B. Goren. Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Clarinet is not my favorite instrument in jazz, but John Carter is a different story. Of course I like his playing but more than that I like his compositions and especially his 5 suites project about the history of the black Americans. I find his compositions very sophisticated and the music sounds very emotional. I am not such an expert in the jazz history but in my humble opinion it was one of the interesting and important projects of 80s. Marty Ehrlich, Bobby Bradford, Richard Davis, Benny Powell & James Newton provide more reasons to listen to these five suites. Anybody else share with me the same opinion??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 i really like a disc he did called "Fields" on Gramavision, I think it was part of a folk series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relyles Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 (edited) John Carter is a favorite. Fields was one of the five part series. The best may have been Castles of Ghana. Carter was a very interesting composer which is highlighted on these recordings. As a clarinetist, some of Carter's best playing may have been on Horace Tapscott's Dark Tree. I also enjoyed the early stuff Carter did with Bobby Bradford and his work with Clarinet Summit. Edited May 7, 2004 by relyles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted May 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 As a clarinetist, some of Carter's best playing may have been on Horace Tapscott's Dark Tree. Absolutely agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 As a clarinetist, some of Carter's best playing may have been on Horace Tapscott's Dark Tree. Absolutely agree. agreed here too. Penguin give it a crown if I recall correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 (edited) This has always been a personal favorite: West Coast Hot Carter's on alto more than clarinet here, but he sounds fine on both horns. The amazing thing to me about the Carter/Bradford session here is how strong a band this quartet was. The "rhythm" section of Bruz Freeman (Von's brother) on drums and Tom Williamson on bass has got to be one of the most savagely under-documented and under-recognized duos in the history of the music. These guys can play. This group's inevitable comparison to Ornette Coleman's quartet seems both fair and unfair. Sure, these guys knew (and recorded with) Ornette, but they were also making their own music, which was particularly distinctive when Carter picked up the clarinet. There's also a fine dedication album to Carter by François Houle: In the Vernacular Some beautiful music here, including a previously unrecorded Carter composition. Edited April 5, 2007 by Late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 (edited) John Carter is a favorite. Fields was one of the five part series. The best may have been Castles of Ghana. Carter was a very interesting composer which is highlighted on these recordings. As a clarinetist, some of Carter's best playing may have been on Horace Tapscott's Dark Tree. I also enjoyed the early stuff Carter did with Bobby Bradford and his work with Clarinet Summit. My local 1/2 Price Book store has an old cd copy of Castles of Ghana for $3.00, I believe. I've picked it up and looked it over every time I've been in there, but always found something I was more knowledgeable about, and ended up getting that instead. Gonna have to go back and get this one. Been meaning to ask about this title for a while now, thanks for pushing me in the right direction! (on the other hand, for $3.00 why did I even hesitate, right??) -Erik Edited May 7, 2004 by Aggie87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted May 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Thank you Late for your recommendations. I am going to look for the CDs you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relyles Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I have the music form West Coast Hot on the original Flying Dutchman LPs Carter/Bradford's Flight For Four and Tapscott's The Giant Is Awakened. I agree that both are very good. I have also heard the Houle disc and second the recommendation. Has anyone heard Ab Baar's Free Step: The Music of John Carter? Some day I will pick that one up also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 An old favorite is the John Carter Quintet 'Variations', a Moers Music LP. Quite an interesting lineup there: Bobby Bradford (who is being discussed on a parallel thread) on trumpet, Carter on clarinet, James Newton on flute, Bob Stewart on tuba and Philip Wilson on drums. Not sure it was released on CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Nothing to add except that John Carter is a major, MAJOR figure. Miss him, and it's your loss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 I think his character has really developed over the years, but I also think that...........oops, thought this was an ER thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyJazz Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 This has always been a personal favorite: West