Right Now Move
Two things that mark Charlie Hunter's career are the singular style of his 8-string guitar playing (it sounds more like an organ) and the fact that each album finds him trying new things. For example, 2001'sSongs From the Analog Playgroundwas a vocals-oriented affair that featuredNorah Jones, Mos Def, andKurt Ellingwith some covers, and follow-upRight Now Move(his debut for Ropeadope) features all original instrumentals played by a new band. The 13 songs here are loose-limbed but relatively concise numbers anchored by drummer Derek Phillips's buoyant playing and Hunter's innate ability to groove even as he cranks out catchy melodies. The duo is superbly matched with trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, harmonica player Gregoire Maret, and saxophonist/clarinetist John Ellis, who play so well together that you won't even notice the atypical alignment used up front. Indeed, as the group chatter on "Oakland" makes abundantly clear,Right Now Moveis less about thinking and more about being fun and funky.--Tad Hendrickson