[clarke68]

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Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. While it's true that digitization has "democratized" the creative process, I think it's worth saying that this has opened up potential consumers to tons of folks whose only real talent is for self-promotion. Things weren't perfect in the old days, but the tier of DJs and indie labels (like Blue Note, Atlantic, Stax) filtered out quite a bit of dreck.

I recently found this video on YouTube. Just goes to show that this "democratization" does bring to light people with significant talents (and not just for self-promotion) who should nonetheless remain undiscovered.

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Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2. The saxist James Carter is about to drop a fine new album, Present Tense, that seems tailored to satisfy both trad folk and avant-gardists. Heard some of the ballads…quite gorgeous. His playing's always innovative. Kinda has the feel of his first great ballads disc, The Real Quietstorm.

I'll check it out. I wouldn't say Carter is "always innovative" (his playing is kind of a pastiche of a lot of other players) but he is always a thrill to listen to, and an incredible technician. Really funny story about him here.

Giving "Quietstorm" a spin right now. The title & cover art always scared me away from this one, but I'm digging it quite a bit...thanks for the rec. I've also always liked his funk album, "Layin' in the Cut".

 

[tru blu]

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Originally Posted by clarke68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Really funny story about him here. Giving "Quietstorm" a spin right now. The title & cover art always scared me away from this one, but I'm digging it quite a bit...thanks for the rec. I've also always liked his funk album, "Layin' in the Cut".

Thanx for that piece (quite funny), but I'm curious about the players you feel Carter is a pastiche of. I have my own ideas—starting with David Murray—but I still think his sound is always distinctive, which is more what I meant by "innovative."

 

[clarke68]

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Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanx for that piece (quite funny), but I'm curious about the players you feel Carter is a pastiche of. I have my own ideas—starting with David Murray

As the article mentions, Carter is a musical sponge...the number of guys he folds into his playing is really too many to name. I wouldn't have thought Murray, but I suppose you're right...I think they both pull from a lot of the same sources: big-toned tenor swingers like Ben Webster & Gene Ammons; avant-gardists like Albert Ayler & Pharoah Sanders. Carter seems to follow most ardently in the footsteps of great showmen like Illinois Jacquet and Roland Kirk.

That's, I think, where Murray has him: Murray is an incredible technician, too, but he seems to use his technique more in the genuine service of his musical vision, where Carter uses it more for showboating.


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Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I still think his sound is always distinctive, which is more what I meant by "innovative."

Yeah..."distinctive" has a very different meaning to me than "innovative". I find this easier to agree with...I don't think Carter sounds like Carter as much as, say, Brotzmann sounds like Brotzmann; but he's got a unique, gorgeous tone just the same.

Thing is, there aren't many cats with the ability to play as well with as much breadth as Carter does. There are guys who can play maybe 25% of what Carter can play better than Carter, but if you were looking for just one person to send off to another planet to demonstrate everything a saxophone can do, he would be a good choice.

 

[tru blu]

I actually think Carter's "showboating" days are a bit behind him. To my hearing, he was already coming to grips with that, reining himself in, on The Real Quietstorm, which is an early album. (Are you still diggin it, btw?) It's interesting: You never considered David Murray when thinking about Carter's influences, while I've never considered Roland Kirk. Kinda sounds like your taste and mine are two sides of the same coin: I'm not all that into Peter Brøtzmann, except maybe Last Exit. In that full-throated post-Ayler tenor style, I much prefer David S. Ware, whom I feel leads better (and more innovative, I'd say) bands.

 

[clarke68]

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Originally Posted by tru blu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually think Carter's "showboating" days are a bit behind him. To my hearing, he was already coming to grips with that, reining himself in, on The Real Quietstorm, which is an early album. (Are you still diggin it, btw?) It's interesting: You never considered David Murray when thinking about Carter's influences, while I've never considered Roland Kirk. Kinda sounds like your taste and mine are two sides of the same coin: I'm not all that into Peter Brøtzmann, except maybe Last Exit. In that full-throated post-Ayler tenor style, I much prefer David S. Ware, whom I feel leads better (and more innovative, I'd say) bands.

All your points are good.

I'd love to see Carter lose the preening showman aspects...they still seem in effect on Quietstorm (that single note he holds over an entire chorus of "Round Midnight" just screams "check out my circular breathing!" to me) but I'm sure it's subdued compared to what I've heard of his live performances. I haven't heard it, but I've heard good things about the Django record he did, which tends to support your point.

I like Brøtzmann's sax playing better than I like his music (but I do like his music), I brought him up only because he is an incredibly original voice. Overall, I think I agree about Ware...I only have one of his (the live 3-disc set) but its amazing, and the cats in that band have gone on to be as influential as some of the cats in Miles' bands (not sure if Susie Ibarra can be a "cat"...can girls be cats? I certainly wouldn't refer to her as a "chick"). I was listening to "Threads" yesterday...my vote is still out on that one, but it's original for sure, and obviously coming from a very different place than Brøtzmann's music.

 

[tru blu]

David S. Ware Quartet recommendations:

Third-Ear Recitation (the absolute best)
Godspelized (close; there's a Sun Ra tune on it)
Go See The World (they cover "The Way We Were," weirdly enough, and it works; I caught them opening for Sonic Youth in this period.)