For
his fifth release, Hunter points himself in a
refreshing new direction. "I not only wanted
to play in a more percussive setting this time
out, but I also wanted to dig into new realms
of tonality and timbre. Don't get me wrong. I
love the horns, but I'd been doing that for so
long that I wanted to go after something different.
Above all I wanted to make a groove album which
meant coming up with a strong rhythm section."
"I
had been listening to alot of vibes players lately,
people like Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson,
and especially Steve Nelson who sounds
great on Dave Holland's latest album (Dream
of the Elders). I was excited by the fresh tonal
possibilities as well as the versatility of the
instrument and how it would blend in with the
rest of the rhythm section. The people at Blue
Note had been hipping me to [Stefon
Harris]. They sent me a tape of his music
and Stefon was killing. I knew I had to get his
sound and intensity of playing. He was so great
to work with. Stefon's such an open-minded cool
dude. Plus, he's got a great attitude. He gives
100% to the music."
Hunter sought out John
Santos for his addition on percussion
"to add extra funkification to the vibe,"
and with Scott
Amendola on drums, Charlie found what
he was searching for. "This is what I had
in mind when I first started thinking about this
album. I'm really pleased with the results. We
recorded a great record for hip-hop DJ's to sample."
Why call this lineup Pound for Pound? "Catchy,
isn't it? I just like how it sounds. I got the
idea watching the boxer Roy Jones Jr. being interviewed
on a talk show. He was saying that as a middleweight
or light heavyweight boxer, he didn't make a whole
lot of money, but pound for pound he claimed he
was the best fighter in the land."
Why is the album called Return of the Candyman?
Charlie smiles, "Because we wanted to have
a creepy picture of a clown on the cover. It's
so freaky. It's supposed to look like one of those
black velvet paintings. Plus, I can't think of
another jazz group that would ever put out an
album with a cover like this."
Bongo Confront - "I wanted to write
pieces that were meant to serve as interludes.
Again, I wanted to do something different, to
make these little band statements that fade out.
I think of them as these tiny organic samples."
Enter
the Dragon - The complex time signature
starting off this tune was inspired by the late
martial arts expert, Bruce Lee.
Fly
Like An Eagle - "We were at a gig in
North Hampton and we said we would take requests
from the audience. And someone requested 'Fly
Like and Eagle' and [John Coltrane's] 'Giant Steps.'
Both are just preposterous requests. So we decided
to do both of them at the same time, or in one
arrangement. And I started doing it and realized
it's a pretty good tune for what it is. The way
we played it was ironic or something - playing
it close to the original. Scott put that go-go
beat on top of it. So we said, 'Why not?'"
Steve Miller is the corniest motherfucker ever,"
says Hunter. "But you know his production
was killing. His guitar playing was really fucking
good. And his rhythm section on that cut is killing.
That is badass. I remember listening to that on
my transistor radio when I was eight years old
and being blown away, especially be the intro."
Dope-a-licious
- All members of the band wrote this tune in rehearsal.
"It is a fun little New Orleans-type ditty.
We hit it and grooved."
Mystic
Relaxation - This is another interlude, but
it is an interpretation of a Ronnie Foster tune
entitled "Electric Relaxation".
Return
of the Candyman - Another funky tune Hunter
had performed with his previous band. He made
no changes to the arrangement of this tune.
Pound
for Pound - This tune was influenced by
Curtis Mayfield's music. "The tune may not
sound like Curtis, but I think of him whenever
we play it."
Grinch
Comfort - Another interlude.
People
- Here is a tune Hunter used to play with the
Quartet, but here he rearranged it from the way
it used to be played. "I changed it around
because I felt we needed at least one real slow
tune for the album. I'm really happy with how
it came out."
Shake,
Shake It Baby - This tune features John Santos
on congas. "It's a little Latin boogaloo
that we baked up. We put John's conga solo up
front and ended with the head rather than starting
with it."
Turn
Me Loose - "Straight funkification.
We change the key toward the end so that Stefon
and I have a different groove to solo over."
Huggy
Bear - Another slow tune Charlie changed around
a bit from playing it with past lineups. Charlie
calls this one a "shuffle ballad".
Of
Things to Come - Harris wrote this last interlude
to close the album. "That's a great little
sample number. Any hip-hop DJ who doesn't sample
this is a fool."
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