Playing it by ear / Bassist Ron Carter continues to shape jazz

Stevie Glasgow / Special to The Daily Yomiuri

Ron Carter has a simple musical goal: "I want to make every band I sit in with sound like I belong in that group," he says. Carter is arguably the most recorded bassist in jazz history, having chalked up credits on over 3,000 albums, including more than 50 as a leader.

Noted particularly for his expressive solos and stellar accompanying skills, the native of Ferndale, Mich. has been plying his craft at the highest level for over half a century. (Rather than deplete the world's ink reserves by listing the myriad jazz musicians with whom he's worked over the years, it's probably easier to suggest there are only a few jazz notables with whom he hasn't collaborated.)

But don't peg the upright maestro as a jazz-only purist: Carter's playing covers the full spectrum of musical genres including work with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Kronos Quartet, Nigel Kennedy, Carlos Santana, MC Solaar, Paul Simon, and A Tribe Called Quest, in addition to several outings exploring the music of J.S. Bach.

At 74, the veteran bassist, composer, author and educator remains as active as ever, and he'll shortly be flying into Tokyo for a series of dates with his Golden Striker Trio, featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller and guitarist Russell Malone.

Carter initially started out on cello at age 10, but switched to bass while at high school, believing he wasn't getting his fair share of orchestral opportunities due to his ethnicity. "The school's only bass player was graduating, so I switched to bass in January 1955," he says during a recent interview for The Daily Yomiuri. "I figured if I was the only bass player, they'd have to call on me."

While studying for his undergraduate degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., Carter was further disheartened when renowned conductor Leopold Stokowski expressed enthusiasm for his playing, but opined that parts of the United States weren't ready to see an African-American in a classical orchestra. "That's pretty far back in my consciousness now, although I haven't forgotten it," says Carter. "I don't let it control my day."

Determined to cut it as a musician, Carter decided to focus his energies on the world of jazz. He moved to New York City in 1959 and quickly made a name for himself, playing alongside such notables as Bobby Timmons, Cannonball Adderley, Art Farmer, Chico Hamilton and Eric Dolphy.

In 1963, his career registered a further upturn when he became part of trumpeter Miles Davis' second game-changing quintet, which included Tony Williams on drums, Herbie Hancock on piano and Wayne Shorter on saxophone. Over the next five years, the group helped expand the boundaries of jazz--particularly with regard to the role of the rhythm section--while pushing improvisational interplay to new heights.

Notes Carter: "Individually, Tony, Herbie, Wayne and myself would have gotten it worked out even without that band because of our distinct points of view and talents. But because we were all in the same organization working toward the same general goals, it helped us get where we got to much faster."

After leaving Davis' group in 1968, Carter worked as a session player, laying down tracks for various artists, TV shows and films. During the '70s he operated as the de facto house bassist for the CTI label, recording with numerous influential artists.

Steeped in academia, the four-string legend holds two music degrees in addition to two honorary doctorates. Indeed, music education has long been close to his heart, and throughout the '80s and '90s he was heavily involved in teaching, serving as artistic director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies while it was based in Boston, followed by an 18-year-long stint in the Music Department of The City College of New York (retiring as a distinguished professor emeritus). Since 2008, the celebrated bass icon has served on the faculty at The Juilliard School of Music in New York.

A zeal for self-improvement has been another constant throughout Carter's career. "Each night is like going to school to see if my theory works, then I have another night to see if I can repair the damage I did the night before," he says with a laugh. "Each night is a chance for me to learn what working and what's not."

These high standards don't preclude success however, and sometimes everything falls neatly into place. "It happens occasionally," chuckles the two-time Grammy Award-winner. "And I'm looking forward to those events happening more often."

In February, the bassman released Ron Carter's Great Big Band. "It's my first date as a big-band leader," he says. "The band consists of 16 musicians, all from the New York area, including Mulgrew Miller on piano and Lewis Nash on drums. There are 13 great songs on the album and I really recommend you take a listen."

Turning to his upcoming Japan shows, Carter enthuses about his Golden Striker ensemble, which has produced two albums over the past eight years: The Golden Striker (2003) and the Japan-only It's The Time (2007), the latter tied in to his appearance in a domestic TV ad for a well-known coffee brand.

He notes: "This trio is getting a lot of interest now, maybe because people are fascinated by the fact there aren't any drums, or perhaps because it's because we're a successful musical group without a saxophone or trumpet player. We also have a very interesting library, so I think these factors, plus our own individual talents, have made us a much sought-out group to play at jazz events.

"We're working on a lot right now, and hopefully in September we'll have enough music to feel comfortable about going into the studio to show what we've been learning for the past few years," he adds.

Carter's place in the jazz pantheon was assured a long time ago, but happily, he has no plans to put his musical feet up just yet.

"I'm probably more excited than I've ever been about making music," he says. "I've got a lot more things to do. I'm playing with more people, I'm learning more songs and a little more harmony and theory than I knew years ago. Every night's an exciting adventure."

Ron Carter and the Golden Striker Trio will play at Blue Note Tokyo from June 16-19 (bluenote.co.jp, 03-5485-0088) and The Cotton Club, Tokyo, on June 20 (cottonclubjapan.co.jp, 03-3215-1555).