Let the Bells Ring On

Charlie Hunter is the best kind of restless musician. Just about every new album brings another new ensemble and new possibilities. This time out, Hunter teams with drummer Bobby Previte (who he has recorded with extensively) and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes (who played on Hunter's 2003 album Right Now Move). Both players have been stalwarts of the N.Y.C. jazz scene since the late '70s but have played on any number of jazz, rock, and pop recordings. As players, they really know how to serve a song rather than put their imprint on it and Hunter takes full advantage with a really strong batch of tunes that play less like jazz and more like classic pop and soul tunes. They've got strong, catchy melodies, nice changes, and in-the-pocket grooves that can't be beat. Any solos are not just economical; they stay so close to the melodies that they're almost like lyrics. There's no flashy playing or showing off to speak of, just a bunch of great tunes and three great musicians working to do them justice. Some tracks are so catchy, you'll think they've rearranged an old song that you already know. While sounding completely contemporary, Let the Bells Ring On is a great album that harks back to a time when jazz was actually popular music (Ramsey Lewis, Young-Holt Unlimited, Ahmad Jamal) and the song came ahead of the players. ~ Sean Westergaard