Jazz Articles about Charnett Moffett

Charnett Moffett: The Art of Improvisation

by Francis Lo Kee
May 17, 2009

A fascinating recording, The Art of Improvisation is as mysterious as it is a showcase for the formidable bass playing skills of its leader Charnett Moffett; his playing on electric and acoustic basses has a grounded, vocal quality--he always seems to be singing through his instruments.

Even when he is playing a fusillade of notes (and Moffett does have fleet fingers), the feel of various folk musics (Asian, Middle Eastern, African, even Celtic) are invoked, as heard through both parts ...

Charnett Moffett: Internet

by AAJ Italy Staff
July 11, 2006

Sono trascorsi nove anni dall’esordio discografico di Charnett Moffett, successivamente distintosi nel ruolo di valente contrabbassista di Ornette Coleman e McCoy Tyner. Per quel che riguarda il suo nono CD da leader, due distinte chiavi di lettura si impongono all’attenzione del recensore, chiamato a valutare sia la brillantezza espressiva dei musicisti che la bontà del progetto. Ragguardevoli sono le doti squisitamente solistiche di Moffett, caratterizzate da due tratti salienti: una tagliente incisività al contrabbasso, accompagnata da un fraseggio poderoso e ...

Charnett Moffett: Internet

by Ernest Barteldes
June 2, 2006

Every now and then a bassist emerges as a front man and the instrument takes a whole new personality. Such is the case on Internet, where Charnett Moffett wrote every tune but one, an effects-laden take on “The Star Spangled Banner" obviously inspired by Jimi Hendrix. Moffett uses acoustic, electric, fretless and piccolo basses (often more than one at a time) and explores the limits as he goes along. Listen to the playfulness of “Icon Blues," a ...

Charnett Moffett: For the Love of Peace

by Terrell Kent Holmes
October 19, 2004

Bassist extraordinaire Charnett Moffett has mined all his musical and familial influences in his latest release, For the Love of Peace, which enjoyed an official and successful CD release event at Jazz Standard a few months back. Joining him on the disc is the Moffett Family Band featuring brothers Codaryl Cody Moffett (drums/percussion) and Mondre Moffett (trumpet/ fluegelhorn), sister Charisse (vocals) and wife Angela (spoken word). Pianist Scott Brown plays on most tracks sharing the duties with J.S. (presumably executive ...

Charnett Moffett: For The Love Of Peace

by Jim Santella
May 1, 2004

Charnett Moffett inspires his audience and praises the Lord on this spiritual jazz message. Blending Far Eastern music with the kind of gospel message that we've all grown to know and to love, the bassist and his close-knit band “preach" to the world in a universal language.

Charisse Moffett, his sister, adds uplifting, wordless vocals, as Mondre, his brother, reminds us of what is at the core of jazz. The pianist for “The Shepherd," identified as J.S., gives ...

Conversation with Charnett Moffett

by Franz A. Matzner
October 28, 2003

Charnett Moffett is an extraordinary bassist. Some might say this is no surprise. After all, not only is he the son of percussionist Charles Moffett, but he also received musical training from an entire family of musicians, all of whom played together in the Moffett family band since Charnett was barely able to walk. He had already studied the drums and the trumpet before turning to the bass. He must have made this transition sometime before reaching the age of ...

Charnett Moffett: Planet Home

by Franz A. Matzner
June 25, 2003

Released in 1995, Charnett Moffett's Planet Home represents a tremendous musical accomplishment. Coming from a successful musical family, Moffett has been playing the bass since early childhood, and he has been recognized on the scene for quite some time as a master of the instrument. What Moffett had yet to do prior to Planet Home was delineate just what he was going to do with all the technique and experience he'd accumulated at such a young age. Evidently, he intends ...