James Hunter Six — “Off the Fence” — Easy Eye Sound
I’ve been failing to write about James Hunter for far too long.
His soul-satisfying new album, “Off the Fence,” is the perfect time to correct that mistake.
Hunter, born in England in 1962 as Neil James Huntsman, discovered his life’s work when he was nine — in a pile of his grandmother’s old 78s, where he found Jackie Wilson’s first solo hit, 1957’s “Reet Petite.” Wilson’s success, which helped co-writer Berry Gordy found Motown Records, and his inspiration, eventually brought a young James Hunter into that rarified musical world.
Hunter’s first album came in 1986, as Howlin Wilf & the Vee-Jays. His James Hunter years began in ’96, with the album “Believe What I Say,” followed by the James Hunter Six era, starting with “Minute By Minute” in 2013.
The superb “Off the Fence” finds Hunter switching to Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label after a 13-year stint with Daptone and a four-year absence from the studio. Producer Gabriel Roth brought his sure hand with Hunter’s soulful style to this new session of a dozen originals, insuring a continuation of Hunter’s smooth R&B stylings
The music of the Six is created by Myles Weeks (double bass), Rudy Albin Petschauer (drums), Andrew Kingslow (keyboards, percussion), Michael Buckley (baritone saxophone) and Drew Vanderwinckel (tenor saxophone). They lay down a consistently compatible groove behind Hunter’s smartly conceived lyrics.
And then there are those vocals. Hunter’s soulful voice inhabits his songs and gives them life beyond their words. He provides jazzy rhythms, Latin influences and R&B flavor with hints of grit and the occasional emotional falsetto. And it’s all wrapped in the soulful tapestry that is Hunter’s unique style.
Each song here is a carefully crafted gem, from the opener, “Two Birds One Stone,” with bright Latin rhythms accenting regret at ending both relationships at once, to the old-school closer R&B ballad, “Only A Fool,” caressed by a velvet vocal.
An album highlight is a visit from Hunter’s ’90s collaborator Van Morrison, with a joyously bluesy duet on “Ain’t That A Trip,” featuring razor-sharp harp and guitar solos midway. “Trouble Comes Calling” shows off his Jackie Wilson inspiration, and “Particular” is butter-smooth, a gentle ballad that floats above its elegant piano backing. Other tracks, all filled with the same Hunter spirit, include: “Let Me Out Of This Love,” “Gun Shy,” “Believe It When I See It,” “Here And Now,” “Off The Fence,” “One For Ripley,” and “A Sure Thing.”
James Hunter has returned from a four-year recording absence with this gorgeous album. His smooth vocals are soul set to music, his phrasing impeccable, his musical support flawless. In a world too often bereft of soulfulness, the sweet and sassy music of “Off the Fence” is a blissful libation for your soul. Pour yourself a double!
Tracklist
- Two Birds One Stone
- Let Me Out Of This Love
- Gun Shy
- Believe It When I See It
- Here And Now
- Off The Fence
- Ain’t That A Trip (featuring Van Morrison)
- One For Ripley
- Trouble Comes Calling
- Particular
- A Sure Thing
- Only A Fool
Musicians
- James Hunter – vocals, guitar
- Myles Weeks – bass
- Andrew Kingslow – keyboards, percussion
- Rudy Albin Petschauer – drums
- Michael Buckley – baritone saxophone
- Drew Vanderwinckel – tenor saxophone
Blues Roadhouse 