Courtesy charliehunter.com

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Think of some of the best cuts from Charlie Hunter's latest CD, "Baboon Strength," this way: They're like updated Stax-era soul, a la Booker T. and the MGs, except Hunter is both guitarist Steve Cropper and bassist Duck Dunn.

That's right. Hunter, who plays a seven-string guitar, does the bass and guitar parts simultaneously. He's a rarity, but he's no novelty. Hunter, who plays Thursday night at Kirk Avenue Music Hall, has been combining the styles and sounds of those instruments for years, playing some very complex jazz music.

But on recent recordings, Hunter is going for something that happens to be more accessible to mainstream listeners. The tunes on "Baboon Strength" can make feet and rumps shake, where his past soul-jazz forays were more head-bobbing, finger-snapping affairs.

Hunter, 42, said he's just going with what feels right to him these days.

"I just see music as, it's just a language," Hunter said. "You learn a lot of language, and you go through these different periods in your evolution, so that you can kind of learn what the best thing is for yourself, you know. And I think I'm finally coming to something where I really am being able to put together all the different kinds of musical things that I've been through, and it makes sense for me.

"It's more fun to play now than ever. Back in the day, when I was coming up in that whole jazz world, it was just all about ... everyone was trying to impress each other in their mid- to late-20s. And so you're just trying to play as much complicated stuff as you can. And whether it's good or not, I don't know.

"That kind of playing is something I associate with my youth, the same way a 70-year-old would associate wearing a miniskirt with her youth."

It's groove central from the jump on "Baboon Strength." Opening cut "Athens" features Hunter's chunky bass/guitar interplay and garage-style keyboard squeals from Eric Deutsch. "Astronaut Love Triangle" is space-funk, propelled by Tony Mason's tough but subtle drum groove. "Difford-Tilbrook" goes midtempo, opening with a figure reminiscent of Squeeze's "Tempted" (by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook) before taking its own path.

Other highlights include a gorgeous, slow, melodic "A Song for Karen Carpenter"; the title cut, like spy music with a psycho-surf drum solo; and "Porter-Hayes," written in honor of Stax Records' hit men David Porter and Isaac Hayes, featuring hot keyboard and guitar solos.

Hunter doesn't need many sidemen to pull off his music. Last time he was here, he brought a trio to Jefferson Center's Fitzpatrick Hall. At Kirk Avenue Music Hall, it will be the Charlie Hunter Duo. The drummer is Eric Kalb, from New York-based funk-rock act Deep Banana Blackout. Kalb is solid as a rock, and funky, of course.

"I don't play with no slouches," Hunter said. "Eric's really got that whole '60s R&B aesthetic, but he also knows the jazz aesthetic as well."

With new tunes and a hot drummer, Hunter is loving life -- no pressure, just groove.

"I think I'm happier playing music than I probably have ever been since I was a teenager," he said. "And I feel like I'm more just playing myself."