Reviews of Tracks from Ron Carter's Dear Miles
Ron Carter's recent Dear Miles CD finds the bassist in a rare retrospective frame of mind, looking back at his stint in the seminal 1960s Miles Davis quintet. He returns to many of the compositions that were part of Davis's repertoire during this period, offering fresh interpretations that serve both as homage to the classic recordings as well as a reflection of Carter's current musical conceptions and companions. Below are reviews of several tracks from this release, as well as a guide to other reviews of Ron Carter performances found on jazz.com.
Ron Carter: My Funny Valentine
Musicians:
Ron Carter (bass), Stephen Scott (piano), Payton Crossley (drums), Roger Squitero (percussion).
Composed by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
.Recorded: Avatar Studios, New York, February 18, 2006
Rating: 90/100 (learn more)
How many different ways can a bass player handle a ballad in 4/4 time? Listen to this track and you will find Ron Carter demonstrating most of them. Scott plays admirably, but Carter steals the show with his feints and jabs, and the sheer creativity of his lines. More than one thousand jazz versions of "My Funny Valentine" have been recorded over the years -- including a classic Miles Davis performance at Lincoln Center in 1964 with Ron Carter in the band. But this new-millennium ensemble ignores the weight of history, and dishes out a fresh performance that both brings the standard up to date but also respects the mood of the Richard Rodgers original.
Reviewer: Ted Gioia
Ron Carter: Someday My Prince Will Come
Musicians:
Ron Carter (bass), Stephen Scott (piano), Payton Crossley (drums), Roger Squitero (percussion).
Composed by Frank E. Churchill and Larry Morey
.Recorded: Avatar Studios, New York, February 18, 2006
Rating: 88/100 (learn more)
Ron Carter's ensembles often bring a wry sense of humor to their performances. This song is especially susceptible to tongue-in-cheek interpretation. Snow White's bedtime song for dwarfs somehow made its strange path from (Walt) Disney to (Miles) Davis -- probably via Dave Brubeck, who handled the first jazz recording of the tune in 1957. Carter starts with a brief homage to the famous intro from Miles' classic recording, before unfolding his elaborate variations. The melody floats around in a calming lilt before entering the turbulence of a queasy turnaround, which seems undecided on whether to modulate or stay in B flat. Pianist Scott proceeds to test out wry Monkish dissonances, polytonal games with the melody, and a bit of hard bop funkiness -- trying on various costumes in an attempt to discover his own musical identity. When we return to the melody, we are temporarily in the key of B -- a key that Snow White reportedly detested -- but we soon get back to where we started, with that throbbing Paul Chambers pedal point, followed by a rubato coda. Unfortunately all seven dwarfs were still awake and demanding an encore.
Reviewer: Ted Gioia
Ron Carter: Stella by Starlight
Musicians:
Ron Carter (bass), Stephen Scott (piano), Payton Crossley (drums), Roger Squitero (percussion).
Composed by Victor Young
.Recorded: Avatar Studios, New York, February 18, 2006
Rating: 89/100 (learn more)
This is all bass, from beginning to end. Carter takes the melody, stretches out for a lengthy solo and handles the restatement at the conclusion, with only the most gentle support from the rest of the band. Carter plays with surprising restraint, leaving behind the bends and slides and tonal distortions that are his typical calling cards. Instead he hits these notes dead on in the center, and plays with a warmth and melodicism that you might associate with, for example, Charlie Haden or Ray Brown. A beautiful performance that artfully displays the lyrical side of this premier musician.
Reviewer: Ted Gioia
Ron Carter: Seven Steps to Heaven
Musicians:
Ron Carter (bass), Stephen Scott (piano), Payton Crossley (drums), Roger Squitero (percussion).
Composed by Victor Feldman and Miles Davis
.Recorded: Avatar Studios, New York, February 18, 2006
Rating: 90/100 (learn more)
Victor Feldman's stint with Miles Davis was little more than a one-night stand (although his ballad accompaniment on "Summer Night" serves as lasting testimony to their chemistry). Feldman preferred the security of studio work (bad decision) to the Davis school of jazz, but he left behind his most famous composition, "Seven Steps to Heaven." When Miles recorded it with his new band -- some fellas named Herbie, Ron and Tony -- he made jazz history. Forty-three years later, Ron Carter leads a new generation of jazz players on this proven seven-step program. Hot band and a smartly played arrangement full of surprises. The call-and-response between hard swing and Latin percussion is especially effective. Listeners should compare with the original version from the Age of Camelot to get the full effect.
Reviewer: Ted Gioia
Other reviews of Ron Carter tracks on jazz.com
As a leader:
Ron Carter Tambien Conocido Como
As a sideman:
Chet Baker You Can't Go Home Again
Benny Carter Central City Sketches
Miles Davis Seven Steps to Heaven
Stan Getz Bill Evans Night and Day
Jim Hall Concierto de Aranjuez
Herbie Hancock Cantaloupe Island
Herbie Hancock Speak Like a Child
Bobby Hutcherson Little B's Poem
Milt Jackson People Make the World Go 'Round
Wes Montgomery One for My Baby
Wes Montgomery Watch What Happens
Rosa Passos Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
