Gerry Hundt Trio – One More For Me
Self Released
10 tracks/32 minutes
Born in Wisconsin, raised in Rockford, Illinois and now based out of Chicago, Gerry takes his music seriously. He’s played with many bands, has toured the US and all around the world, and remains solidly rooted in the blues music that he loves.
Gerry handles guitar, vocals, harmonica and mandolin. Renaud Lesire (bass, vocals and harp) and Tom Leihnert (drums) round out his trio as they deliver blues tinged with all sorts of other great musical styles
They open with “Pimenta,” a spicy instrumental that hearkens to the hot sauce and pepper it’s named after. Gerry gets a Bo Diddley groove going and delivers a poignant performance as he picks out some pretty stuff on guitar. Then it’s “Caught In The Middle” with howling vocals and strident guitar in the Westside style of Lil Ed. He and the band do some call and response as they deliver a powerhouse cut.
The rocking “Pretty Baby” is next, a mid tempo-ed song ready to get the party started. Hundt offers some impassioned vocals and hot guitar licks for the listener to enjoy. Gerry breaks out his mandolin for Johnny Young’s “Kid Man Blues” done in an old school style. There’s some slick harp here to savor, too.
Renaud plays harp on the dual harp boogie “Ruby Doobie,” a fun number. Gerry and Renaud play off each other in this cool and funky little piece. Eddie C. Campbell’s “Runnin’ Wild” is next, a sweet instrumental track with some funk melded into the blues. Gerry picks out some really nice stuff on guitar here.
Next is “I’m Gone,” something Gerry has reworked and offered up to appreciative listeners. It’s got a great groove and Hundt sings with vibrant passion as he tells his baby it’s too late and he’s gone. The mandolin returns on Tampa Red’s “Rambler’s Blues” done in a unique manner. It’s a winner!
Hundt offers a new cut inspired by his news watching entitled “Strange Things Happening,” sort of a follow-on to his 2006 song “Since Way Back.” His electric guitar resonates with power as he offers up a great new number. Gerry finishes with “End of the Day Blues,” a song he first recorded on mandolin in 2007. Here the guitar takes over on the instrumental with a greasy and guttural performance attributed to a “full Earl Hooker treatment.” It’s beautiful and hard core slow blues.
Hundt recorded this in Luxembourg with a pair of Belgian and Luxembourg natives whose resumes are quote impressive. Gerry is the ultimate musician and entertainer; whether it’s he alone as his one man band or with an ensemble of musicians, he always delivers inspired and nuanced performances. He can sound like it’s authentically a hundred years ago or it’s 2026 or any time in between. In front of a band or on the side: it doesn’t matter– one notices his astounding musicianship in everything he does. This is a superb album and I highly recommend it!
