Rock Stars of Jazz

The term “supergroup” is usually applied to rock bands, featuring members from other popular bands. But in the case of Gradual Lean, it’s a supergroup made up of some of Charleston’s most accomplished jazz musicians. And they didn’t really come from other big name bands to form this supergroup. Instead they came from Gradual Lean to then go on to do super things in their own right.
Not that drummer Quentin Baxter, guitarist Lee Barbour, bassist Kevin Hamilton, and trumpeter Charlton Singleton were unknowns before Gradual Lean formed in the early 2000s, but their regular gigs at the Mezzané downtown above Sermet’s seem to be a springboard that helped each individual member grow into the respected musicians they are today.
“For me, Mezzané was a place for me to work out the ideas I was practicing and really shaped the type of musician I became,” says Barbour. “Straight ahead jazz didn’t really work there. I studied that in school, but I learned how to adapt that to the vibe, which was very energetic and bohemian … Mezzané was the main backdrop of my life as a 20-something aspiring guitarist and I love that so many of my friends are still here and remember it as fondly as I do.”
Barbour recalls that those were the days before the 2 a.m. bar ordinance, when they wouldn’t go on until midnight and play until about 4 a.m. It was these epic shows that helped Gradual Lean develop a loyal fanbase. Many of whom will be showing up Tuesday, July 28 when Barbour, Baxter, Hamilton, and Singleton will get together for a special show as part of Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge’s Tuesday Night Jazz Series.
According to Barbour, Gradual Lean still gets together to play a handful of shows a year. And when they do it’s a special occasion, not only for fans, but for the members of the band too. The talented quartet has played together so many times over the years that he says it doesn’t take long for them to gel.
“If we have new material, we will usually rehearse the day of a show at soundcheck for an hour or two. If not, we trust that we can draw from our older repertoire without rehearsal,” says Barbour, who started a production/licensing company last year called Avant Garage, creating custom music for television, film, and commercials. “I’m scoring my first feature film right now and I’m a part of a group that is about to launch Charleston’s first low-power FM community radio station, 96.3 FM Ohm Radio.” Ohm Roadio will officially hit the airways Aug. 1.
Additionally, Bourbar says Gradual Lean will be releasing its first-ever CD in the next couple of months. “In fact, you will be able to hear a few tracks on Aug. 1 on Ohm Radio’s launch day. Stay tuned …”
Gradual Lean Voodoo’s Tuesday Night Jazz Series on Tuesday, July 28 from 8-11 p.m. Cover is $3 at the door. Voodo is located at 15 Magnolia Road. For more information, call 769-0228 or visit www.voodootikibar.com.