Tucker Brothers: Live at Chatterbox

Chatterbox is a nightspot in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Tucker brothers (Joel, guitar; Nick, bass) homegrown siblings whose weekly gig at Chatterbox serves essentially as their home base. The brothers lead a quartet on this concert date, with tenor saxophonist Sean Imboden and drummer Carrington Clinton rounding out the group.

Joel Tucker is the latest in a long line of splendid Indy-based guitarists that started more than seventy-five years ago with the legendary Wes Montgomery. Coincidentally, Wes Montgomery had a brother, Monk, who played bass—and another, Buddy, who played piano and vibes. As far as we know, there are no more Tucker brothers waiting in the wings. Another prominent bassist, the late Ben Tucker, is not related.

The Tuckers and their teammates do the best they can to give the audience its money's worth, presenting seven numbers in a panoramic fifty-seven minute live date that includes such well-known melodies as Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark," Juan Tizol's "Caravan" and the lovely Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz standard, "You and the Night and the Music." The other themes—"Shakshuka," "Mantra," "Away," "Rhythm Changed"—are original compositions whose authors are unnamed.

Everyone plays well—that is to say, at a professional level—especially the brothers who must have done some woodshedding together before striking out on their own. Joel's approach is sharp and nimble, and the same can be said of Nick who keeps splendid time and solos with assurance. Imboden's tenor is on a par with what one might hear in many concerts across the country, while Clinton's timekeeping is admirable and by and large unintrusive. A generally engaging concert performance by four lesser-known but no less able and hard-working musicians.