Featuring local guitar heroes John Schott and Will Bernard -- that's 20 strings altogether, counting Hunter's own custom-made eight-stringer -- T.J. Kirk was anchored by drummer Scott Amendola, who more than ably offset all that twanging with his deft, groove-laden rhythms. At its best, the band not only found ways to open up Brown-esque soul epics like "Get on the Good Foot" with exhilarating, extended jams, but also managed to make butt-shaking boogies out of Kirk and Monk standards such as "Four in One." For that reason, T.J. Kirk is best experienced live, and for the first time in six years, Hunter has revived the quartet on the occasion of a new album (recorded live at a 1997 show), to be released soon on Rope a Dope Records. This concert is a rare opportunity for fans to sample some vintage Bay Area jazz-funk fusion, and see for themselves what all the fuss was about.
