duos, trios, quintets. I really love "Gentlemen, I Neglected to Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid" which is a quintet with a drums, trumpet, and two trombones - I think one was a high C horn and the other maybe a full bass 'bone, or at least a Bb trombone. I think it's my favorite thing I've heard from him. "Recorded in Glorious Mono", lol! The writing is SO GOOD, and these horn players all kill it, especially the two trombone players.
Charlie Hunter headlined my town's JazzFest like 20 years ago. If I remember correctly, it was Pound for Pound, his quartet, but it wasn't the trio. It was him, a drummer, a sax player, and a marimba player. In a small convention center. I feel so lucky to have seen him. After the show, he hung out and talked to us. He signed my copy of Natty Dread that he did with the trio. Definitely check out Natty Dread.
My dad started listening to Charlie when I was in high school and he was playing with Pound for Pound, and I have listened ever since. Got to see him and meet him in Columbus at a small show a few years ago too. My favorite album remains Right Now Move wit his quintet, most especially Le Bateau Ivre Good stuff, Charlie is a master
Everybody seem to forget the contribution of the late Joe Beck and his alto - Cort electric on that field ,,,, His 1997 Joe Beck And Ali Ryerson - "Alto" album & 2000 Jimmy Bruno / Joe Beck - "Polarity" are great examples .....Both amazing guitar albums !
A friend of mine from church bought a bass with the frets set in a similar fashion. He brought a month or so ago. The looks is stunning, sound impressive
First heard Charlie on the last 3 nights of a run with him and Keller Williams trading off as the closer. Charlie was putting out an album with guest vocalists, one of which was a not yet Grammy winner Norah Jones. All 3 nights were incredible.
I'm in an eclectic rock group that covers "Do That Then" - CH / Leon Parker Duo - now and then... Takes me on a 5 string fretless bass + shredding guitarist + Rhodes piano player to get all of that done properly!
Charlie is one of the most brilliant and soulful musicians on earth. He is a treasure and his work with SuperBlue, his duo shows with Carter McLean (all on TH-cam!) and albums like Copperopolis and Baboon Strength are just incredible works. Not to mention Voodoo… I truly think Charlie is one of the most powerful and lovely musicians on earth. He is so expressive and thoughtful in his pocket choices. He’s the man. Kudos for giving him some shine!
@@czekielmusic Their take on "Wishing Well" in the Charlie Hunter & Carter McLean: 2018-04-08 - Nod Hill Brewery video is unbelievable. Anyone reading this should immediately go find that video and go to 36:00
I have been a huge fan of Charlie's for years. The most amazing thing to me is that he is looking around smiling while playing all these lines. You would think he'd have to focus intently on his fingers but it's as if he's making a cup of tea.
Got so much respect for Charlie Hunter, what can you say about this master. Great job guys, I’m so happy to see him get some of the appreciation he deserves. Cheers
Wow! Listening on a phone and couldn't hear the bass until I put in some earbuds then 😮daaaamnnn!!!! That's insane man!. I used to accompany myself on guitar with an old electric organ that had a set of bass pedals. It's very freeing in the way that you can go off wherever you want. I also had a looper that I ran from the effects send of my main amp and then instead of coming back to the return I ran the looper's output to a separate amp. That really made it like having a real second guitar. Me and buddy on drums were kinda like a four piece band, 2 guitars, bass and drums lol. But this is something else altogether on the self accompaniment thing! Very cool!
Just when I think I've seen it all, Rhett shows me some amazing talent I've never heard of. I'll be watching for Charlie touring in my town. Thanks, Rhett!
That is very cool. I'm a Bass player a Bassist that plays like this is Todd Johnson. Mind you it's all on the Bass so it is somewhat inverse to Charlie but that is who came to mind while watching this amazazing playing. Not a typo. It deserves the extra syllable. Fantastic!
