Happy 100th Birthday Benny Carter

[Lazaro Vega]

Doug Ramsey's site includes a link to Benny Carter performing with Red Norvo on vibes, Horace Parlan on piano, Jesper Lundgaard, bass and Ed Thigpen, drums http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/. A similar group was recorded in performance for Sonet (?) which was issued in America on Gazell (including drummer Ronnie Gardiner who appeared live on Blue Lake this year).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByLxlWiOjII...ted&search=

Happy Birthday to Mr. Carter.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Lazaro Vega

[ghost of miles]

Long live the King... Mr. Carter is worthy of a radio mini-series. I've posted a video of him & Coleman Hawkins performing "Blue Lou" on our "This Week's Show" page.

[JSngry]

I dig the guy muchly, but didn't he die a few years ago?

[ghost of miles]

2003. Apologies if my post somehow connoted that he was still alive... simply meant that his immense contributions to the music will continue to bring pleasure to jazz fans.

Elvis, OTOH, is working as a clerk at the health-food co-op down the street from me...

Edited August 8, 2007 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Well, Elvis should clean Benny's tombstone on his lunch break then.

(seriously, my apologies for the misunderstanding!)

Edited August 8, 2007 by JSngry

[BruceH]

2003. Apologies if my post somehow connoted that he was still alive... simply meant that his immense contributions to the music will continue to bring pleasure to jazz fans.

Wow, it's been four years already!

Edited August 8, 2007 by BruceH

[ghost of miles]

2003. Apologies if my post somehow connoted that he was still alive... simply meant that his immense contributions to the music will continue to bring pleasure to jazz fans.

Wow, it's been four years already!

I had high hopes that BC would make it to see his 100th... has any other jazz musician of note done it?

[ValerieB]

i'm really looking forward to benny's birthday celebration tonight at the hollywood bowl. lots of good musicians paying tribute.

[sidewinder]

Happy b'day indeed to a great and dignified jazz figure. Fond memories of seeing the man MC a Dizzy G. tribute concert but sadly, I never saw him play.

Will pull out the Contemporary 'Jazz Giant' and 'Swinging the 20s' in recognition !

[RDK]

i'm really looking forward to benny's birthday celebration tonight at the hollywood bowl. lots of good musicians paying tribute.

Yes, I'll be there tonight as well!

[flat5]

That's great that there will be tribute for him at the "Bowl".

Hope I can find out who played, etc.

[RDK]

That's great that there will be tribute for him at the "Bowl".

Hope I can find out who played, etc.

Supposed to be: Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, James Moody, Roy Hargrove, Russell Malone, Eldar, Marlena Shaw. Hosted by Quincy Jones

[ValerieB]

That's great that there will be tribute for him at the "Bowl".

Hope I can find out who played, etc.

Supposed to be: Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, James Moody, Roy Hargrove, Russell Malone, Eldar, Marlena Shaw. Hosted by Quincy Jones

and Roberta Gambarini, as well as others.

[thomastreichler]

Benny Carter was a true giant of jazz. An uncompromising, ever tasteful and captivating musician, a superb arranger and ambassador of jazz. He - together with Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter - arguably was one of the three most important alto-saxophonists in jazz and a more than competent trumpet player.

Here are some of my favourite recordings of BC:

Jazz Giant (Contemporary)

Swingin' The Twenties (Contemporary)

Further Definitions (Impulse)

Additions To Further Definitions (Impulse)

The King (Pablo)

Live And Well In Japan (Pablo)

A Gentleman And His Music (Concord)

Meets Oscar Peterson (Pablo)

Central City Sketches (Musicmasters)

My Man Benny, My Man Phil (Musicmasters) with Phil Woods

Harlem Renaissance (Musicmasters)

and as a sideman:

several sessions under the direction of Lionel Hampton (late 30's, early 40's)

Ben Webster - King Of The Tenors (Verve)

several Norman Granz Jam Sessions on Verve (especially the one with Johnny Hodges and Charlie Parker)

Helen Humes - T'ain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do (Contemporary)

Edited August 9, 2007 by Tommy T

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks for that list Tommy T - I have a few of them already, but that could focus my ideas.

I really love some of Benny's work with R&B singers of the forties, like Julia Lee.

MG

[Lazaro Vega]

His sideman appearances with Billie Holiday in the 1950's often save sessions that could have gone south; and there's his own Verve appearances: "Cosmopolite" with Oscar Peterson as well as "3,4,5 The Verve Small Group Sessions." Favorites, though, include Coleman Hawkins All Star Jam Band in 1933 (the ensemble format further defined on Impulse!) and the incredible recordings by Spike Hughes Negro Orchestra. This summer the Blue Lake sextet played Carter's "Symphony In Riffs" on one of our live broadcasts -- most of the guys in the band hadn't heard the original. When they did they were flabbergasted by the precision of the band's ensemble playing and the rhythm (Teddy Wilson, piano; Big Sid on drums). His various editions of The Chocolate Dandies made some memorable recordings, too.

[Daniel A]

A similar group was recorded in performance for Sonet (?) which was issued in America on Gazell

Sonet SNTF947, recorded July 8th, 1985, featuring Carter, Red Norvo, Nat Adderley, Horace Parlan, Red Mitchell and Ronnie Gardiner. Tunes: Easy Money, Memories of You, Blues for Lucky Lovers, When Lights Are Low, Here's That Rainy Day and Work Song (with Adderley singing).

[alocispepraluger102]

His sideman appearances with Billie Holiday in the 1950's often save sessions that could have gone south; and there's his own Verve appearances: "Cosmopolite" with Oscar Peterson as well as "3,4,5 The Verve Small Group Sessions." Favorites, though, include Coleman Hawkins All Star Jam Band in 1933 (the ensemble format further defined on Impulse!) and the incredible recordings by Spike Hughes Negro Orchestra. This summer the Blue Lake sextet played Carter's "Symphony In Riffs" on one of our live broadcasts -- most of the guys in the band hadn't heard the original. When they did they were flabbergasted by the precision of the band's ensemble playing and the rhythm (Teddy Wilson, piano; Big Sid on drums). His various editions of The Chocolate Dandies made some memorable recordings, too.

those old sax parts even those beautiful arrangements from the late 20's require a damn good player on his game. hand them to a young cat.

[Kalo]

What a player!

I'm glad I got to see him several times in his last decades. He kicked Phil Woods's ass when I heard them together in Boston!

[EKE BBB]

Benny Carter and the QHCF in Barcelona (Jan. 29&31, 1936)