| Funky Jazz |
The Headhunters is a particularly exciting funk/jazz group, whose self-titled debut album dates back to 1975. They have maintained all the freshness and zest for life of that era, along with some sound effects you’ll easily recognize, while developing an original style that seamlessly adapts across generations. *The Stunt Man* was recorded in August 2023 at the legendary Hyde Street Studios, located in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. The album features seven tracks that traverse the group’s eclectic 50-year repertoire, co-led by founding members Bill Summers on percussion and Mike Clark on drums.
Of course, when we mention Summers and Clark, these names aren’t unfamiliar to you—and rightly so. The unique and original musical partnership between Summers and Clark, who recorded on Herbie Hancock’s iconic albums *Head Hunters*, *Thrust*, *Flood*, and *Man-Child* before launching an exceptional five-decade career, has stood the test of time. They have shaped an epic quintet featuring Donald Harrison on saxophone, Kyle Roussel on keyboards, and Chris Severin on bass. The album was produced by Mike Clark, Bill Summers, and Hyde Street Studios’ resident engineer, Chris McGrew.
When you get the chance to listen to such artists, whether on CD or live, you can’t help but feel lucky, able to enjoy everything they’ve learned over so many years on stage, resulting in a work that is delightful to listen to, often based on complex compositions and arrangements. Starting with the title track *The Stunt Man*, an energetic piece driven by a funky synthesizer, the album also includes original compositions like *Sand Castle Headhunters* written by Harrison, and *Attitude of Gratitude* by Roussel. Two timeless jazz standards, George Gershwin’s *Embraceable You* and Wayne Shorter’s *ESP*, are reimagined in new, dynamic forms. Clark takes the spotlight on *Avant Clark*, a spatial track with his jazz drumming, and their label mates Ropeadope’s Forward Back join the band to close the album with a hip-hop collaboration titled *New Levels – New Devils*.
*The Stunt Man* is one of those albums we love, the kind that knows how to combine a form of composition that has become quite classic over time with a captivating modernity and energy that makes you want to get up in the morning with a smile if you hear a few notes from this album, which we can definitely call impressive! After several listens, I often have one or two favorite tracks from an album, but here my problem is that I love all the compositions. It’s like a child seeing a chocolate bar on the table—if the child is greedy, he’ll eat the whole bar until he’s sick, if you know what I mean, because this album has the same effect on me.
This is what’s so exciting about today’s jazz: there’s something for everyone, and it seems to me that it’s the only musical genre that can claim to cast such a wide net. With groups like The Headhunters, the joy is total, and I can’t wait for this album to be released to hear your opinions as listeners, because on our end, it’s certainly a new album that falls into our “Essentials” category.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, September 26th 2024
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