I was incredibly lucky to see him live back in 1998 with his band Pound For Pound @ NYC's Irving Plaza. Truly an unforgettable experience. Also saw him in different bands in New Orleans in 1999-2001
I'd like to think I beat Charlie Hunter to it with the special pickups! In the 1990s I played in a country & western/rock and roll duo, and used a two-humbucker Ibanez RS225. I wired the neck pickup to a separate output, wired in a coil-split switch, and then took out three of the pickup screws, wound the pickup into the body, and wound the three remaining screws back out. the result was that the neck pickup only sensed the three lowest strings. Next I put the B string where the E string should have been, and so on across the neck, with a very thick sixth string, and tuned the whole guitar to B standard. The neck pickup went to a bass amp, and the bridge pickup to a guitar amp. Playing fingerstyle, I could play bass parts and a bit of strumming. The other guy played a regular guitar and could play solos. If a song was in E, I'd have to transpose it as if it was in A, so we both played the right chords. This was a successful setup and more than once, other musicians came up to us, asking where the bass was coming from! I'll admit that Charlie Hunter takes it to another level though. He's an astonishing player.
I wish comparing myself to him at all was even 10% of what I acomplish, doing something similar lol. I play a stereo setup with a 6x10 bassrig using a ehx bass9 at the heart, and 4x12 with a peavey 6505+. Being the lone player in a 2 piece, i have to cover both lines as well, but I ain't no where near this guy. Thanks Rhett for the straight up solid inspiration in him to study from. Wow!
SIMPLY AMAZING!!! A TRUE VIRTUOSO!!! I 've definitely heard of him & heard him play, just not on video or in person, he would be GREAT to see live!!! Thanks for sharing this, you ROCK my friend!!! Be safe, Rock On & God Bless!!!
Unreal! I was today years old when I learned about this genius! Thanks guys, and Thanks Charlie for the joy I just experienced listening to your playing.
keyboard players have always been able to play bass on left hand and (virtual) guitar on the right. so as a keyboard player, it's not that overwhelming for to see this. that said, it's pretty impressive to see this done on guitar. each instrument has its own idiosyncracies that enable players to do things that other instrumentalists cannot do. i've always envied the ability of guitarists to do bends and slide-ups and such that keyboardists cannot do.
I’m sure he’s heard this a million times, but does Charlie Hunter get paid three times at much for doing three jobs at once?! Because he’s like three band members rolled into one! Really amazing! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I studied with a guy named Jack Grassel. He also plays bass and guitar at the same time. And he solos as well, its crazy. Hes been doing it since the 80's. Hes a big bebop guy. I haven't seen anyone do this till now, really cool.
The wildest thing is that Charlie is the nicest guy ever. I once asked him at a show how to get started, as I had a Novax 8-string but couldn't really figure out where to get started. So he gave me a nearly 2-hour video lesson for free (well before video was a real thing), just because I was a super fan
I saw Charlie Hunter Pound For Pound open for someone, I think it was a rock band, can’t remember, in the 90’s, Return of the Candyman era. That’s the night I discovered Stefon Harris (vibraphone) and that led my life in a new direction.
There is a two man band out of Norman Oklahoma that used to have a similar setup, guitarist had a guitar with 5 guitar strings and 3 bass strings with two sets of pickups run to two amps. Same guy also sings. Unfortunately he had to give up playing that guitar due to carpal tunnel problems so he switched to a regular six string with bass pedals.
"How his brains assigns each finger to each role" -> massive amount of practice. He talks about the logistics of his counterpoint technique in interviews and he says it doesn't come naturally to him, it's just a LOT of work, unsurprisingly. We could probably do it too if we dedicated our careers to that strange instrument that is the hybrid guitar. His amazing taste and time feel, however, are his own!
Saw Charlie on BET Jazz Central in like 96 and his thing never gets old or less impressive. If anything he has gotten evewn better the good way, not by adding even more but by getting more concise and groove oriented .
The other thing I remember is around the same time Guitar Playe rhad a pretty in depth tutorial with him on how to go about learning what it is he does, mostly rearranged for guitar but it had tabs for 8 string too (I have no clue how many people had one yet then lol). I wasnt ready for it then but i wish I could find it now.
