James Carter

[jersey_mike]

I don't recall seeing him mentioned here. He's a contemporary player, rather young, and his 'Live at Piano Lounge" recording simply blows me away. The lounge is in Detroit, Michigan and I've read that some of the all time great sax players from that city (he's from there as well) played the shows. Some tracks have 4 saxes going at once while one track has 2 players simultaneously improvising. The whole thing is very bluesy (MY kind of music) with a bit of funk tossed in and one track, "Sack of Dreams", can still bring me to tears after numerous listenings.

 

[jersey_mike]

oops--that should be 'Sack Full of Dreams'

 

[jersey_mike]

also that's James Carter--saxophone player--not to be confused with our former president with the same name. this is compared to Bill Clinton, both former president and saxophone player (though he's probably not much better than me at this point) 😛

 

[spike]

One of my faves, got a few of his albums, prefer his more progressive/aggressive stuff like "JC on the Set" "Layin' in the Cut" and - what's it called - "Jurassic Classic". Amazing technician, although generally restrained, often uses every available acoustical sound effect that you can get out of a horn, resulting in (robbed quote) "fiery explosions and colourful tonal distortions". There was nice vid on youtube a while back of him and josh redman at the carnegie hall, unfortuneately has gone in the meantime. Don't know "Sackfull of Dreams" will have to look out for it. gruss - spike

 

[monsieursax]

James Carter is insane - in a very good way.

Layin in the Cut is quite good.

For James with some other veterans, give "Conversing with tht Elders" a listen.

 

[Simon]

James is the man... incredibly talented on all saxes. heard him play live last year at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival along with Ravi Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Terence Blanchard... he blew them all away (Ravi sounded meek)

Check him on the soundtrack for 'Kansas City' by Robert Altman, and hear him outplay Joshua Redman...

The best!

Simon

 

[tengu01]

Hey guys, I saw the youtube Kansas City clash with Joshua Redman, I'm not sure it is actually James Carter he battles as far as I am aware. I've heard it is actually a dude named Craig Handy.

James Carter is sitting in the middle with a Bari.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOm8R1EubFg

All corrections welcome

 

[Linky Lee]

On the you tube video which one is which? I prefer the guy who takes his jacket off. Seriously good stuff!

 

[tengu01]

The second soloist is Joshua Redman, thus, now I have got far enough into the video, the other guy must be Craig Handy. Awesome playing.

I keep wondering how long it'll be before I can rip up a battle like that....(actually, I might be better off spending more time shedding instead of wondering 🙂 )

 

[suethesax]

I love James Carter - look at this on bass sax:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7TuPsOBUM

 

[tengu01]

spike wrote:
One of my faves, got a few of his albums, prefer his more progressive/aggressive stuff like "JC on the Set" "Layin' in the Cut" and - what's it called - "Jurassic Classic". Amazing technician, although generally restrained, often uses every available acoustical sound effect that you can get out of a horn, resulting in (robbed quote) "fiery explosions and colourful tonal distortions". There was nice vid on youtube a while back of him and josh redman at the carnegie hall, unfortuneately has gone in the meantime. Don't know "Sackfull of Dreams" will have to look out for it. gruss - spike

Restrained isn't the first word I think of when I think of James Carter but he is indeed awesome. I found a really interesting article about him when he was still a precocious teenager, shredding all and sundry around him: "James Carter Ruined My Life". Very amusing

http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~bucheger/JamesCarterRuinedMyLife.html

 

[Jules]

I've just heard a superb it of soloing by James Carter on a "Phil Collins Big Band" CD we've got at work (nothing to do with me guv). JC on tenor delivering a massively high energy solo which gets progressivley more out there and dissonant as it progresses- lots of rhythmically heavy altissimo screams and low honks interspersing some great funk riffing. Awesome solo- slightly 'cartoony' and verging on what I'd personally call Jazz-Punk.
Basically, is this how James Carter normally plays? If so, any recommendations for CDs?

 

[suethesax]

I have Jurassic Classics and The Real Quietstorm and can recommend both. I love his playing - there are lots of goos clips of hin on YouTube or check this out on Blinkx
http://www.blinkx.com/video/joshua-redman-vs-james-carter-live-at-carnegie-hall/zuPyqa1BpgO9nEJ9uMMCFg

Wouldn't you love to have been sitting behind that going on? I would.

 

[chris_s]

James Carter is an amazing player. My first of his albums was 'In Carterian Fashion.'

I also enjoy the Live at Baker's Keyboard Lounge recording. If it's the one I'm thinking of. Starts with a track called 'Tricotism.'

He's one of the few 'young lions' that sound fresh to my ears.