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The Stunt Man
The Stunt Man in Bloomington, MN
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In 2023 the New Orleans-based
Headhunters
broke a 12-year recording hiatus with the excellent
Speakers in the House
, a studio album recorded in 2018. They followed with the smoking
Live from Brooklyn Bowl
, recorded on-stage in February 2023.
The Stunt Man
was recorded at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. It was co-produced by members
Bill Summers
(percussion) and
Mike Clark
(drums) with veteran Hyde Street engineer
Chris McGrew
.
Summers
,
Clark
, and
Donald Harrison
(alto saxophone) make up the core group and add in-demand NOLA-based pianist/keyboardist
Kyle Roussel
and veteran bassist
Chris Severin
.
The opening title track is a bumping jazz-funk jam with traces of NOLA second line, contemporary jazz, and club grooves. Particularly notable are solid solos from
Harrison
and
Roussel
; the latter layers piano, organ, and synths. It's followed by "Attitude of Gratitude," a keyboard-driven contemporary jazz jaunt led by piano and keyboards.
's breakbeats and fills add heft, offering the necessary depth for
Severin
's creative yet meaty bass solo up top.
The Headhunters
deal out a surprise with the addition of two standards arranged and recorded with their inimitable musical signature.
George Gershwin
's "Embraceable You" is up first. It's introduced by a series of double-time breaks from
guiding the flow. Rhodes piano delivers the changes as
carries the iconic melody while adding syncopated, soulful accents while
' hand percussion provides beat-centric ballast for
as well as
. It's followed by a bracing, funky reading of
Wayne Shorter
's iconic "E.S.P." It was originally recorded in January 1965 as the title cut for
Shorter
's recording debut with the second
Miles Davis Quintet
. Introduced by a roiling bassline over
's kit, the fragmented yet easily identifiable groove is infectious as
, guest saxophonist
Craig Handy
wind around one another while the keyboardist and percussionist build a lithe foundation. The solos by the saxophonists are sophisticated, meaty, and soulful, and account for it being an album highlight.
"Avant Clark" is, as might be expected, a rhythmic workout.
plays unaccompanied for the first minute. He's joined first by
, then
. They meld rhythms and harmonies from the Caribbean, NOLA, and street funk.
's "Sand Castle Headhunter" is the set's longest jam. It's deeply episodic across nine-and-a-half minutes. The saxophonist provides harmonic guidance as the rhythm section instinctively follows his changes. When not spitting out biting vamps,
's solo offers astonishing motivic ideas as he moves across contemporary jazz, R&B, Afrobeat, and funk while channeling the ghost of
Grover Washington, Jr.
play an interlocked groove in supportive interplay between
. "New Levels -- New Devils" is the set closer. It includes
Ropeadope
signees
Forward Back
, who add vocals, additional keys, and programming at the intersection of 21st century R&B, hip-hop, and funky jazz. There are no weak moments on
: It is all inspiration and groove, as well as early proof that
the Headhunters
would be in top form on their international support tour. ~ Thom Jurek
Headhunters
broke a 12-year recording hiatus with the excellent
Speakers in the House
, a studio album recorded in 2018. They followed with the smoking
Live from Brooklyn Bowl
, recorded on-stage in February 2023.
The Stunt Man
was recorded at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. It was co-produced by members
Bill Summers
(percussion) and
Mike Clark
(drums) with veteran Hyde Street engineer
Chris McGrew
.
Summers
,
Clark
, and
Donald Harrison
(alto saxophone) make up the core group and add in-demand NOLA-based pianist/keyboardist
Kyle Roussel
and veteran bassist
Chris Severin
.
The opening title track is a bumping jazz-funk jam with traces of NOLA second line, contemporary jazz, and club grooves. Particularly notable are solid solos from
Harrison
and
Roussel
; the latter layers piano, organ, and synths. It's followed by "Attitude of Gratitude," a keyboard-driven contemporary jazz jaunt led by piano and keyboards.
's breakbeats and fills add heft, offering the necessary depth for
Severin
's creative yet meaty bass solo up top.
The Headhunters
deal out a surprise with the addition of two standards arranged and recorded with their inimitable musical signature.
George Gershwin
's "Embraceable You" is up first. It's introduced by a series of double-time breaks from
guiding the flow. Rhodes piano delivers the changes as
carries the iconic melody while adding syncopated, soulful accents while
' hand percussion provides beat-centric ballast for
as well as
. It's followed by a bracing, funky reading of
Wayne Shorter
's iconic "E.S.P." It was originally recorded in January 1965 as the title cut for
Shorter
's recording debut with the second
Miles Davis Quintet
. Introduced by a roiling bassline over
's kit, the fragmented yet easily identifiable groove is infectious as
, guest saxophonist
Craig Handy
wind around one another while the keyboardist and percussionist build a lithe foundation. The solos by the saxophonists are sophisticated, meaty, and soulful, and account for it being an album highlight.
"Avant Clark" is, as might be expected, a rhythmic workout.
plays unaccompanied for the first minute. He's joined first by
, then
. They meld rhythms and harmonies from the Caribbean, NOLA, and street funk.
's "Sand Castle Headhunter" is the set's longest jam. It's deeply episodic across nine-and-a-half minutes. The saxophonist provides harmonic guidance as the rhythm section instinctively follows his changes. When not spitting out biting vamps,
's solo offers astonishing motivic ideas as he moves across contemporary jazz, R&B, Afrobeat, and funk while channeling the ghost of
Grover Washington, Jr.
play an interlocked groove in supportive interplay between
. "New Levels -- New Devils" is the set closer. It includes
Ropeadope
signees
Forward Back
, who add vocals, additional keys, and programming at the intersection of 21st century R&B, hip-hop, and funky jazz. There are no weak moments on
: It is all inspiration and groove, as well as early proof that
the Headhunters
would be in top form on their international support tour. ~ Thom Jurek
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