Thanks for bringing Charlie Hunter to our notice, Rhett & Phillip! What an awesome guitarist - Charlie displays pure magic by adding an unfathomable dimension to playing guitar that is absolutely stunning! Out of curiosity, at the 5:40 mark, you can see a white pedal at his feet. Would that be the Xotic XW1 wah wah pedal?
Wow guys! Honored and humbled by this. Truly.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼thank you so much for spending the time . All the best to you in all of your endeavors.💯💯💯💯💯🏅🏅🏅🏅🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️CH
Thanks for posting this! I found something to do for a while❤
Well...hats off sir. You truly are a unique talent. Nice discovery. I personnaly will stick to my bass player... not even trying to dream about matching your skills😂.
Cheers from France.
So glad to see you get this recognition. Your solo on “Molino Molero” is one of the reasons I learned guitar after being a bassist for five years.
Hearing you play changed the way I thought about guitar on a fundamental level. Your music brings me so much joy and enjoyment! You deserve all the praise!
You are the maestro, Charlie!!
Just to let you know, Charlie came to the Panama Jazz Festival, and a drummer friend that sadly passed away, challenged him to do a foot clave while playing a tumbao, and he said "I've never done it, let me try"... effortlessly, he did it, which comes to now surprise, Charlie probably has the ability to swim and sleep like cetaceans, he can disconnect his brain hemispheres! And such a lovely person, to boot!
Warning he can play some drums a it also. hehe and a super cool cat.
I have seen him a couple of times live. He can carry a conversation while playing, too. I can’t do that 😂. And I just play like, regular-ass guitar.
@@trebleclefjones4899 Charlie is a good dude! Extremely talented!
I'm glad you compared Charlie Hunter to an organist, because my understanding is that that's what he was originally going for-to play organ-like parts on guitar. It's what led him to committing to learning how to play in this style with that incredible instrument. And he often even plays through a Leslie cabinet as well, just for that extra organ vibe.
Yes, Sam Yahel is amazing example. He can play great basslines with his feet, play chords with his left hand and a improvise a solo with his right hand - and all three on a extremely high level.
Nice to see someone finally do a deep dive on Charlie. He's been doing this for so long. The combo of feel, tone, taste, and stamina is unbelievable. Thanks for this!
no kidding on stamina
Listening to him for 30 years now. He is a pleasure to listen to, it's not gimmicky at all.
Met Charlie a couple times up in greensboro at a house show. He is one of the most humble and kind people I have ever met. Combined with his infectious stage presence and guitar gusto, I truly cannot say enough good things about this man. A true guitar hero
I saw Charlie up close several years back. He is light years ahead, in all likelihood a alien from a nearby dimension. It is really fun to listen to how he's evolved thru the years. Even the configuration of his guitars have changed. And unlike some jazz guys who are all about playing obscure scales at warp speed, Charlie got soul.
He's just a kid from Berkeley who took lessons with Satrinani on during his formative years.
I've seen Charlie Hunter live several times. Jaw-dropping is the only words that come to mind. I always try to sit as close to the stage and on the side where you can see his hands clearly. It's beyond amazing! And while watching him I go back and forth between thinking how is this possible? And just sitting back and enjoying the song. Very inspiring to watch, but kind of not at the same time because I know that I'll never play that good! He's beyond genius or virtuoso ... he's just Charlie!
saw him first with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He was kind of the whole band...incredible,and gets better all the time
Truly exceptional musicianship. I asked Pete Huttlinger how he was able to play Stevie Wonder’s Superstition on finger style guitar. He said he “just wrote all the parts out on sheet music and then sight read while he played it. “. OMG, amazing brain power! RIP Pete! We miss you.
Dang, didnt know he passed :( He was an absolute legend.
@worldwyn I wanted to mention Pete Huttlinger but couldn't remember his last name. Thanks for bringing him up in the comments.
