Tonight, Charlie Hunter will provide the State Theatre with an unusual mix of jazz, blues, funk and rock.

The music itself is unconventional, but Hunter's style of performance may be even more unconventional.

Sporting a custom-made eight-string guitar (three bass strings and five guitar strings), he has the ability to play both the rhythm and melody with one instrument.

Factor in up-and-comer Simon Lott on the drums and accomplished pianist Erik Deutsch and it promises to be an impressive evening for musicians and fans of experimental music.

Hunter's alternative approach to the guitar may come from his lessons with guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani while growing up in Berkeley, Calif.

Hunter is grateful, albeit modest, when it comes to his lessons with the expert.

"He was just my local guitar teacher," Hunter said. "He was really great and very inspirational."

It is hard to pigeonhole Hunter's brand of jazz with a particular label.

Some critics have labeled it "acid jazz," much to Hunter's dismay. As a response to those critics, he has given his music the title, "antacid jazz."

Listening to the trio's latest release Copperopolis, one could possibly describe it as experimental post-jazz.

But Hunter prefers to use the most common answer when confronted with the question, "How would you describe your music?"

"I couldn't describe it," Hunter said. "You just have to listen."

Whatever you call it, one thing remains certain: Hunter is good at what he does.

He has been performing since he was 15 with a myriad of performers ranging from hip-hop poet Michael Franti to Jay Lane, the original drummer for Primus, along with many accomplished jazz musicians.

Besides performing with a wide assortment of talented musicians, Hunter's guitar work has appeared on D'Ang-elo's Voodoo and Les Claypool's Highball with the Devil.

Hunter has put out 13 albums of his own.

As far as what to expect from a Charlie Hunter Trio show, Hunter doesn't like to give away too much information.

"They'll have to come down and be a part of it," Hunter said.