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0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Wildly uneven recording Jul 24, 2007
James Carter has many ardent fans, I do not profess to be one of them. However, I am a huge fan of the saxophone and because of it do have a couple of Carter's recordings in my collection. While he can play some beautiful music, too often he resorts to pyrotechnics instead of going for substance. Such is the case on half of the music on this disc. If you are into the avant-garde then you will probably like this CD. However, if you are more into melodies and mood, then wait until you get a real good deal on "Gardenias" - that way getting only 50% of good music will not disappoint as much.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
quartet plus strings Mar 25, 2007
this time out james carter uses the basic jazz quartet, horn, drums, bass, and piano played by john hicks, accompanied by a string ensemble arranged by greg cohen and cassius richmond-he played alto sax on in carterian fashion-to sound like horns.
carter plays baritone sax on 3 tracks. none of the songs is written by him. gloria is his don byas selection this cd. vocals by miche braden.
strange fruit is not for the sensitive, a song about a lynching, carter's horn screeches to a nearly unbearable pitch.
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
James Carter....the most beautiful sax player Sep 12, 2004
James Carter is perhaps the most ravishingly beautiful saxophone players in the history of jazz. His tone and sensibility give way to true emotions that he conveys through his horn. While this says so much for him as a professional musician, it does not say so much about him as an artist and as an innovator. James Carter is beautiful at playing in a style that is reminecent of the past. He has learned from the masters and took it to his own level. This cd conveys that clearly, his one drawback is that he rarely writes and rarely challeneges the boarders of music. That is the only fault he has. Some say he is an empty player, but if you have seen him play live and really listened you can hear the emotions he plays with. Give this a listen. It's a cd in honor of Lady Day or as she was better known, Billie Holiday. Just listen....
6 of 19 found the following review helpful:
I don't get it May 26, 2004
Ravishing sound.Stunning arrangements. Impeccable playing. But little more than sound and fury signifying nothing. As I said in a previous review, James Carter may be the most prodigiously talented sax player on the planet--at least from a technical standpoint. Wielder of a handful of horns, possessor of astounding tonal and rhythmic gifts, able to wrench emotion from even the tritest phrase. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily add up to good jazz. He certainly makes pompous jazz. He certainly makes bombastic jazz. He certainly makes virtuoso jazz. Yet to me, it sounds like an empty shell. Why? It's all just too glib. It reminds me of a beautiful girl who flaunts her beauty without having integrated it into who she really is. Just so, Carter flaunts his technique without knowing who he really is. Is he David Murray? The Wynton Marsalis of the jazz woodwind family? The world's greatest--and most soulless--sax technician? You tell me. Maybe I'm all wet here, but I don't think so. Memo to James Carter: Get a clue before you release another of these bloodless virtuoso discs.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Carter moves onwards and upwards Mar 02, 2004
As James Carter's career has progressed he's always attempted something new, never just producing an album without building on the previous one. On this album of Billy Holiday tracks he not only places himself within the confines of what could seen as an album of covers,(relatively well known tunes as well) but also chooses to add strings to the mix, as well as three tracks with vocalist Miche Braden. That it works so well and so effectively is a tribute to both Carter and his arrangers Greg Cohen and Cassius Richmond.
Stand out track for me is "I'm in a low down groove", where Carter not only plays an outstanding Baritone Sax arrangement, but also drops in the mix tenor and F Mezzo saxophones.As on all the tracks he's helped out with a basic quartet of John Hicks (piano), Peter Washington on Bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. The string arrangements augment, rather than detract from the outcome. Other outstanding tracks are "More than you know" and Billy Strayhorn's "A flower is a lovesome thing.". On both of these tracks Carter features the Baritone, which really suits the kind of fluid approach that he tries to take with all the tracks.Of the other vocal tracks, the other one that works best for me was the arrangement of Sammy Cahn and Saul Chapman's "You're a lucky guy."
This is an onward step in Carter's career, and if you doubt that the chosen tunes have any more to give up, be assured that this is an album that will delight, not only through the take that he gives every track, but also through the togetherness of the ensemble playing. Highly recommended!
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