I went to school with Pete, and remember his playing really coming together. What a wonderful person. R.I.P.
That's incredible
Always great to see new people giving Charlie Hunter his due recognition the guitar genius he is. he has been at it for years (speaking of which....anyone catch him at the Somerville Theatre back in 2002? What a phenomenal show!).
Side note: I am surprised you guys did not mention the "Leslie" tone he gets out of the higher strings (which I am pretty sure he gets out of an actual split to a Leslie!). I always found it super unique. What a gem this guy is.
I was lucky enough to stumble upon him in the 90’s with Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy’s William Burroughs collaboration Spare Ass Anne and other tales, and the amazing group T.J. Kirk doing a mashup of Thelonious Monk, James Brown and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Charlie was the first show I saw at the Georgia Theater when I tuned 18. Incredible talent all around
Charlie Hunter is so badass. One thing that makes it even more impressive for me listening as a bass player is the right hand muted/ghost notes on bass. All the chops and all the feel.
Charlie is truly remarkable and I have followed him for quite some time now. He seems to never run out of ideas, he's always got that sense of humor, he's as groovy as anyone could ever be and just straightforward musical. I like Rhett's mention of virtuosity, spot on!
Thanks for sharing his music with your following. Not enough people know the treasure of Charlie Hunter's music.
WOW so cool that Charlie Hunter saw this and commented!! I saw Charlie Hunter in Atlanta years ago and I had no idea what was going on. He is truly one of a kind. His work on That Spanish Joint on D'Angelo's album is one of the best things about humanity. He is on another level and it's just like you say, there is no gimmick, and when you close your eyes it's two instruments. Everything serves the song.
So happy to see someone give him his flowers and shine light to how talented he really is
I had the good fortune to see Charlie Hunter play two nights in a row in wildly different settings and styles. The first night I saw him as the guitarist in Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy opening for Nirvana in front of 16000 people. The following night I walked down to my local night club, the Paradise Lounge just to grab a drink, and there was Charlie Hunter with his jazz trio playing to an audience of nine people. It was one of those epiphany moments a musician (me) has where you realize that for a great musician it isn’t about fame and screaming crowds. Here he was, playing for the nine of us with the same intensity he had given the night before to an arena full of people. Which is saying something, because the night before, between Hunters guitar playing and Michael Franti’s dynamic charisma as a front man,the Disposable Heroes had actually blown Nirvana off the stage.
I saw Charlie in '95 on the "Bing! Bing! Bing!" tour and in '99 on the "Duo" tour - he took audience requests in '95 and I called out "Giant Steps" to be a wiseass and he just launched right into it. I got to talk to him at both shows and he said he was a frustrated organist and recommended Larry Young and "Boss Guitar" by Wes Montgomery. Great drummer, great at playing Blind Blake / ragtime / pre-war blues, just such a tasteful and inventive player.
I’ve seen Charlie a handful of times at The Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz Ca. with drummer Scott Amendola. Phenomenal.
He’s also a master of Country/Piedmont blues a la Blind Blake! (as mentioned at 4:00)
The drummer is first class
He is a treat to listen too!!!
I was totally thinking the same thing.
I checked out Charlie years ago because I heard about the crazy technique, but I’ve stayed a fan for life because of that sick groove. I especially love his albums where he accompanies a singer (Lucy Woodward, Dionne Farris).
he did a great cover of More Than This w Norah Jones. i'll have to check these two out
I watched in interview with him a while back where he talked about how he spent a significant amount if time learning exactly how a drummer thinks and plays, and learning how to LOCK into it. he said in the interview this was a major part of his learning process how to play like this. also I think some of my favorite playing if his is with the singer Lucy Woodward. shes amazing, hes amazing and they seem to play with different drummers each of whom is amazing as well.
