The James Hunter Six

James Hunter is a blue-eyed R&B singer and guitarist who has been active on the London scene since the mid-Eighties. At that time, he was in a band cleverly called Howlin’ Wilf and the Vee Jays. During the Nineties he formed his own band and played in pubs and club. Soon after the turn of the century, word of Mr. Hunter’s fine, fine music finally spread and he has become a significant cult favorite among those who know.

James Hunter’s music is cool. He has obviously been influenced by such R&B legends as Little Willie John, The “5” Royales, Freddie King, Lee Dorsey and Sam Cooke. But when he writes his own songs and when he sings those of others, being British, he adds his own original stamp and is not just a nostalgia act. Hunter recently released a new LP called Minute By Minute produced by Gabriel Roth (Daptone Records, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings) and, as this is being written, Hunter and his band is in the United States touring and promoting it. If he comes to your town, go see him.

On April 22, The James Hunter Six, took his excellent show to the beautiful new Living Room in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus was enlisted to spin records for an after-show party held in the front bar. The party was a gas, with members of the band, and a full Daptone posse, including Mikey Post, Neal Sugarman, Gabriel Roth, Nydia Davila and Sharon Jones in attendance.

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus:

• Jimmy Nolen–Swingin’ Peter Gunn – 1 (Fidelity)
• The Revlons–Ya Ya (Parkway)
• Bobby Bland–Honey Child (Duke)
• Gloria Lynne–I Can’t Stand It (Fontana)
• Freddy King–The Stumble (Federal)
• Ted Taylor–Help the Bear (Atco)
• B.B. King–You’re Still a Square (ABC)
• Gene Allison–Reap What You Sow (Vee-Jay)
• Little Luther–Du Dee Squat (Dot)
• Chuck Berry–I Got to Find My Baby (Chess)
• Harvey and Ann–What Can You Do Now (Harvey)
• Billy Hambric–Talk to Me Baby (Fury)
• Pop Corn & the Mohawks–Shimmy Gully (Motown)
• Montego Joe–Ouch (Prestige)
• Percy Sledge–Sugar Puddin’ (Atlantic)
• Aretha Franklin–Mockingbird (Columbia)
• Bobby Long & the Satelites–Stir It Up (Vegas)
• El Pauling and Royal Abbit–Jail Bird (Federal)
• Howllin’ Wolf–Howlin’ for My Darling (Chess)
• Rufus Thomas–All Night Worker (Stax)
• Joe Tex–I Wanna Be Free (Dial)
• Noel Deschamps–Bumble Bee (RCA Victor – Canada International; Canada)
• Bill Doggett–The Worm (Columbia)
• The Shirelles–Boys (Scepter)
• The ‘5’ Royales–The Real Thing (King)
• Stu Gardner–Stop By Here (United Artists)
• The Miracles–Happy Landing (Tamla)
• James Brown and the Famous Flames–This Old Heart (Federal)
• Johnny Scotton–I’m Not Tired Yet (Twain)
• Roger & the Gypsies–Pass the Hatchet Part 1 (Seven B)
• Lenis Guess–Why Why Why’d She Leave Me? (S.P.Q.R.)
• Joe Simon–The Whoo Pee (Vee Jay)
• Lorenzo Holden–The Wig (Cee-Jam)
• The ‘5’ Royales–Goof Ball (Home of the Blues)
• Sam Hawkins–Hold on Baby (Blue Cat)
• Slim Harpo–I’m a King Bee (Excello)
• Willie Cobbs–You Don’t Love Me (Ruler)
• Little Stevie Wonder–La La La La La (Tamla)
• Booker T. & the MG’s–Boot-Leg (Stax)
• Howard Tate–I’m Your Servant (Verve)
• Ike and Tina Turner–The Hunter (Blue Thumb)
• Margie Hendrix–On the Right Track (Mercury)
• Lola Falana–Working in a Coal Mine (Reprise)
• Johnny Taylor–Strange Things (Happening in My Heart) (Stax)
• Cookie V–You Got the Wrong Girl (Checker)
• John Lee Hooker–I Feel Good (Pt. 1) (Jewel)
• Amos Milburn and His Aladdin Chickenshackers–One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer (Aladdin)
• Ray Bryant Combo (calls by Eddie Morrison)–The Madison Time – Part I (Columbia)
• Booker T. Averhart & the Mustangs–Take Your Shoes Off (Part 1) (Kent)

None of these records are for sale.