Although there is live music to be found here in Madison any night of the week, few shows can boast the musical creativity or talent that Charlie Hunter and Keller Williams promise to bring to the Union Theater this Saturday.
Williams will open the show with his distinct 'one man band' solo performance. Williams literally lives on the road, doing more than 200 shows a year. His music is a combination of bluegrass, funk, reggae and countless other styles. He employs a wide variety of techniques on his guitar to give him a sound all his own. These include creating live sound loops, 'mouth flugelling,' and lightning-quick finger picking.
Headlining Saturday's concert is the Charlie Hunter Quartet, featuring guest vocalist Norah Jones. Though his reputation is as a jazz guitarist, Hunter's sound is infused with Latin, funk and hip-hop. With his custom-built eight-string guitar, Hunter simultaneously functions as bassist and guitarist for the quartet. Norah Jones, a new but promising name in the jazz world, will spice things up for the quartet with her smooth, sultry voice.
Cardinal Arts recently had the opportunity to speak with Keller Williams via telephone.
In the last few years you've been touring with more rock-oriented bands like Phil and Friends, String Cheese, and moe. On this tour you'll be with Charlie Hunter and Norah Jones, both of whom are signed to Blue Note. What prompted this jazzy combination?
Well, I have been a huge fan of Charlie Hunter for the past couple years. I've never seen anyone or heard anyone play an eight-string guitar'five guitar strings, three bass strings'before Charlie, ever.... My management knows how much I love Charlie Hunter and they know that I want to see him'a lot. So they kind of made it happen where I can get in for free.
In the future, what other artists'of any style'would you like to see yourself touring with?
I think that just one time in my life I'd like to open for Dave Matthews'maybe in a giant stadium type of thing [laughs]. ... I'd also like to play with Trey Anastasio and, oh, there's lots of other bands I'd like to play with just for the sake of getting in free and being able to watch the band from a close angle.
Do you think that any on-stage collaborations [with Charlie Hunter] might happen?
Honestly, I would say no. ... We're both kind of into our own thing. I will definitely be inviting him, and if he cares to come on stage and play with me then yeah, it'll happen. It's hard to say right now. ... but I certainly hope it happens at least once in the 10 or 11 shows that we do.
As you said, you have your own [solo performance] thing. Have you ever done much with a band, or do you ever see yourself possibly doing a tour as a part of one?
In high school and college I went through a few different bands. I have five records out, and the first four records were done with a band setting. My most recent record, which is not out yet'it's coming out in February'that was done with Tye North [of Leftover Salmon] on bass and Dave Watts on drums. ... I was lucky enough to have them on the project, but I don't think that I'll be taking out a band any time soon. It seems to be working as a solo, and I enjoy the freedom and the simplicity as a solo.
How would you say your upcoming album compares to the last couple?
I think I'm definitely growing into my style a little more. I'm finding my niche. I think the production on it is a little bit slicker. It's slightly more sophisticated, musically, and as far as the arrangements go. The lyrics are slightly more meaningful, except it's still kind of tongue-in-cheek. I'm... trying not to take it so seriously. Trying to make people laugh'and think'rather than bring people into the world of misery. ... I'm feeling happiness, I'm feeling good. And I think that's coming through in my music, too. I think it's another good feeling kind of record.
When you talk about growing into your sound...what musicians would you say have influenced you the most in developing it?
First and foremost would be Michael Hedges. He is the biggest musical influence in my world, being that he is a solo acoustic player. Leo Kottke is definitely a huge influence'Victor Wooten, he is a huge influence in the sense of his hammer-ons'Stanley Jordan, Martin Sexton, Ani diFranco, Charlie Hunter is a huge influence.
Have you been working with any new gadgets or techniques since loop was put out?
As far as techniques and gadgets go, no. With the money I make I tend to buy guitars. I'm traveling with eight guitars, and I've purchased three guitars this year alone, two of them being baritone guitars: one baritone six-string and a baritone 12-string. ... I also bought an eight-string guitar like what Charlie Hunter plays. I've kind of been rehearsing in public, playing one song on it during my set. But the eight-string guitar will not appear on the stage during this Charlie Hunter run.
One last question. If you could go back and catch a live performance of any musician, past or present, that you never got to see, who would it be?
[Pauses] Bob Marley, definitely Bob Marley. I'd like to see Jaco Pastorius as well. And, who else? That's a great question. Django Reinhardt would be interesting to see up close. Maybe Bob Marley, Django Reinhardt, and Jaco Pastorius in the same group [laughs].