Spanish Joint is must-listen Charlie Hunter, it's what inspired John Mayer to write Neon
long overdue breakdown of charlie's amazing playing!! reggae, dub, montunos, tumbaos, funk and pretty much anything (incredibly challenging) he has ever done is a lesson in pocket , groove, tone and tasteful note choices. worth pointing out that he splits his signal between a bass amp (top 3 strings) and usually another setup for his sweet (mostly leslie like) guitar sound. huge thanks!! You rule!!
Return of the Candyman and Natty Dread are still in my phone. Hearing Charlie is like listening to two musicians who are respecting each other.
In the mid nineties he and Marc Ribot were my favourite contemporary guitar players.
I highly suggest the Josh Smith interview, Charlie really gets into his process there. its super fascinating, for him its a lifetime study and it shows. Great stuff
He is a proof there is no limit to great musical creativity. That was AWESOME!!!!
First person I ever saw play like this was Richard Thompson sometime around 1996. His song Vincent Black Lightning is still one of the most impressive things I’ve ever heard.
Guys like Charlie, Richard Thompson, Ichika, Tosin and Javier from Animas As Leaders… they’re beyond human. I can’t even begin to comprehend playing 2-3 parts at once, much less emulate it. It’s mind boggling.
Richard Thompson made a strat sound like a sitar, not just folk rock but sadly underated outside that genre
💯 Decades later I still can’t emulate guys like him and Charlie. Beyond just the raw talent, that’s a dedication to an instrument far beyond anything I was ever able to do.
Charlie Hunter's instrument alone is a monster.
I had an instrument I found on reverb where it was like a guy looked a picture of Charlie's guitar and said "yeah sure I can make something like that" for the past year but was even longer scale. Super exhausting. Charlie is part of Hybrid Guitars in Hillsboro NC you can actually get one, and despite the cost, it's the nicest fret work I've ever seen. I've been on the new instrument for a couple months, and am extremely happy.
Thanks Rhett and Phillip for this excellent breakdown. I've been following Charlie Hunter's career off and on since the mid-90s and every time I check in on what he's up to, recorded or live, it's invariably something musically satisfying. As you say Rhett: the extraordinary technique is always in the service of the tune & the groove, and that combination makes him one of the most consistently delightful guitarists to listen to.
Saw Charlie play back in ‘98 when he was touring with John Santos & Stefan Harris. It was such an amazing show back then and he’s just as solid a player 25 years later!
Charlie has been one of my favorite guitarists my whole life. I first heard him I can't even remember how long ago when a buddy gave me a cassette tape of TJ Kirk. It blew my mind and I've been a fan since. I have been lucky enough to meet Charlie a few times and he is absolutely the nicest guy ever. Nothing but praise for the man and his playing.
I first heard about Charlie when he played on “In Repair” by John Mayer. Incredibly gifted and such a diverse artist.
Charlie Hunter = amazing musician, who deserves to be much more widely known. Like a few others in the comments here, I first heard him with The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy in 1992 (the track was called Music and Politics, if I remember correctly). Already then, it was unbelievable that so much music could come from just one guy and his electric guitar. Not sure if he had an 8-string or a 7-string back then, but probably an 8-string.
I saw him supporting his Ready Set Shango tour, at UCSB. You’re absolutely right, it’s dizzying to watch him do his magic.
His craft is indeed magical and not just a flex.
Great video bringing Charlie Hunter some well deserved attention.
Rhett I love when you push up these musicians to the masses that people haven't heard much about. Such a fun watch
Great take. I saw him live about 15 yrs ago. Absolute alien. Can't help but stank face the entire performance. So nasty and good.
I've been a fan for a few years now. Charlie continues to impress me with his taste and style.
This has been my favorite musician since 2000. I literally went to music school to try and one day play like this guy. I am now studying math lol. He is incredible!
Love that you’ve been showcasing all these unbelievable musicians lately !!!
I forgot to let you play my Hybrid 7 guitar with Charlie tuning.
What's beautiful about Charlie's style is that his approach naturally creates space for both the guitar lines and the bass lines, which naturally suits his jazz/funk fusion style, IMO
Charlie Hunter … I discovered Charlie AFTER I thought it would be cool to develop a way to play bass and guitar simultaneously. I heard him and was like, “shit, he already did it”. He used to play an 8 string, but lately his Hybrid guitars are 6 strings. Hybrid Guitars is the name of the company, they’re out of Hillsborough, NC. I asked him about his influences in developing his style and he mentioned Joe Pass and Tuck Andress, and that he played a lot of bass and drums. I think he should get a Farmer Footdrum and just be a band.
I've seen him play with Scott Amendola and it was mesmerizing. I also saw hi play 6-string in NYC with Medeski and Martin and an upright bass player, a really small show to raise money for a new electric wheel chair for a guy who ran a label that was important to them and that did not disappoint either! He's just an endless stream of fresh, happening musical ideas with all the firepower in the world to bring them to life. His records are all so cool too - duos, trios, quintets. I really love "Gentlemen, I Neglected to Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid" which is a quintet with a drums, trumpet, and two trombones - I think one was a high C horn and the other maybe a full bass 'bone, or at least a Bb trombone. I think it's my favorite thing I've heard from him. "Recorded in Glorious Mono", lol! The writing is SO GOOD, and these horn players all kill it, especially the two trombone players.
Wow, this guy is incredible. Thanks for turning me onto another amazing musician.
Charlie Hunter headlined my town's JazzFest like 20 years ago. If I remember correctly, it was Pound for Pound, his quartet, but it wasn't the trio. It was him, a drummer, a sax player, and a marimba player. In a small convention center. I feel so lucky to have seen him. After the show, he hung out and talked to us. He signed my copy of Natty Dread that he did with the trio. Definitely check out Natty Dread.
My dad started listening to Charlie when I was in high school and he was playing with Pound for Pound, and I have listened ever since. Got to see him and meet him in Columbus at a small show a few years ago too. My favorite album remains Right Now Move wit his quintet, most especially Le Bateau Ivre
Good stuff, Charlie is a master
I was amazed when he turned up half an hour away from me in the UK. A duo with a drummer on that occasion and a great show.
Charlie is the best - as a musician and as a person. A true treasure to have him in central NC.
Everybody seem to forget the contribution of the late Joe Beck and his alto - Cort electric on that field ,,,, His 1997 Joe Beck And Ali Ryerson - "Alto" album & 2000 Jimmy Bruno / Joe Beck - "Polarity" are great examples .....Both amazing guitar albums !
i would give a listen to John Mayer’s In Repair video, i didn’t knew that he played this song until i saw the making of, such a great one!!
A friend of mine from church bought a bass with the frets set in a similar fashion. He brought a month or so ago.
The looks is stunning, sound impressive
I remember having seen him and Leon Parker at the Montreal Jazz Fest back in '99 and that was an *INCREDIBLE* show!
Ive said that even if his bass and guitar parts were separate players, they'd be two of my favorite players.
First heard Charlie on the last 3 nights of a run with him and Keller Williams trading off as the closer. Charlie was putting out an album with guest vocalists, one of which was a not yet Grammy winner Norah Jones. All 3 nights were incredible.
I'm in an eclectic rock group that covers "Do That Then" - CH / Leon Parker Duo - now and then... Takes me on a 5 string fretless bass + shredding guitarist + Rhodes piano player to get all of that done properly!
Charlie is one of the most brilliant and soulful musicians on earth. He is a treasure and his work with SuperBlue, his duo shows with Carter McLean (all on TH-cam!) and albums like Copperopolis and Baboon Strength are just incredible works. Not to mention Voodoo…
I truly think Charlie is one of the most powerful and lovely musicians on earth. He is so expressive and thoughtful in his pocket choices. He’s the man. Kudos for giving him some shine!
