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| R&B Troubadour James Hunter To Drop His Daptone Records Debut This may be James Hunter's fourth album, but it is his first Daptone record. Produced by Daptone's own Bosco Mann (Gabriel Roth) at Penrose Recorders (Daptone West) near his home in Riverside, California, 'Hold On!' is a perfect portrait of an artist at the top of his game. James Hunter has been on the scene for enough years to acquire plenty of feathers in his cap. Billboard charts, Grammy nominations, and Van Morrison collaborations aside, he has earned an international reputation as a Rhythm and Blues troubadour for his command of the microphone both on stage and in studio. This album, however, is something far deeper than just another notch in his belt. It is truly an artist's vision come to fruition. Though tunes like "(Baby) Hold On, " "If That Don't Tell You, " and "Stranded" carry the buoyant energy, crackerjack arrangements, and tough soulful pulse for which the band has become renowned, the true treasures of this LP may lie in the deeper grooves. Rumbas, boleros, bossanovas, and easy rockers, each one swinging more than the last: "This Is Where We Came In", "Something's Calling", "A Truer Heart", "Light of My Life", "In The Dark" - no cliched throwback nods to a-time-gone-by here. These are forever songs crafted with immaculate care and ingenuity, sung with an effortless balance of tenderness and grit. Many will be tempted to describe it as "authentic, " but the word really has no place here. Hunter's words are truly his own and though at moments his voice may "evoke" Ray Charles or Sam Cooke, there lies an inherent naturalness in these songs that bucks any comparison past or present. 'Hold On!' Tracklist: 1. If That Don't Tell You 2. This Is Where We Come In 3. (Baby) Hold On 4. Something's Calling 5. A Truer Heart 6. Free Your Mind (While You Still Got Time) 7. Light Of My Life 8. Stranded 9. Satchel Foot 10. In The Dark Tour Dates: 02/10 - Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre 02/12 - Sumter, SC @ Sumter Opera House 02/13 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall 02/14 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Broward Center For The Performing Arts 02/15-02/18 - Miami, FL @ Keep the Blues Alive at Sea 02/20 - Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre 02/21 - Orlando, FL @ Plaza Live 02/23 - Washington D.C. @ The Hamilton 02/25 - Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head Tavern 02/26 - Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater 02/27 - Fairfield, CT @ Stage One Fairfield Theatre 03/01 - New York, NY @ City Winery 03/03 - Pawling, NY @ Daryl's House 03/04 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 03/05 - Uncasville, CT @ Wolf Den write your comments about the article :: © 2015 Jazz News :: home page |