From The Seattle Times:
Jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter is 41, a husband, father of two young children, with tattoos on both arms. He resembles the actor Matthew Fox, who plays the surgeon and tortured soul Jack Shephard, from TV’s “Lost.”
A serious and earnest musician (although he would probably resist that description) Hunter, too has had near-paralyzing bouts of torment in the form of artistic angst.
“If you asked me a few years ago,” said Hunter, who performs with his trio at Jazz Alley Tuesday and Wednesday, “I would have said I couldn’t stand anything I played. I was going to stop playing. I was done with it. I felt like I couldn’t come up with any more tricks. The next stage would have been lighting myself on fire.”
Hunter, who has a distinct way with words, did not quit playing or resort to onstage flambé but rather embarked on a new direction with his music — something simple, spare and naturally suited to him, and more importantly, to his instrument, which is a rhythm instrument at heart, not a melodic one. Despite that fact, jazz guitarists are often obliged to play like horn players, at least if they want to be considered true masters.
Continue reading at The Seattle Times.