The Carter McLean shit is absolutely unreal. The two of them are my fav trio of all time
@@czekielmusic Their take on "Wishing Well" in the Charlie Hunter & Carter McLean: 2018-04-08 - Nod Hill Brewery video is unbelievable. Anyone reading this should immediately go find that video and go to 36:00
@@scottheins the Nod Hill stuff is perfect, I just wish Carter got better audio but GAHDAMN it’s still so good
I have been a huge fan of Charlie's for years. The most amazing thing to me is that he is looking around smiling while playing all these lines. You would think he'd have to focus intently on his fingers but it's as if he's making a cup of tea.
Man how did I not know this guy until today. What an amazing musician!!
Got so much respect for Charlie Hunter, what can you say about this master. Great job guys, I’m so happy to see him get some of the appreciation he deserves. Cheers
Wow! Listening on a phone and couldn't hear the bass until I put in some earbuds then 😮daaaamnnn!!!! That's insane man!. I used to accompany myself on guitar with an old electric organ that had a set of bass pedals. It's very freeing in the way that you can go off wherever you want. I also had a looper that I ran from the effects send of my main amp and then instead of coming back to the return I ran the looper's output to a separate amp. That really made it like having a real second guitar. Me and buddy on drums were kinda like a four piece band, 2 guitars, bass and drums lol. But this is something else altogether on the self accompaniment thing! Very cool!
Just when I think I've seen it all, Rhett shows me some amazing talent I've never heard of. I'll be watching for Charlie touring in my town. Thanks, Rhett!
That is very cool. I'm a Bass player a Bassist that plays like this is Todd Johnson. Mind you it's all on the Bass so it is somewhat inverse to Charlie but that is who came to mind while watching this amazazing playing. Not a typo. It deserves the extra syllable. Fantastic!
I wasn't aware of Charlie until I saw John Mayer's making of 'In Repair' (One song, one day) video. The man is just amazing!
I was incredibly lucky to see him live back in 1998 with his band Pound For Pound @ NYC's Irving Plaza. Truly an unforgettable experience. Also saw him in different bands in New Orleans in 1999-2001
I've been a fan of Charlie's ever since 2006 Coalition of the Willing. I really hope I get to see him in concert in Texas someday
My friend met him at a bass shop he works at and said he was lovely, even got to try one of his 6 string hybrid guitars!
I'd like to think I beat Charlie Hunter to it with the special pickups! In the 1990s I played in a country & western/rock and roll duo, and used a two-humbucker Ibanez RS225. I wired the neck pickup to a separate output, wired in a coil-split switch, and then took out three of the pickup screws, wound the pickup into the body, and wound the three remaining screws back out. the result was that the neck pickup only sensed the three lowest strings. Next I put the B string where the E string should have been, and so on across the neck, with a very thick sixth string, and tuned the whole guitar to B standard. The neck pickup went to a bass amp, and the bridge pickup to a guitar amp. Playing fingerstyle, I could play bass parts and a bit of strumming. The other guy played a regular guitar and could play solos. If a song was in E, I'd have to transpose it as if it was in A, so we both played the right chords. This was a successful setup and more than once, other musicians came up to us, asking where the bass was coming from! I'll admit that Charlie Hunter takes it to another level though. He's an astonishing player.
Saw him in 96 in San Fran at a little club in the Castro- been massive fan since. He’s beyond 😮
He does exactly what jazz organ players do like Joey Difrancesco but on strings! Insanely impressive! Thanks for sharing this awesome musician🎵🎸
I wish comparing myself to him at all was even 10% of what I acomplish, doing something similar lol. I play a stereo setup with a 6x10 bassrig using a ehx bass9 at the heart, and 4x12 with a peavey 6505+. Being the lone player in a 2 piece, i have to cover both lines as well, but I ain't no where near this guy. Thanks Rhett for the straight up solid inspiration in him to study from. Wow!
SIMPLY AMAZING!!! A TRUE VIRTUOSO!!! I 've definitely heard of him & heard him play, just not on video or in person, he would be GREAT to see live!!! Thanks for sharing this, you ROCK my friend!!! Be safe, Rock On & God Bless!!!
I knew from the description who the player was. Absolute monster of a player! Mind blowing.
