Gerry Hundt Trio – One More For Me
This showcase gets off to a bright melodic start with “Pimenta” (hot sauce/pepper) a short instrumental tune reminiscent of the great instrumentals that charted in the ‘60s. It has the feel of a little soundtrack-type application to either a TV show or film. It’s a well-arranged piece that will stick in the ears & that’s a good thing.
Vocals come in with a guitar attack with shards of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Dick Dale, & Duane Eddy, all applied energetically & with verve. And while the Gerry Hundt vocals are strong, they’re not necessarily distinctive. But Gerry has a character in his tone. “Caught In the Middle” is a muscular piece & so is the rocking “Pretty Baby,” with its nostalgic swipe played with equal emphasis. There’s almost a Z.Z. Top groove to it if it weren’t mixed with a Fabulous Thunderbirds blues squeeze. But when the guitars kick in they sound like The Del Lords (“Dream Come True”) & they’ve done it quite impressively.
The trio smokes with these retro-oriented arrangements & sound. But they never sound vintage. Rooted in another era, they miraculously recreate the sound fresh & invigorating. As if simply applying lots of polish to the pieces. That’s creative.
This is clearly a rock ‘n’ roll/blues tinted collection that’s splendid. Nothing’s tossed off with retro silliness. It’s not an oldie-inflected album, just a collection of songs that wear the past well with a modern flair. The songs are carefully composed, performed & unadorned except for the precise playing. The musicians know their subject on this 10-track recorded live in the studio in Luxembourg for One More For Me (Drops Sept. 18/Independent/32:31) produced by Gerry Hundt (guitar/mandolin/harmonica) & Tom Lehnert (drums). The trio is made up of a Luxembourg native (Tom), a Belgium native (Renaud) & a Chicagoan (Gerry). Amazing cast of musicians.
Tunes like “Ruby Doobie” have a thick Paul Butterfield-low-tuned harmonica application by Renaud Lesire (bass/vocal/harmonica). Nice touch. Their instrumentals are a bit more enticing (for me) than the vocal pieces. The finale “End of the Day Blues” is saturated in wah-wah but it’s quite absorbing. Almost in a Jimi Hendrix spirit. It’s an interesting set of songs all performed with taste & vitality.
Highlights – “Pimenta,” “Caught In the Middle,” “Pretty Baby,” “Ruby Doobie” & “End of the Day Blues.”
Color image courtesy of their Facebook & Website. CD @ Bandcamp & https://gerryhundt.com/gerry-hundt-trio & https://gerryhundt.com/