With more than 2000 albums to his credit, Ron Carter is most likely the most recorded bassist in the history of jazz.
This jazzist, by many considered as one of the biggest, was born on this day in 1937. Right after graduation from university he started playing in an philharmonic orchestra, jazz ensembles and recorded his first tracks. Shortly after that he became a member of the second great Miles Davis quintet together with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Tony Williamson. His time with the Miles lasted from 1963 to 1968 when Dave Holland replaced him.
He has worked, and still works with the most imporrtant jazz musicians of his time. He also composed for film and television, wrote books about jazz, and is a recently retired professor of the City College of New York. He was artistic director at the Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute. He has received many appreciations among which are two Grammys, honorary doctorate from the New England Conservatory and a medal by the French Ministry of Culture, given to those who have distinguished themselves in the domain of artistic or literary creation.
His 75 birthday was officialy celebrated at a concert on 27 March at the Lincoln Center in New York. The opening was marked by Carter’s performance with 11 instrumentalists among whom were ases like Christian McBride, Ben Williams, Buster Williams and Ben Wolfe, they played Carters composition Mr Bow-Tie. The rest of the concert consisted of compositions of Carters rich musical repertoire, played by himself in different formations, among others with tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, flutist Hubert Laws, pianists Herbie Hancock and Mulgrew Miller, guitarists Jim Hall and Russell Malone and drummers Lewis Nash and Carl Allen.
Enjoy the footage of Ron Carter playing in a trio with pianist Mulgrew Miller and guitarist Bobby Broom at the French festival Jazz Sous Les Pommiers last year.