Fresh off their latest release, the critically acclaimed Whatever It Takes on Dap-Tone Records, vintage soul favorites The James Hunter Six made their way through Portland, Oregon on May 26 for a show at the Aladdin Theater. With no opening act, the show would be quick and to the point with the band playing a tight 90-minute set. The crowd was happy to get right down to business and soak up James Hunter’s blue-eyed soul.
Wasting no time, the British crooner and his talented band kicked off the evening with the lively boogie of “If That Don’t Tell You”. Jumping into the title track off the new album, the band laid down a mellow, feel-good groove reminiscent of old ska before livening things up with a take on “(Baby) Hold On” that featured wild interplay of saxophone and guitar and driving audience members into the aisles dancing. The mood stayed high with “Let the Monkey Ride”, a tune that showcased Hunter’s silky smooth vocals. Throughout the show, there was little question that Hunter’s voice was the star in the way it pulls at the heartstrings and brings to mind the golden era of soul when acts like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding used their powerful vocals to command adoring audiences. The dapper singer is no slouch on guitar either with subtle yet skillful solos that occasionally soar, like during an especially huge cover of The “5” Royales classic “Baby Don’t”, and the whole band showed off their instrumental prowess during the surf-rock-meets-soul tune “Satchelfoot”. Instead of showing off dramatic dance moves like the soul legends he emulates with his voice, it was all about the footwork with Hunter. With his bottomless supply of shimmies and struts, it was as entertaining to watch his feet as it was to watch him sing.
Hunter’s band also had plenty of moments to bust out, laying into viciously funky organ solos or dueling saxophone solos whenever possible. The solos kept the energy high and loose, balancing out the more tender moments when it was mostly Hunter singing. When Hunter and his band bid goodnight, it felt like the night was young. The crowd pulled them back with a standing ovation and they returned to the stage once more. They danced along as the band grooved through a couple more songs, savoring one last taste of that sweet sweet soul music. Compared to other acts in the modern-yet-retro soul movement, James Hunter is still a bit of a secret, but those that came to see him in Portland on Saturday were definitely in on the secret.
