Benny Carter • Autumn Leaves

 

Biography by Scott Yanow
To say that Benny Carter had a remarkable and productive career would be an extreme understatement. As an altoist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and occasional trumpeter, Carter was at the top of his field since at least 1928, and in the late '90s, Carter was as strong an altoist at the age of 90 as he was in 1936 (when he was merely 28). His gradually evolving style did not change much through the decades, but neither did it become at all stale or predictable except in its excellence. Benny Carter was a major figure in every decade of the 20th century since the 1920s, and his consistency and longevity were unprecedented.

Essentially self-taught, Benny Carter started on the trumpet and, after a period on C-melody sax, switched to alto. In 1927, he made his recording debut with Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten. The following year, he had his first big band (working at New York's Arcadia Ballroom) and was contributing arrangements to Fletcher Henderson and even Duke Ellington. Carter was with Henderson during 1930-1931, briefly took over McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and then went back to leading his own big band (1932-1934). Already at this stage he was considered one of the two top altoists in jazz (along with Johnny Hodges), a skilled arranger and composer ("Blues in My Heart" was an early hit and would be followed by "When Lights Are Low"), and his trumpet playing was excellent; Carter would also record on tenor, clarinet (an instrument he should have played more), and piano, although his rare vocals show that even he was human.

In 1935, Benny Carter moved to Europe, where in London he was a staff arranger for the BBC dance orchestra (1936-1938); he also recorded in several European countries. Carter's "Waltzing the Blues" was one of the very first jazz waltzes. He returned to the U.S. in 1938, led a classy but commercially unsuccessful big band (1939-1941), and then headed a sextet. In 1943, he relocated permanently to Los Angeles, appearing in the film Stormy Weather (as a trumpeter with Fats Waller) and getting lucrative work writing for the movie studios. He would lead a big band off and on during the next three years (among his sidemen were J.J. Johnson, Miles Davis, and Max Roach) before giving up on that effort. Carter wrote for the studios for over 50 years, but he continued recording as an altoist (and all-too-rare trumpeter) during the 1940s and '50s, making a few tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic and participating on some of Norman Granz's jam-session albums. By the mid-'60s, his writing chores led him to hardly playing alto at all, but he made a full "comeback" by the mid-'70s, and maintained a very busy playing and writing schedule even at his advanced age. Even after the rise of such stylists as Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, and David Sanborn (in addition to their many followers), Benny Carter still ranks near the top of alto players. His concert and recording schedule remained active through the '90s, slowing only at the end of the millenium. After eight amazing decades of writing and playing, Benny Carter passed away quietly on July 13, 2003 at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 95.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/benny-carter-mn0000790083#biography

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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Decir que Benny Carter tuvo una carrera notable y productiva sería quedarse muy corto. Como altoista, arreglista, compositor, director de orquesta y trompetista ocasional, Carter estuvo en la cima de su campo desde al menos 1928, y a fines de los 90, Carter era un altoista tan fuerte a la edad de 90 años como lo era en 1936 (cuando solo tenía 28). Su estilo, que evolucionó gradualmente, no cambió mucho a lo largo de las décadas, pero tampoco se volvió obsoleto ni predecible, excepto en su excelencia. Benny Carter fue una figura importante en todas las décadas del siglo XX desde la década de 1920, y su consistencia y longevidad no tenían precedentes.

Esencialmente autodidacta, Benny Carter comenzó a tocar la trompeta y, después de un período en el saxo C-melody, cambió al alto. En 1927, hizo su debut discográfico con Paradise Ten de Charlie Johnson. Al año siguiente, tuvo su primera big band (trabajando en el Arcadia Ballroom de Nueva York) y contribuyó con arreglos para Fletcher Henderson e incluso Duke Ellington. Carter estuvo con Henderson durante 1930-1931, se hizo cargo brevemente de Cotton Pickers de McKinney y luego volvió a dirigir su propia big band (1932-1934). Ya en esta etapa era considerado uno de los dos mejores altoístas del jazz (junto con Johnny Hodges), un hábil arreglista y compositor ("Blues in My Heart" fue un éxito temprano y sería seguido por "When Lights Are Low"), y su forma de tocar la trompeta era excelente; Carter también grabaría con tenor, clarinete (un instrumento que debería haber tocado más) y piano, aunque su rara voz muestra que incluso él era humano.

En 1935, Benny Carter se mudó a Europa, donde en Londres fue arreglista de plantilla de la BBC dance orchestra (1936-1938); también grabó en varios países europeos. "Waltzing the Blues" de Carter fue uno de los primeros valses de jazz. Regresó a los Estados Unidos en 1938, dirigió una big band elegante pero comercialmente fracasada (1939-1941) y luego dirigió un sexteto. En 1943, se mudó permanentemente a Los Ángeles, apareciendo en la película Stormy Weather (como trompetista con Fats Waller) y obteniendo un lucrativo trabajo escribiendo para los estudios de cine. Lideraría una big band de vez en cuando durante los siguientes tres años (entre sus acompañantes estaban J. J. Johnson, Miles Davis y Max Roach) antes de renunciar a ese esfuerzo. Carter escribió para los estudios durante más de 50 años, pero continuó grabando como altoista (y trompetista demasiado raro) durante las décadas de 1940 y 1950, haciendo algunas giras con Jazz at the Philharmonic y participando en algunos de los álbumes de sesiones improvisadas de Norman Granz. A mediados de los 60, sus tareas de escritura lo llevaron a apenas tocar el contralto, pero hizo un "regreso" completo a mediados de los 70 y mantuvo un horario de escritura y interpretación muy ocupado incluso a su avanzada edad. Incluso después del ascenso de estilistas como Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman y David Sanborn (además de sus muchos seguidores), Benny Carter todavía se ubica cerca de la cima de los violinistas. Su agenda de conciertos y grabaciones se mantuvo activa durante los años 90, disminuyendo solo a fines del milenio. Después de ocho increíbles décadas de escribir y tocar, Benny Carter falleció tranquilamente el 13 de julio de 2003 en un hospital de Los Ángeles. Tenía 95 años.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/benny-carter-mn0000790083#biography

Tracks:
A1 - Around The World In 80 Days - 2:19
A2 - I'll Close My Eyes - 3:37
A3 - Cuando Caliente El Sol - 2:47
A4 - Smile - 3:02
A5 - Autumn Leaves - 3:00
B1 - Cherokee - 4:03
B2 - Waltz Gay - 2:49
B3 - Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir - 2:49
B4 - Bagatelle - 3:05
B5 - The Gypsy - 2:46


Label: - Movietone – S 72020
Format: -
Vinyl, LP, Reissue, Stereo
Country: - US
Released: - 1967
Genre: - Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/8486633-Benny-Carter-Autumn-Leaves

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