ON STAGE
What: Charlie Hunter and Lucy Woodward
Where: Upstairs Lounge, Oak Bay Recreation Centre, 1975 Bee St.
When: Saturday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 at Oak Bay Recreation Centre (250-595-7946) and ; $30 at the door
The musical partnership between guitarist Charlie Hunter and vocalist Lucy Woodward has forced the acclaimed guitarist to flex muscles he hasn鈥檛 used in years. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had this kind of activity in quite some time,鈥� said Hunter, 52. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 game.鈥�
The two friends are having a blast tackling a vast repertoire of songs, all of which go through a musical blender. With Hunter鈥檚 incredible, ingenious playing 鈥� he plays both seven- and eight-string guitars of his own invention 鈥� and Woodward鈥檚 expressive, jazz-schooled voice, they turn the songs inside out, putting down a new foundation of funk at every turn. That elastic environment is where Hunter, who has played pure jazz often during his career, excels.
鈥淭he soul music of the day when I was a kid, and all of the really old blues music my mom listened to, I liked the groove. If it has that, I can play on it.鈥�
Hunter, whose career has covered 30 years and 20 albums, was at one time a go-to player for A-list musicians, so he works as much as a sideman as he does a bandleader. He loves all facets of life as a performer, but his current project with Woodward, the former Pink Martini singer, has been a blessing for its variety, he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 at the periphery of everyone else鈥檚 thing,鈥� Hunter said. 鈥淚鈥檓 lucky to have been around so many authentic and killer musicians, and I鈥檝e learned what I聽could from them. Whatever little contribution I make, it鈥檚 an honour. That鈥檚 how I think about it.鈥�
Hunter hasn鈥檛 played Victoria since 2006, so it will be a welcome return when he performs at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre鈥檚 Upstairs Lounge on Saturday.
Hunter and Woodward will be joined by former Dr. John drummer Doug Belote for the gig. They will draw heavily from Music! Music! Music!, on which Woodward and Hunter cover songs by everyone from jazz and blues greats Blind Willie Johnson, Bessie Smith, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald to roots favourite Lucinda Williams and 鈥�80s pop singer Terence Trent D鈥橝rby.
They recorded the album in High Point, North Carolina, not far from where Hunter lives. Hunter, who spent close to 20 years in the New York-New Jersey area, said he and his wife 鈥渁ged out鈥� of that urban environment.
Woodward is more inclined to embrace what the Big Apple has to offer, and that polarity is what makes their union so unique, he said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely some stylistic overlap, but we come from pretty different worlds,鈥� Hunter said.
鈥淲e both write a lot of our own music, but for this project, we both agreed to do covers. It鈥檚 a fun challenge for both of us.鈥�
Hunter was born in Rhode Island and raised in Berkeley, California, where his career began in the late 1980s. Woodward is from England, but has split her time between the U.S. and Europe in the years since.
She was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music when she was 16, and flirted with success as a commercial pop artist in the late 鈥�90s.
Hunter had his time in the spotlight, as well 鈥� he played on records with Norah Jones, Mos Def, John Mayer and D鈥橝ngelo 鈥� but both musicians are a point in their careers where fame is the furthest thing from their minds.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e coming up, you really want to fly a flag of who you鈥檙e representing, what music you like, what army you鈥檙e in,鈥� Hunter said. 鈥淏ut then, as you delve deeper and deeper, you are disabused of those notions through experience. You start to realize the deeper narrative people are trying to have through music. That makes you really feel like this is an honour, just to wake up and apply yourself to it every day.鈥�
Hunter and Woodward recently wrapped four consecutive tours of the U.S. and Europe. Both are re-energized by the project, Hunter said. As he turns the corner on 30 years in music, he doesn鈥檛 see the need to slow down.
Following a series of 91原创 dates, they are planning to record in January, followed by tours of China, Japan and Europe.
鈥淓very night is different gear, different places, so you develop a technique that allows you to play whatever. That鈥檚 the beauty of it. As long as you鈥檙e communing with the audience, it鈥檚 all good.鈥�
