Jazz Legend Ron Carter Reflects on His Relentless Musical Quest in Docu Finding the Right Notes HEAD TOPICS

Jazz Legend Ron Carter Reflects on His Relentless Musical Quest in Docu Finding the Right Notes

10/22/2022 6:18:00 PM

Jazz Legend Ron Carter Reflects on His Relentless Musical Quest in Docu Finding the Right Notes

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Variety

Jazz Legend Ron Carter Reflects on His Relentless Musical Quest in Docu Finding the Right Notes Direct, precise and no filler — that’s a good way to describe Ron Carter, the tall, eloquent elder statesman of jazz. For many musicologists, he’s considered one of the great virtuosos – if n… GOAT — of the upright acoustic bass. He is the most recorded bassist in the world, having performed on more than 2,200 records, according to Guinness World Records (although Carter will quickly tell you the list was short by hundreds).,” which debuts Oct. 21 on PBS, took nearly six years to film. Carter was nearing his 80th birthday when work began on the documentary, but you don’t perform on countless stages and thousands of recordings over 60 years without being in constant movement. The production team had to be flexible enough to catch Carter at the right time to film segments, as even now, the jazz mastermind may be on any stage or in a recording studio in New York to France to Japan. The word “stationary” doesn’t fit in his repertoire. Read more:
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As the country with the largest number of nuclear weapons, Russia has repeatedly cautioned the West that any attack on its territory could trigger a nuclear ... Read more >> He's all over Siriusxm jazz today. REPORT: Ron DeSantis vows not to enforce CDC childhood vaccine recommendationFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis and several other GOP Governors have vowed not to enforce the CDC's recommendation for childhood COVID vaccinations. Newsmax's correspondent Leonardo Feldman [LeoFeldmanNEWS] reports. MORE: LeoFeldmanNEWS Yet GovAbbott in Texas is silent. And you all at Newsmax and Fox News think he is a conservative. LeoFeldmanNEWS LeoFeldmanNEWS DeSantis racist TBS' Ron Darling on his infamous Cooter's arrest, epic 1986 NLCS battle vs. AstrosTBS' Ron Darling talks Cooter's arrest, epic 1986 NLCS vs. Astros and how this year's team stacks up That guy looks like he's hiding people in his basement Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says there will be no children's COVID vaccine mandateFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he is against requiring children to get mandatory COVID-19 vaccines, despite a recommendation from the CDC. Another tough badass governor! Yep, even though over 1 million Americans have died from Covid, DeSantis is willing to play politics and allow more deaths. Leadership is sometimes about making tough, unpopular decisions, not playing to the base. But he will mandate rape victims to carry the rapist child to term … Ron Masak, Sheriff Mort Metzger on ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ Dies at 86He also starred opposite Vince Lombardi and The Monkees and, as 'The King of Commercials,' provided the voice for the animated stork in spots for Vlasic pickles. Geez :( Murder, She Wrote cast passing away left and right lately. Right after Angela. Sad. Curious timing that the whole Murder She Wrote cast is dying so close together. A MYSTERY?!?! 'Ron DeSantis fan' Jeb Bush envisions 'formidable' campaign in 2024Jeb Bush envisions Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) 'will be a formidable' contender in 2024 should he throw his hat into the ring. JebBush Jeb Bush is lame, DeSantis should distance himself from Jeb. Ron Masak Dies: ‘King Of Commercials’ And ‘Murder, She Wrote’ Actor Was 86Character actor Ron Masak, best known for a recurring role in Murder, She Wrote has passed away aged 86. He passed away yesterday of natural causes, surrounded family, according to Facebook post fr… , the tall, eloquent elder statesman of jazz..of 2 New York Mets players Ron Darling, center, and Tim Teufel, left, arrive July 25, 1986, for an examining trial on felony charges that they assaulted Houston police officers outside a local bar.Florida Gov. For many musicologists, he’s considered one of the great virtuosos – if not the GOAT — of the upright acoustic bass. He is the most recorded bassist in the world, having performed on more than 2,200 records, according to Guinness World Records (although Carter will quickly tell you the list was short by hundreds). For all his accomplishments, a new documentary on his life leaves Carter a bit awestruck. Carlos Antonio Rios/Houston