I've been hip to him since Bing Bing Bing, but haven't kept up. Massive talent.
Unreal! I was today years old when I learned about this genius! Thanks guys, and Thanks Charlie for the joy I just experienced listening to your playing.
Charlie Hunter is amazing! Great video 👍👍👍👍😎
keyboard players have always been able to play bass on left hand and (virtual) guitar on the right. so as a keyboard player, it's not that overwhelming for to see this. that said, it's pretty impressive to see this done on guitar. each instrument has its own idiosyncracies that enable players to do things that other instrumentalists cannot do. i've always envied the ability of guitarists to do bends and slide-ups and such that keyboardists cannot do.
I’m sure he’s heard this a million times, but does Charlie Hunter get paid three times at much for doing three jobs at once?! Because he’s like three band members rolled into one! Really amazing! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
It’s what fingerstyle jazz guitarists have been doing all along, picking out walking bass lines and comping/soloing. CH is great with groove and tone!
It’s really cool to see accomplished professional musicians just stunned by someone doing something in a new and unique way.
I studied with a guy named Jack Grassel. He also plays bass and guitar at the same time. And he solos as well, its crazy. Hes been doing it since the 80's. Hes a big bebop guy. I haven't seen anyone do this till now, really cool.
The wildest thing is that Charlie is the nicest guy ever. I once asked him at a show how to get started, as I had a Novax 8-string but couldn't really figure out where to get started. So he gave me a nearly 2-hour video lesson for free (well before video was a real thing), just because I was a super fan
Charlie is a beast!! Saw him play solo while on holiday in NYC, blew my mind! 🤯
Nuts! Such a great idea for a course.
I saw Charlie Hunter Pound For Pound open for someone, I think it was a rock band, can’t remember, in the 90’s, Return of the Candyman era. That’s the night I discovered Stefon Harris (vibraphone) and that led my life in a new direction.
He played guitar bass on Spanish Joint 😮
Saw him in a college town (Athens, OH) in 2003. Still talk about that show.
There is a two man band out of Norman Oklahoma that used to have a similar setup, guitarist had a guitar with 5 guitar strings and 3 bass strings with two sets of pickups run to two amps. Same guy also sings. Unfortunately he had to give up playing that guitar due to carpal tunnel problems so he switched to a regular six string with bass pedals.
"How his brains assigns each finger to each role" -> massive amount of practice. He talks about the logistics of his counterpoint technique in interviews and he says it doesn't come naturally to him, it's just a LOT of work, unsurprisingly. We could probably do it too if we dedicated our careers to that strange instrument that is the hybrid guitar. His amazing taste and time feel, however, are his own!
omg, I listened -a lot- a couple of their albums, years ago, and I never realized that the band didn't have a bass player :O ...I'm in shock hahaha
BJ Bear... Saddletramp Band in Central Florida... play Guitar with his fangers and bass with his feet at the same time
Good on ya. Charlie is awesome, a treasure!
Saw Charlie on BET Jazz Central in like 96 and his thing never gets old or less impressive. If anything he has gotten evewn better the good way, not by adding even more but by getting more concise and groove oriented .
The other thing I remember is around the same time Guitar Playe rhad a pretty in depth tutorial with him on how to go about learning what it is he does, mostly rearranged for guitar but it had tabs for 8 string too (I have no clue how many people had one yet then lol). I wasnt ready for it then but i wish I could find it now.
Thanks for bringing Charlie Hunter to our notice, Rhett & Phillip! What an awesome guitarist - Charlie displays pure magic by adding an unfathomable dimension to playing guitar that is absolutely stunning! Out of curiosity, at the 5:40 mark, you can see a white pedal at his feet. Would that be the Xotic XW1 wah wah pedal?
I've never saw anything like that before! That is crazy talent!
Let's not forget the work he did with Spearhead with Michael Franti. "Home" is an awesome cd.
I discovered Charlie Hunter when his album "Bing, Bing, Bing!" came out in 1995. Along with T. J. Kirk. Been a fan ever since.