By DJ Mixolydian
For this installment of In Session, KZSC was blessed to sit down (via Zoom) with legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter. Hailing from the greater Detroit area, Carter began his career as an upright bassist by playing gigs at local college Wayne University (Wayne State University now), before eventually joining the Miles Davis Quintet in 1963 alongside Davis, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, and Wayne Shorter.
After departing the Quintet in 1968, Carter went on to become the most recorded jazz bassist of all time, playing on nearly 2,300 records, and leading 40 of his own. For decades, he was the first-call bassist for Blue Note and CTI records. Virtually every jazz great has cut a record with Carter, and his list of accomplishments is far too long to list in a few paragraphs. Carter is now a Professor of Music at City College of New York, continuing to inspire and teach a new generation of musicians. In addition, Carter has published many instructional books and videos for aspiring jazz bassists.
We didn’t speak too much about playing with Miles Davis and the Quintet, as there is already a heaping amount of interviews, footage, and recordings from this part of Carter’s life. Instead, we talked about life as a studio bassist, Carter’s ventures outside the jazz world, and his early days as a professional musician. Along with our exclusive interview, you can find a playlist of 50 songs either written by or featuring Carter. Make sure to come back every Monday for a new edition of In Session!