Chronicle Show Less A couple hours before the American League Championship Series began Wednesday night, Ron Darling said the opportunity to help call the Astros-Yankees matchup for TBS was “special,” adding that late October baseball is “a great time of year for me. “ Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes ,” which debuts Oct. 21 on PBS, took nearly six years to film." "These are new shots," he said, adding that Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has not recommended the booster shots for children. “I’ve only seen the trailer for like a few minutes, and I was like almost embarrassed that they were talking about me,” Carter says. On July 19, 1986, the then-25-year-old Darling and teammates Rick Aguilera, Bob Ojeda and Tim Teufel were arrested at Cooter’s, a bar on Richmond Avenue. “I was like, ‘Man, they are talking about me!’ I haven’t gotten over that yet.” Produced and directed by Peter Schnall, the two-hour documentary is a patiently detailed love letter to Carter that explores his work from the beginning of his prolific career that spans nearly seven decades. Carter was nearing his 80th birthday when work began on the documentary, but you don’t perform on countless stages and thousands of recordings over 60 years without being in constant movement. That led to Teufel scuffling with them and his teammates jumping in. The production team had to be flexible enough to catch Carter at the right time to film segments, as even now, the jazz mastermind may be on any stage or in a recording studio in New York to France to Japan.". The word “stationary” doesn’t fit in his repertoire. Ron Carter at work at New York’s Bass Hit Recording Studio Carter’s meteoric rise began in the early 1960s with one of the most legendary ensembles in the history of genre, the second Miles Davis Quintet. It remains a part of franchise lore. Only in his mid-20s at the time, Carter’s work with Davis helped push the jazz forward along with the piano wizardry of a young Herbie Hancock, the late drum prodigy Tony Williams and the sublime tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. The title of the Carter’s documentary is a tailored fit to his approach to art, and to his life in general, he says. “Notes are very important to what we do,” Carter explains. The charges against Aguilera and Ojeda were dropped. “Notes make what we do happen. The order of the notes does a lot of things coming in the form of a song; coming in the form of chord progressions; coming in the form of developing skills. These notes we look for are the essence of, it’s just like having Jell-O without the gelatin. “It’s a long time ago and I never think about it and get angry. It’s like having just plain water. Gelatin keeps the water in the bowl and keeps the water thick. It is as important as the cow to the milk, so to speak. “I always wanted one of those, to tell you the truth, to make it fun,” Darling said.” For musicians who are intentional in performing at the highest peak within their artform, they must be diligent in finding a certain set of notes – or a specific note – that gives the music a particular value or “emotional impact,” Carter continues. “And every now and then we find that note. But there are also groups of those notes, and whatever combination you happen to stumble on makes that song special,” he says, pointing to Davis’ landmark 1959 album “Kind of Blue. That NLCS featured thrilling games, controversy over Astros ace Mike Scott allegedly scuffing the ball and ended in a six-game Mets triumph over the Astros thanks to three games won in New York’s final time at-bat.” “That whole record, it’s full of all those notes that makes that record as special as it is,” Carter says. “Now, I found some. I’m looking for more every night. “They had one big power hitter in Glenn Davis but the other guys were just so tenacious.” Ron Carter performing in Stockholm Equally praised around the world for his musicianship, ingenuity and innovation, Hancock tells Variety a comprehensive film exploration of Carter’s extraordinary life was well overdue. When they started playing together in Davis’ group, Carter stood out because of his instant ability to develop into a musician who was not afraid to try something new for fear it will throw off the other members in the band. That style of playing helped pushed both into musical territories unknown at the time. “They had such a good team. “Ron Carter is like a blood brother to me,” Hancock says. “He is so giving and will do anything for you. He, like me, he simply loves people. If it wasn’t for a couple breaks, we probably didn’t get through them. He loves to perform for and interact with human beings. “It’s a joy to be able to present that which you have created, because we are improvisors,” Hancock continues. “We can take something that is written on a page and modify it as we see fit in the moment. And that is, in itself, a process of creativity. …Moment to moment, things change, and we all react to things going on around us. That is part of the greatness of Ron Carter.” Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny believes Carter has set a distinguished path in music that is worthy of global applause. “There is no musician on the planet at the moment that is more important than Mr. Carter,” Metheny says, hailing his “incredible legacy and range,” and his humanity. “It is hard to overstate that range,” Metheny says. “We are talking about a musician who has not only performed with thousands of musicians across the widest possible swath of modern music for almost seven decades now, but what he has brought to those endless encounters has, without fail, altered the musical results forcefully and without exception to the better. He makes every musical situation and every musician around him better. ” Although he makes no qualms about being first and foremost a jazz musician, Carter’s sound has been sought out by a who’s who of music. Aretha Franklin, A Tribe Called Quest, Paul Simon, Jefferson Airplane, Roberta Flack and Erykah Badu are among the many artists who sought him out for recordings. “I am always amazed that I am on such a variety of music,” Carter says. “In New York there are always great bass players available for their projects. But somehow, they decide that this jazz bass player, Ron Carter, will be good for our record. Now, why do they decide that? I don’t care. My job, once I understand what they are trying to do, is can I help their dream come true. Can I help make their record into something that they couldn’t do if I wasn’t there.” As much as the “Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes” delves into his professional life, the film also gives us never-before-seen glimpses of the family man, friend, educator and generous person that also defines his persona. Jazz star Jon Batiste and “Finding the Right Notes” director-producer Peter Schnall flank Ron Carter Jazz guitarist Russell Malone knows the various sides of Carter well, having toured with him on and off since 1995. “He’s a no-nonsense guy,” Malone says affectionately of his relationship with Carter. “Don’t come to Ron with any bullshit or foolishness on or off the bandstand. Now, having said that, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a great sense humor. His sense of humor is fantastic.” In describing his humanity and gentleness toward others, Malone recalls a performance with Carter’s band in Istanbul, along with a dazzling young pianist, the late Mulgrew Miller. Miller joined the tour after recuperating from a stroke. “We were at the soundcheck and going over a tune we had played countless times,” Malone recalls, his voice cracking with emotion. “Mulgrew got to a fast passage in that tune that was written for the piano. Prior to the stroke, Mulgrew would rip it off like it was nothing, but after the stroke his facility had somewhat dwindled.” Miller kept trying but eventually took his hands away from the keys and began to sob. “He couldn’t play this passage anymore and he started bawling like a little baby. Ron Carter, he put his bass down and walked over to the piano where Mulgrew was sitting, and he embraced Mulgrew,” Malone says. “He cradled him in his arms like a parent would cradle a child. No words were said, that was just a powerful moment. That’s a side of Ron Carter many don’t get to see. Yes, he’s a stern man, but he has these nurturing qualities that I’ve been privileged to see.” Always an ambassador for jazz, admirers of Carter’s music can still catch him on stages around the world. But the maestro admits they he may taper down his traveling and devote more of his attention to his online company, RonCarterJazz.com. The website offers online courses, instructional books on bass playing and classic performances, among other treats. Carter sees his role as an educator as engaging a different cylinder in the engine that drives him on the path of greatness. “I think I am a great teacher,” Carter says, beaming. “I have students who have really blossomed under my watchful eye and the big stick, you know. But I think teaching is an important way to help this music continue to grow too, despite other things. And if I can be part of the needle in a tree that helps jazz do something, like if I can help influence someone to play bass instead of baseball, I have done my job. ” Read More About: .