Coast Hot Carter's on alto more than clarinet here, but he sounds fine on both horns. The amazing thing to me about the Carter/Bradford session here is how strong a band this quartet was. The "rhythm" section of Buzz Freeman (Von's brother) on drums and Tom Williamson on bass has got to be one of the most savagely under-documented and under-recognized duos in the history of the music. These guys can play. This group's inevitable comparison to Ornette Coleman's quartet seems both fair and unfair. Sure, these guys knew (and recorded with) Ornette, but they were also making their own music, which was particularly distinctive when Carter picked up the clarinet. The Carter/Bradford material included in the above CD were taken from various sessions which were originally issued on two Flying Dutchman LPs which I've had since they were issued, FLIGHT FOR FOUR and SELF-DETERMINATION MUSIC. They are both quite excellent. It's a shame that they haven't been re-issued in their entirety (to my knowledge) on CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted May 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 My favorite Carter's album is Dance of the Love Ghosts. A lot of Charlie Mingus and Ornette Coleman's influences can be easily identified. A great album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I'd definitely recommend all the "Roots and Folklore" series on Gramavision- "Castles of Ghana", Dance of the Love Ghosts", "Fields" and "Shadows on the Wall". The first in the series "Dauwhe" on Black Saint is less satisfactory when compared to the later recordings imo. A nice tribute album to Carter is David Murray's "Death of a Sideman" which features Bobby Bradford who also composed the suite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 An old favorite is the John Carter Quintet 'Variations', a Moers Music LP. Quite an interesting lineup there: Bobby Bradford (who is being discussed on a parallel thread) on trumpet, Carter on clarinet, James Newton on flute, Bob Stewart on tuba and Philip Wilson on drums. Not sure it was released on CD. It was. I have a copy on my shelves. Not sure if it's still in print, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 This one is back in-print! Don't let it fly under your radar. I'd actually call it essential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 It's real good. I also like the Dutchman LPs quite a lot (and they deserve a nice, crisp digipack reissue, no?)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Man, I'd love to see some kind of Dutchman Mosaic Select. Carter/Bradford, Horace Tapscott, who else? Did Arthur Blythe record for them in the early 70's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ep1str0phy Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Man, I'd love to see some kind of Dutchman Mosaic Select. Carter/Bradford, Horace Tapscott, who else? Did Arthur Blythe record for them in the early 70's? Hell Yeah. I'm a fan of Seeking, tho Dauwhe is the one that really knocks me out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Man, I'd love to see some kind of Dutchman Mosaic Select. Carter/Bradford, Horace Tapscott, who else? Did Arthur Blythe record for them in the early 70's? Blythe is on the Tapscott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 This one is back in-print! Don't let it fly under your radar. I'd actually call it essential. Hmmm... looks intriguing! Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Guy, if you've ever heard this band and enjoyed them ... you'll like this one. Once again, the rhythm section is something else. When the drummer, Tom Williamson, couldn't find enough work in Los Angeles at that time, he put away his kit and became a tennis coach. The music's loss. Try to track down West Coast Hot, too. These two discs are the best entry into both Carter's and Bradford's work, in my opinion. WCH really deserves a "crown" (if those things matter at all). (Yep. Love Blythe on The Giant Is Awakened. He also kicks Le Ass on Azar Lawrence's Bridge Into The New Age — though of course that's not on Flying Dutchman.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Guy, if you've ever heard this band and enjoyed them ... you'll like this one. Once again, the rhythm section is something else. When the drummer, Tom Williamson, couldn't find enough work in Los Angeles at that time, he put away his kit and became a tennis coach. The music's loss. Try to track down West Coast Hot, too. These two discs are the best entry into both Carter's and Bradford's work, in my opinion. WCH really deserves a "crown" (if those things matter at all). (Yep. Love Blythe on The Giant Is Awakened. He also kicks Le Ass on Azar Lawrence's Bridge Into The New Age — though of course that's not on Flying Dutchman.) Sorry to "pick nits", but the drummer is Bruz Freeman (Von's brother). Williamson is the bass player. Great record though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Oops. I switched names ... or switched instruments? As they say on TV: "My bad." (They never say what's bad, though.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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