Benny Carter & His Orchestra • Further Definitions

 

Review by Scott Yanow
Altoist/arranger Benny Carter's classic Further Definitions is a revisiting, instrumentation-wise, to the famous 1937 session that Carter and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins made in France with two top European saxophonists (Andre Ekyan and Alix Combelle) and guitarist Django Reinhardt. The all-star group (which also includes Hawkins, altoist Phil Woods, Charlie Rouse on second tenor, pianist Dick Katz, guitarist John Collins, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Jo Jones) performs a particularly inspired repertoire. Carter's charts, which allow Hawkins to stretch out on "Body and Soul," give everyone a chance to shine. "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Crazy Rhythm" hold their own with the 1937 versions, and "Blue Star" and "Doozy" prove to be two of Carter's finest originals. Although Benny Carter was not actively playing much at the time (this was his only small-group recording during 1963-1975), he is heard in typically prime form. Very highly recommended.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/further-definitions-mw0000335476?1631040234852


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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Reseña de Scott Yanow
El clásico Further Definitions de Benny Carter es una revisión, en cuanto a la instrumentación, de la famosa sesión de 1937 que Carter y el saxofonista tenor Coleman Hawkins realizaron en Francia con dos saxofonistas europeos de primera fila (Andre Ekyan y Alix Combelle) y el guitarrista Django Reinhardt. El grupo de estrellas (que también incluye a Hawkins, el contralto Phil Woods, Charlie Rouse como segundo tenor, el pianista Dick Katz, el guitarrista John Collins, el bajista Jimmy Garrison y el baterista Jo Jones) interpreta un repertorio especialmente inspirado. Los gráficos de Carter, que permiten a Hawkins estirarse en "Body and Soul", dan a todos la oportunidad de brillar. "Honeysuckle Rose" y "Crazy Rhythm" están a la altura de las versiones de 1937, y "Blue Star" y "Doozy" resultan ser dos de los mejores originales de Carter. Aunque Benny Carter no estaba tocando mucho en ese momento (esta fue su única grabación en grupo pequeño durante 1963-1975), se le escucha en su forma típica. Muy recomendable.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/further-definitions-mw0000335476?1631040234852


Biografía
por Scott Yanow

Decir que Benny Carter tuvo una carrera notable y productiva sería quedarse muy corto. Como contralto, arreglista, compositor, director de banda y trompetista ocasional, Carter estuvo en la cima de su campo desde al menos 1928, y a finales de los 90, Carter era un contralto tan fuerte a la edad de 90 años como lo era en 1936 (cuando sólo tenía 28 años). Su estilo, que fue evolucionando gradualmente, no cambió mucho a lo largo de las décadas, pero tampoco se volvió en absoluto rancio o predecible, salvo en su excelencia. Benny Carter fue una figura importante en todas las décadas del siglo XX desde los años 20, y su consistencia y longevidad no tienen precedentes.

Esencialmente autodidacta, Benny Carter empezó con la trompeta y, tras un periodo con el saxo en do, se pasó al alto. En 1927, hizo su debut discográfico con el grupo 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 a Fletcher Henderson e incluso a Duke Ellington. Carter estuvo con Henderson durante 1930-1931, se hizo cargo brevemente de los Cotton Pickers de McKinney y luego volvió a dirigir su propia big band (1932-1934). Ya en esta etapa se le consideraba uno de los dos mejores contraltos del jazz (junto con Johnny Hodges), un hábil arreglista y compositor ("Blues in My Heart" fue un éxito temprano y le seguiría "When Lights Are Low"), y su forma de tocar la trompeta era excelente; Carter también grabaría con el tenor, el clarinete (un instrumento que debería haber tocado más) y el piano, aunque sus raras voces demuestran que incluso él era humano.

En 1935, Benny Carter se trasladó a Europa, donde en Londres fue arreglista de la orquesta de baile de la BBC (1936-1938); también grabó en varios países europeos. El "Waltzing the Blues" de Carter fue uno de los primeros valses de jazz. Regresó a Estados Unidos en 1938, dirigió una big band con clase pero sin éxito comercial (1939-1941), y luego encabezó un sexteto. En 1943, se trasladó permanentemente a Los Ángeles, apareciendo en la película Stormy Weather (como trompetista con Fats Waller) y consiguiendo un lucrativo trabajo escribiendo para los estudios cinematográficos. Durante los tres años siguientes dirigió una big band de forma intermitente (entre sus acompañantes se encontraban J.J. Johnson, Miles Davis y Max Roach) antes de renunciar a ella. Carter escribió para los estudios durante más de 50 años, pero continuó grabando como contralto (y como trompetista poco frecuente) durante los años 40 y 50, realizando algunas giras con Jazz at the Philharmonic y participando en algunos de los álbumes de jam-session de Norman Granz. A mediados de los años 60, sus tareas de compositor le llevaron a no tocar apenas el contralto, pero regresó por completo a mediados de los años 70, y mantuvo una agenda muy ocupada tocando y escribiendo incluso a su avanzada edad. Incluso después del auge de estilistas como Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman y David Sanborn (además de sus muchos seguidores), Benny Carter sigue estando entre los mejores intérpretes de alto. Su agenda de conciertos y grabaciones se mantuvo activa hasta los años 90, y sólo disminuyó al final del milenio. Tras ocho increíbles décadas escribiendo y tocando, 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

Tracklist:
1. Honeysuckle Rose            
2. That Midnight Sun Will Never Set
3. Crazy Rhythm
4. Blue Star
5. Cotton Tail
6. Body And Soul
7. Cherry
8. Doozy
9. Fantastic, That's You
10. Come On Back
11. We Were In Love        
12. If Dreams Come True
13. Prohibido
14. Doozy
15. Rock Bottom
16. Titmouse

Credits:
Tracks 1 -8
Benny Carter; Phil Woods: Alto Sax
Coleman Hawkins; Charlie Rouse: Tenor Sax
John Collins: Guitar
Dick Katz: Piano
Jimmy Garrison: Bass
Jo Jones: Drums

Tracks 9 - 16
Benny Carter; Bud Shank: Alto Sax
Teddy Edwards: Tenor Sax
Bill Hood: Baritone Sax
Don Abney: Piano
Ray Brown: Bass
Alvin Stoller: Drums

1966

 

 

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