JAMES CARTER - Saxophonist / Recording Artist
"To hear saxophonist James Carter is to be blown away," wrote the Washington Post, hitting the nail on the head. From moonlit ballads to funky workouts to the most cerebral kind of post-bop, in an intimate club or on a sprawling festival stage, the Detroit-born saxophone master can seem to deliver all of jazz history in a single set.”
James Carter is a powerhouse musician and one of the most admired saxophonists of his generation, garnering plaudits for his role in helping to propel jazz full tilt into the future over the past twenty-five years. His music is fueled by deep respect and intimate knowledge of the jazz tradition.
Carter always finds a way into what ever musical situation he finds himself in. “You have to be totally comfortable wherever,” Carter says. “I think there’s tremendous beauty in cross-pollinations of music and influences.”
He has released 14 recordings with his various ensembles for Atlantic Records, Sony and UMG. Several feature his renowned Organ Trio and one includes the Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra by renowned composer, Roberto Sierra. 30 August 2019 marked his long-awaited debut on Blue Note Records with the release of James Carter Organ Trio: Live From Newport Jazz.
James Carter is the winner of multiple downbeat awards; and in 2004 received one of America’s highest cultural awards: The Dr. Alaine Locke Award, given annually to individuals who have provided exemplary service and leadership in the promotion of African-American culture.
2024 saw the debut of James Carter’s latest project: Lookin’ at Lock: The Music of Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, featuring James Carter on Saxophones, Satish Robertson on trumpet, Gerard Gibbs on piano, Hilliard Greene on bass, and Elmar Frey on drums.
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