Image by: Jim Anderson

Ron Carter: In his own words

From: David Schulman
Series: Musicians in their own words
Length: 07:27

Ron Carter is an icon of jazz. He has played his bass on more than 2000 albums. His name, however, is most vividly linked with Miles Davis. Carter's searching bass lines laid the foundation for the super-group Miles led in the late sixties. The forward-looking music they made transformed jazz, and helped put the old sounds of big band swing ever more deeply into the rear view mirror. So why has Carter, late in his career, had put together an album of music for big band? He describes his musical journey, in his own words ... Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: Ron Carter: In his own words
From: David Schulman

Image-2_small

Since the early days of the music, jazz musicians have been talking about something they call 'the changes." It can make them sound in conversation a bit like Buddhist mystics. Though what they usually mean by the term -- on the surface at least-- is something specific. "The changes" in jazz are chord changes, the sequence of harmonies that give a tune its shape and structure, and the basis of so much improvisation.

Yet... there remains in the term an echo of deeper things. Jazz evolved amid the social changes of the 20th Century -- and for many black musicians, the tempo of those changes was not nearly fast enough. On the bandstand, though,"the changes" could speak of things you might not put into words.

Now in his mid-70s, Ron Carter has become an icon of jazz. He has played his bass on more than 2000 CD albums -- yes, two THOUSAND. He's teamed up with everyone from bossa nova king Antonio Carlos Jobim, to the Kronos Quartet, to hiphop group A Tribe Called Quest. He's known to talk about "the changes" -- though his mantra may as well be "don't explain ... let the music do the talking."

Carter's name, however, is most vividly linked with Miles Davis. It was Carter's searching bass lines that laid the foundation for the super group Miles led in the late sixties, known to fans as "the second great quintet." The forward-looking music they made transformed jazz, and helped put the old sounds of big band swing ever more deeply into the rear view mirror.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to us when we heard that Carter, late in his career, had put together an album of music for big band. Carter recently sat down with us to describe in his own words why, and to run the changes of his approach to playing the jazz bass ...

Also in the Musicians in their own words series

Kathleen Hanna: from Bikini Kill to Le Tigre (04:40)
From: David Schulman

Original riot grrrl Kathleen Hanna remembers the DIY feminist punk scene she catalyzed in 1992 with Bikini Kill. (The band's first EP was re-released Nov 20, 2012, in ...

Hilary Hahn in her own words ... on improvisation (11:07)
From: David Schulman

One of the world's elite concert violinists talks about improvising with Hauschka, who plays a piano doctored with duct tape and ping-pong balls. Their record, "Silfra," was ...

Caption: Stephane Wrembrel live at the Birchmere, Credit: Jason Goodman

Stephane Wrembel and "The Tao of Django" (10:33)
From: David Schulman

Stephane Wrembel isn't a conventional guitar hero. But his star is rising fast nonetheless. He wrote music for the last two Woody Allen films, including the Oscar-winning ...

Benny Golson: a Jazz legend in his own words (05:46)
From: David Schulman

The man who wrote some of the best known standards in jazz reflects on a career that included writing "Killer Joe," talking his way into the great Art Blakey band, quitting ...

Cyro Baptista: in his own words (07:06)
From: David Schulman

Cyro Baptista in his percussion garage ...

A musicians' guide to warming up (04:30)
From: David Schulman

What do you do to warm up? With Gillian Welch, Lang Lang, Cecilia Bartoli, Albert Kuvezin, Yo-Yo Ma ...

Howard Levy: Reinventing the Harmonica (07:22)
From: David Schulman

Is that a moving violation?

Cecilia Bartoli: In her own words (04:11)
From: David Schulman

One of the world's great operatic singers explores what it means to approach the human voice as an instrument -- like a trumpet or violin.

Bo Diddley: in his own words (in memory) (07:37)
From: David Schulman

A late-career portrait of one of rock-and-roll's legendary creators.

Gillian Welch ENCORE: In her own words (02:45)
From: David Schulman

Gillian Welch reconsiders the fate of a fallen American hero: Elvis Presley.

Piece Description

Since the early days of the music, jazz musicians have been talking about something they call 'the changes." It can make them sound in conversation a bit like Buddhist mystics. Though what they usually mean by the term -- on the surface at least-- is something specific. "The changes" in jazz are chord changes, the sequence of harmonies that give a tune its shape and structure, and the basis of so much improvisation.

Yet... there remains in the term an echo of deeper things. Jazz evolved amid the social changes of the 20th Century -- and for many black musicians, the tempo of those changes was not nearly fast enough. On the bandstand, though,"the changes" could speak of things you might not put into words.

Now in his mid-70s, Ron Carter has become an icon of jazz. He has played his bass on more than 2000 CD albums -- yes, two THOUSAND. He's teamed up with everyone from bossa nova king Antonio Carlos Jobim, to the Kronos Quartet, to hiphop group A Tribe Called Quest. He's known to talk about "the changes" -- though his mantra may as well be "don't explain ... let the music do the talking."

Carter's name, however, is most vividly linked with Miles Davis. It was Carter's searching bass lines that laid the foundation for the super group Miles led in the late sixties, known to fans as "the second great quintet." The forward-looking music they made transformed jazz, and helped put the old sounds of big band swing ever more deeply into the rear view mirror.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to us when we heard that Carter, late in his career, had put together an album of music for big band. Carter recently sat down with us to describe in his own words why, and to run the changes of his approach to playing the jazz bass ...

Broadcast History

Aired on APM's The Story fall 2011

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Now in his mid-70s, Ron Carter has become an icon of jazz. He has played his bass on more than 2000 CD albums -- yes, two THOUSAND. He's teamed up with everyone from bossa nova king Antonio Carlos Jobim, to the Kronos Quartet, to hiphop group A Tribe Called Quest. He's known to talk about "the changes" -- though his mantra may as well be "don't explain ... let the music do the talking."

Carter's name, however, is most vividly linked with Miles Davis. It was Carter's searching bass lines that laid the foundation for the super group Miles led in the late sixties, known to fans as "the second great quintet." The forward-looking music they made transformed jazz, and helped put the old sounds of big band swing ever more deeply into the rear view mirror.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to us when we heard that Carter, late in his career, had put together an album of music for big band. Carter recently sat down with us to describe in his own words why, and to run the changes of his approach to playing the jazz bass ...

OUTRO:

Jazz icon Ron Carter. His new album is called "Ron Carter's Great Big Band." Our piece was produced by David Schulman.