''Give Thanks to Chank'' is an album by

Col. Bruce Hampton Bruce Hampton (born Gustav Valentine Berglund III; April 30, 1947 – May 1, 2017) was an American musician. He was a key figure in the Atlanta, Georgia music scene, mentoring numerous other musicians who became national stars. His own musical ...

and

The Quark Alliance Col. Bruce & The Quark Alliance is a band formed in 2006 by musician Bruce Hampton that recorded and toured through 2010. Hampton has been a part of the Southern music scene since the 1960s fronting such acts as The Hampton Grease Band, The Late Br ...

. It was recorded at Rush Hour Studios and Tree Sound Studios in Georgia, and was released in 2007 by Brato Ganibe. On the album, Hampton is joined by guitarist Jeff Caldwell, bassist Kris Dale, and drummer Mark Letalien. Guitarist

Grant Green Jr. Gregory Green, known professionally as Grant Green Jr., is a jazz guitarist and the eldest son of jazz guitarist Grant Green. He is a member of the group Masters of Groove with Bernard Purdie and Reuben Wilson. Born in St Louis, Missouri on Au ...

and organist

Ike Stubblefield Isaac Larry Stubblefield (June 7, 1952 – June 20, 2021) was an American musician, who performed with a wide array of artists on Hammond B3 organ. Musical career Born in Toledo, Ohio, Stubblefield started his career in 1968 playing keyboard ...

make guest appearances on one track. ''Give Thanks to Chank'' pays tribute to Hewell "Chank" Middleton, the "muse, crisis responder, aide-de-camp, valet, wing-man, and confidante" of

The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...

and a close friend of

Gregg Allman Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman Br ...

. Allman wrote the song "Win, Lose or Draw," recorded on the 1975 album of the same name, about Middleton. The track titled "Susan T" is dedicated to singer and guitarist

Susan Tedeschi Susan Tedeschi (; born November 9, 1970) is an American singer and guitarist. A multiple Grammy Award nominee, she is a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a conglomeration of her band, her husband Derek Trucks’ and other musicians. Early li ...

, while "Threnody to the Victims of Louisiana" refers to

Krzysztof Penderecki Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki (; 23 November 1933 – 29 March 2020) was a Polish composer and conductor. His best known works include ''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', Symphony No. 3, his '' St Luke Passion'', ''Polish Requiem'', ''A ...

's "

Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima (''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for 52 string instruments'') , other_name = , year = , catalogue = , period = Contemporary, postmodernism , genre = Sonorism, avant-gard ...

Reception

A reviewer for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

described the Quark Alliance as "undoubtedly a jam band, but one with spasmodic guitar flashes that suggest a newfound affinity for free-jazz stalwarts such as Nels Cline and Marc Ribot," and wrote: "Hampton has once again reinvented himself for a new generation's taste in noodles and licks. ''Give Thanks to Chank'' is an impressive record and one to file... next to the likes of Captain Beefheart in your collection."

Creative Loafing Creative Loafing is an Atlanta-based publisher of a monthly arts and culture newspaper/magazine. The company publishes a 60,000 circulation monthly publication which is distributed to in-town locations and neighborhoods on the first Thursday of ...

's Scott Freeman praised the album's "strong musicianship and songs that often seem like Flannery O'Connor transported into a Zappa soundtrack," and stated: "The Colonel is back, and as lovably eccentric as ever." Bob Felberg, writing for Leeway's Homegrown Music Network called the album "a definite treat," and commented: "Virtuosity and quirkiness... are here in spades... If you are ready for some different-yet-satisfying music, check out ''Give Thanks to Chank''. It's good for what ails you."

Track listing

# "Give Thanks to Chank" (Hampton) – 5:08 # "It's Not Over" (Caldwell) – 4:30 # "Nicole" (Caldwell) – 3:37 # "Susan T" (Hampton) – 3:47 # "I'm Not Listening" (Caldwell) – 3:47 # "Them Dickinson Boys" (Hampton, Caldwell, Dale, Letalien) – 5:15 # "You Hold Me the Best" (Caldwell) – 3:18 # "The Den is in Heaven" (Hampton, Caldwell, Dale, Letalien) – 1:36 # "All Simplicity" (Caldwell) – 4:10 # "Open the Door" (Caldwell) – 4:00 # "Talk So Loud" (Caldwell) – 3:17 # "Lanerville" (Hampton, Caldwell, Dale, Letalien, Stubblefield, Green) – 13:18 # "Threnody to the Victims of Louisiana" (Hampton) – 7:49

Personnel

– guitar, harmonica, vocals * Jeff Caldwell – guitar, vocals * Kris Dale – bass * Mark Letalien – drums *

– guitar (track 12) *

– organ (track 12)

References

{{Reflist 2007 albums Southern rock albums