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| HUNTERTONES TO PRESENT AN EXCITING EVENING OF JAZZ-FUNK INSPIRED BY MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD The Vermont Jazz Center is thrilled to present Huntertones on March 8th at 7:30 PM. The members of Huntertones are Dan White (tenor saxophone), Jon Lampley (trumpet and sousaphone), Chris Ott (trombone and beatbox), Josh Hill (guitar), Adam DeAscentis (bass), and John Hubbell (drums). Huntertones is a sextet of musicians who have traveled to over 25 countries. They have collaborated with musicians from South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe as part of a State Department program initiated in 1956 by President Eisenhower "to improve the public image of the US in the light of criticism… around racial inequality and racial tension" (Wikipedia). The original Jazz Ambassadors of the 1950s and '60s included such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck and Louis Armstrong. Huntertones began their first of four state department tours in 2016. The sextet has also toured the world on their own, performing at SF Jazz, the Blue Note clubs in Milan, Tokyo and Shanghai, and numerous festivals, including the Newport Jazz Fest. Huntertones have performed with Jon Batiste on Steven Colbert's Tonight Show, and their three-member frontline horn section has toured with Lake Street Dive, Ricky Martin, Cory Wong and Snarky Puppy. The entire band frequently collaborates with guest artists such as Lionel Loueke, Rachel Price, Akie Bermiss, Louis Cato and Kurt Elling. Huntertones has been touring and recording together for almost 15 years. The six members met while attending the jazz studies program at Ohio State University. They formed a group outside of the general curriculum and quickly became the house band for a series of parties they held at their apartment on Hunter Avenue (hence the name – Huntertones). It's significant to note that Ohio music aficionados proudly consider their state to be "the Mecca of funk." The members of Huntertones grew up immersed in the sounds of funk seminal groups like the Ohio Players, Slave, the Isley Brothers and Zapp. Huntertones' tight rhythm section takes this lineage seriously, but they also look to the danceable grooves of Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown and Prince, Snarky Puppy and Roy Hargrove as major inspirations. The pitch-perfect sound of their three-horn front line is reminiscent of super-groups Chicago and Steely Dan. But when trumpeter Jon Lampley switches over to the sousaphone, their funk ventures in the direction of New Orleans Street music. Maybe that's why Jon Batiste loves them so much, saying that their music is "Honest, genuine, skillfully executed [and] uplifting." Despite the clear influences of funk in this band's sound, it's still easy to perceive Huntertones' deep connection to the jazz legacy. Elements of their compositions can be traced back to Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and gospel legend, James Cleveland. Their varied sets embrace funk, gospel, hard bop and straight-ahead jazz, but they also enjoy cleverly arranged mashups of surprising pop tunes from the songbooks of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Queen. Members of Huntertones often speak of the inspiration they received during their tours with the State Department. They feel privileged to have shared meals and created music with people from around the world. They thrive on incorporating the rhythms, timbres and musicians' voices that they have encountered on the road. This is most evident in their album, Passport which features Zimbabwean Mbira player Hope Masike, and Irish fiddler, Fergal Scahill. When asked for an example of one of their most moving experiences touring, saxophonist Dan White recalled a 10-day tour to Togo, West Africa. He said that the band was transformed through the experience of witnessing the inseparable connection that exists between music and dance in African culture. "We would jam together every day sharing ideas with each other, playing over the traditional Agbadjah rhythms… but the biggest thing [we experienced] was the humanity of making music together. Music was our lifeline and the way that we connected with other people." When asked to summarize their music, trumpeter Jon Lampley said: "High energy, horn-driven, danceable, and up-tempo. We are a band that very much thrives on playing live…you can't really replace the energy of the six of us playing in a room reacting with each other." Lionel Loueke, guitarist with Herbie Hancock, sums up their vibe well: "Soulful, tasty and groovy. I dare you not to dance or be in a good mood during and after listening to this beautiful music." The front line of Huntertones consists of tenor saxophone, trumpet (doubles on sousaphone), and trombone (doubles on beatbox). In the initial phase of the band, trumpeter Jon Lampley joined up with Dan White (tenor) and Chris Ott (trombone) forming the Dan White Group, a precursor to the Huntertones. After the band moved to NY, Lampley met with Jon Batiste and was asked to join Batiste's "Stay Human, " the original house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Lampley is also a member of Cory Wong's "Wongnotes, " has toured with the platinum-selling rock band O.A.R. and has joined with artists like Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon. His discography includes recordings with Jon Batiste, O.A.R., Lake Street Dive and Jacob Collier. Trombonist and beatboxer Chris Ott has toured or recorded with Ricky Martin, Kurt Elling, Lake Street Dive, Charlie Hunter, Cory Wong, and Umphrey's McGee. His recording credits include work with Jacob Collier, the Jonas Brothers, Lawrence, and Allen Stone. Saxophonist Dan White has performed with Vulfpeck, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Allen Stone, Andy Grammer, and O.A.R. His work has been recognized by Downbeat Magazine, NPR Music, and featured on NPR and the Huffington Post. White has written over 200 arrangements for various ensembles including brass bands, big bands, marching bands, and orchestras. While visiting Nigeria, Huntertones were interviewed on national TV. A quote from trumpeter Jon Lampley from their conversation that day sums up their exciting journey: "Music is something that equalizes all of us… Just like food or sports or environmentalism, music is something that we all share and reminds us of our humanity and our equality. I think music is something that's beautiful that brings us together to celebrate our differences and similarities." Come listen to Huntertones on March 8th, at 7:30 PM. This concert will likely sell out, so purchase your tickets early. The VJC is especially grateful for the sponsorship of Dave Snyder of Guilford Sound. Guilford Sound is one of the Jazz Center's major supporters, they truly believe that the arts are essential to bringing the community together. Their generous contributions are what make VJC concerts affordable for all; their sponsorship allows for reduced-price admission to VJC concerts and subsidizes free admission for local music students. The VJC is also thankful for the ongoing support from the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. VJC publicity is underwritten by the Brattleboro Reformer and the Commons. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |