Benny Carter«««« Politiken DK BENNY CARTER/IN COPENHAGEN Benny Carter (altsax), Kenny Drew (piano), Jesper Lundgaard (bass) Jazz is an international music and Benny Carter was one its leading statesmen. Born in a district of New York known as Hell’s Kitchen on August 8, 1907 he proved conclusively hat talent, determination and hard work can be combined to achieve the highest eminences. In Carter’s case it led to total instrumental control, a mastery of the arranger’s craft, the will to form and lead successful orchestras and the ability to compose music for every occasion. ALTSAXOFONISTEN Benny Carter var netop fyldt 73 år, da han i august 1980 var i København for at spille i Jazzhus Slukefter og ved samme lejlighed gik i pladestudiet med samme hold som i Tivoli, nemlig pianisten Kenny Drew, bassisten Jesper Lundgaard og trommeslageren Ed Thigpen. Dengang virkede det imponerende, at en mand på Carters alder fortsat var i stand til at spille med et sådant overskud. Hvad vi ikke kunne ane, var, at han ydermere skulle holde sig aktiv gennem de følgende femten år. For Ben Webster var Carter The King', ved siden af Johnny Hodges tilbage i 1930'erne tidens førende på sit instrument. Og det musikalske udtryk, han dengang udviklede, holdt han siden fast i, dog samtidig med, at han også tilføjede det noget af beboppens vokabular. Det interessante er, at Drew nærmer sig samme standpunkt, om end fra den anden side, idet han benytter beboppens sprog, men fraserer som en swingmusiker. På den måde fungerer sammenspillet også fint. Man kan synes, at Carters anvendelse af'smear' (glidende tonedannelse) giver hans spil et for sødladent præg. Det træder stærkest frem i hans to ballader, 'Summer Serenade' og ’BlueStar', mens tempoet i 'Indiana' omvendt virker for hurtigt. Til gengæld byder numre som 'Almost Like Being In Love', 'All That Jazz' (der også lader os høre sangeren Richard Boone på slap line), 'Taking A Chance On Love' og Carters egen udødelige 'When Lights Åre Low', alle i mellemtempo, på spil, der er en mester værdigt, og også Lundgaard tegner sig for en række fine soloindsatser. The very fine « Storyville » label reissues a new serie called « In Copenhagen », remastered with class. These are from rare live concerts made by famous americans musicians visiting Denmark. Jean-Michel Reisser, Lausanne, Switzerland Benny Carter «The King », as we all named him, here is magnificent, at the top of his game. He plays some of his famous themes as « Summer Serenade », « Blue Star », When Lights Are Low » for example. Again, the trio who is playing with him is absolutely first class ever. They all play with intensive feeling, heart, improvising with very deep poetry and skills. This album is another masterpiece.
credits
released March 18, 2020
Benny Carter - altsax, Kenny Drew - piano, Jesper Lundgaard - bass, Ed Thigpen - drums
Storyville Records is Europe’s oldest independent jazz label. It releases a rich variety of jazz, blues and related musical
genres, often accompanied by authoritative notes and rare extras. This iconic label was founded in 1952 in Denmark and today continues to augment its historic catalogue of recordings made by American jazz and blues legends with new releases from contemporary jazz artists....more
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