Ron Carter's
elegant, sophisticated and delicate tone, as well as his extraordinary sense of
timing, have informed generations of bassists and have had a tremendous impact
on the musical genre as a whole.
My Personal
Songbook is the first recording of the grand master's original compositions
performed by an extended orchestra to be released. This exceptional recording
took place in January 2013, when Carter appeared with The WDR Big Band in
Cologne. Three acclaimed concerts with The WDR Big Band in Geneva, Zürich, and
Essen followed and strengthened the master bassist's wish to extend the
collaboration.
Naturally,
The WDR Big Band acceded to his wish, because apart from the fact that Carter
is one of the leading bassists in the history of jazz, the musical vibes
between the WDR Big Band and the famed guest soloist were highly compatible
from the start. One may wonder why such a diligent musician as Carter did not
work with the large format before; it was only in 2011 that he formed a big
band of his own. With the WDR Big Band and the album My Personal Songbook, he
goes further in presenting himself as a brilliant double bass player and
innovative soloist.
Being cast
with truly exquisite soloists, the WDR Big Band is a perfect match for Carter,
who is full of praises: "It honors a radio station to insist on this music
and to make such a large band format happen. Being professional, flexible and
having the brilliant musicality of these musicians also add to this
project." Carter chose ten pieces for the project, which were, and still
are, of tremendous influence in his life. Richard DeRosa, principal conductor
of The WDR Big Band, contributed the arrangements for his orchestra. The result
is a sound which pays attention to the lush big band tone as well as to the
sophisticated solo parts and allows both to fully bloom. An extra highlight is
the additional DVD with tracks as well as film footage.
Carter was
born on May 4th, 1937, and at the age of ten, very shortly after he started to
play the cello, he switched to the double bass. After his collaboration on the
Gil Evans's masterpiece, "Out Of The Cool," he became recognized by
wider audiences in 1960. In '63, he achieved international recognition, playing
with jazz legend Miles Davis' second quintet, of which he was a member until
1968.
Carter can
be heard on more than 2,500 recordings. He not only contributed to the jazz
genre, but to the history of the music of the 20th and 21st centuries in
general. Musicians such as Cannonball Adderley, Freddie Hubbard, Quincy Jones,
Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner have appreciated his exquisite tone and
professional craftsmanship during his illustrious career. His extraordinary
bass lines have also contributed to hip hop music, in particular A Tribe Called
Quest's The Low End Theory, ushering Carter in as a front line
supporter/recognizer of the jazz/hip-hop convergence.
Milestones
of his truly exceptional, vital and multifaceted career are on the set list. It
is Carter's virtuosic technique, his sensitivity for sounds and his brilliantly
performed timing that make his bass voice so outstanding and classic. Carter
guarantees consistency and premium quality. Since the early 1960s, when he was
part of the Miles Davis Quintet, he tirelessly goes for the utmost perfect
double bass sound. That is why colleagues, experts and audiences alike have
appreciated Carter for decades.
No comments:
Post a Comment