James CARTER - Chasin' The Gyspy 2000

James CARTER - Chasin' The Gyspy 2000

Jazz

I've been a fan of James Carter for some years now and own every CD he's recorded. Someone once predicted that Joshua Redman would become the next John Coltrane but, if there is going to be a saxophonist to compare with St. John, my money is on Carter.
It's difficult to pin down what he's doing and where he's going because he is still BECOMING what he will be and I don't think he's established a pattern yet that allows us to predict his next recording efforts. No two of his albums have been the same.

Chasin'The Gypsy just blew me away! I've played it over and over and over again and I still love it for its richness of sound, its depth and multi-layered textures. My favorite Carter album had been The Real Quietstorm, a fascinating collection of ballads done in Carterian fashion, but now it has competition from Gypsy. If you haven't been introduced to Carter yet, start with these two CDs. But if you are a straight-ahead jazz fanatic, as I am for ballads, then try Layin' In The Cut or JC On The Set. It's all beautiful music. So, do yourself a favor and listen to this man!
By Unknown.
**
For Chasin' the Gypsy, James Carter enlists violinist (and cousin) Regina Carter, drummer Joey Baron, guitar mainstay Jay Berliner, and several others to tackle this homage to Gypsy guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt. The bustle and muscle are in balance, with accordion, steel-string guitar, bass saxophone, violin, and drums flawlessly chugging through these nine tunes.
By Andrew Bartlet
**
At first glance, jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt might seem an unlikely inspiration for a modern jazz saxophonist. But in referencing the fiery gypsy virtuoso (while employing dual acoustic guitarists), James Carter has fashioned his most compelling, fully formed recital as a leader. While his galloping soprano on the title tune enhances Carter's reputation as fiery technical craftsman (all the more joyous for the torrid exchanges with his cousin, violinist Regina Carter), Chasin' the Gypsy showcases his gifts as a torch player, while deepening his connections to the rich timbres, macho articulations, and swinging romanticism of the pre-bebop saxophone tradition. In the process, he finds provocative new applications for forgotten instruments of the 1920s. On "Oriental Shuffle," he elicits a ripe, bulbous tonality from the F Mezzo--like a soprano sax on steroids--carefully layering taut melodic nuggets until busting out in a Djangoish reverie. Even more satisfying is his portrayal of the classic chestnut "I'll Never Be the Same," in which James matches Regina's soaring lyricism by transforming the ungainly bass saxophone from an ugly duckling into a lithesome swan (as he also does on Django's classic "Nuages," with Charlie Giordano's accordion providing authentic period counterpoint). Fans of Carter's timeless tenor saxophone tone won't be disappointed by the tender inflections marking his intimate performance of "Django's Castle" and an original for his freshly minted baby daughter, "Imari's Lullaby." This is a big step up in class for the young heavyweight.
By Chip Stern.
**
James Carter- Sax (Bass), Sax (Tenor), Sax (Soprano)
Regina Carter- Violin
Charlie Giordano- Accordion
Romero Lubambo- Guitar (Nylon String)
Steve Kirby- Bass
Jay Berliner- Guitar (Steel)
Joey Baron- Drums
Cyro Baptista- Percussion
**
01. Nuages (Clouds) (5:36)
02. La Derniere Bergere (The Last Shepherdess) (6:34)
03. Manoir De Mes Reves  (Django's Castle) (7:30)
04. Artillerie Lourde  (Heavy Artillery) (6:55)
05. Chasin' The Gypsy (4:02)
06. Oriental Shuffle (8:04)
07. I'll Never Be The Same (7:17)
08. Avalon (4;38)
09. Imari's Lullaby (3:49)
**
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James CARTER - JC On The Set 1993

James CARTER - JC On The Set 1993

Jazz

Few jazz albums today can grab hold of the listener as much as this one. More remarkable than this, however, is that James Carter's first effort does have its lesser points, yet still compels and amazes the listener. Perhaps this might be the typical response from a jazz-listening public that is tired of such polished and synthetic works that saturate most of today's radio. Whatever the reason, Carter and his quartet possesses the unique ability to relentlessly please the listenter from every angle. From solo to solo one never knows what will come next, and this vitality makes the work as a whole very worthwhile. Above all else, the album reflects the dynamic talents of a brilliant reeds player who keeps the ears filled with wonderfully creative solos that can -- at times -- even slip into bars from other recognizable melodies (ie, in the first track Carter falls into "Rhapsody in Blue" then glides effortlessly back into his own creation). One also can appreciate Carter's desire to be recognized as a distinctly passionate artist, as reflected by how he tackles Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" with his well-toned and courageous baritone sax. As introductions go, this one is stunning and unforgettable.
By Unknown.
**
James carter is a throwback to the days when saxophonists walked with a certain swagger, had their own signature sounds and didn't need microphones to be heard. What makes his debut, JC on the Set, so remarkable is not a matter of chops but of depth. Carter has a conspicuous gift for the entire post-Coltrane jazz vocabulary and a genuine affection for pre-Charlie Parker saxophone techniques, too.

In fact, Carter seems to play the entire history of the saxophone within a single solo. With unflagging lyricism and commanding sound, he takes flag-waving lines like those in "Baby Girl Blues" or "Lunatic" and evokes the dueling saxophones of a thousand cutting sessions. The effect can be daunting, as he crowds idea upon idea like a crush of blood cells trying to squeeze through one capillary. It is a youthful shortcoming for an such an uncommonly mature musician, but it never undercuts the power of this record, as Carter shows prodigious emotional facility, muscular tone and a stunning sense of swing on tenor, baritone and alto.

Carter covers the Ellington standards "Caravan" and "Sophisticated Lady" on baritone – the latter all suave elegance and lyric restraint, the former visceral, gusty and free – and he suggests the entire Ellington reed section all by his lonesome. On "Hour of Parting" he invokes the pear-shaped romantic inflection of alto giants Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges, while his rendition of unsung tenor giant Don Byas' "Worried and Blues" is husky yet tender in the macho tradition of Coleman Hawkins and his children.

As a composer, James Carter favors the tenor's heraldic blues legacy. On the title tune and "Blues for a Nomadic Princess" he employs old-time slap-tonguing effects one minute and then ascends into the stratosphere with fervent chromatic cries the next – from swing time to no time and back with no loss of focus.

Carter's band is excellent, playing with tremendous grace and integrity. While JC on the Set is an imposing debut, it will be fascinating to see how Carter evolves. But even at this early stage in his development, Carter is the most exciting young saxophonist to arrive on the scene in the past 25 years. (RS 696)
By Chip STERN. Rollingstone.
**
James Carter- Sax (Alto), (Tenor), (Baritone)
Craig Taborn– Piano
Jaribu Shahid– Bass
Tani Tabbal- Drums
**
01.JC on the Set [James Carter] [6:25]
02.Baby Girl Blues [James Carter] [7:47]
03.Worried and Blue [Don Byas] [8:07]
04.Blues for a Nomadic Princess [James Carter] [13:50]
05.Caravan [Duke Ellington & Juan Tizol] [9:43]
06.Hour of Parting [Schiffer & Spoliansky] [8:18]
07.Lunatic [John Hardee] [4:18]
08.Sophisticated Lady [Duke Ellington] [6:41]
**
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