[Dixielandjazz] Benny Carter's Passing..A Truly Great Loss
Nickdragos at cs.com
Nickdragos at cs.com
Sun Jul 13 14:10:56 PDT 2003
Listers,
The passing yesterday {July 12th} of Benny Carter gives us all a moment
{although I'm sure it would take most jazz fans much longer} to reflect on
this
genius and his lasting contributions to this music we all love.
Admittedly, I placed him below Johnny Hodges on my list of Alto Sax Giants,
but his unique, readily identifiable creamy alto sax tone & style, his
personalized trumpet & clarinet work, his composing, arranging & bandleading
careers
are certainly worth examining.
When I checked his website....www.BennyCarter.com..... early Sunday morn {I
had heard months ago he was slowly declining health-wise, and usually checked
his site once a week or more for news) and read of his death yesterday in a
Los
Angeles hospital, I dug into my collection of NPR's "Jazz Profiles" and
listened to that all-too-brief 54 minute overview of his career.
My God......the accomplishments of the man are astounding.
Trying to list them are insane...there are just too many great solos,
interesting little-known gems, fine & underappreciated compositions, great
recorded
performances....
so, a few highlights:
1930's "Dee Blues" on clarinet
The 1937 "Crazy Rhythm" with Django Reinhardt & Coleman Hawkins (and the
re-working of that arrangement on the "Further Definitions" Inpulse! LP of
1961
The Lionel Hampton small-group gem of Carter's composition "When Lights Are
Low" with Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry, Charlie Christian and other greats
That swinging Concord Jazz disc "A Gentleman & His Music" with Joe Wilder &
Gene Harris (another pianist I miss so much after his passing a few years ago)
And several fun cuts from his prolific years recording for MusicMasters Jazz,
including all the vocalists singing his compositions on the 2 "Benny Carter
Songbooks".....I bet some vocalists looking for new material could pick up
some
tunes from those two CDs
I could go on, but I already have......
Goodbye, and Thank You, Benny Carter....for Swing, for Style, for Grace, for
being a Gentleman, and for sharing your incredible multi-talents with a world
that, far too often, overlooked your efforts.
Nick Dragos, Sacramento, California USA
NickDragos at cs.com
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