Ron Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Carter
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Carter performing at Berkeley Jazz Festival in May 1980
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ronald Levin Carter |
| Born | May 4, 1937 Ferndale, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1959–present |
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| Associated acts | Miles Davis Quintet, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Jim Hall |
Ronald Levin Carter (born May 4, 1937) is an American jazz double bassist. He is famous for playing the bass in jazz music. He has played on over 2,200 recording sessions. This makes him the most recorded jazz bassist ever!
Ron Carter has won three Grammy Awards. He also plays the cello. He has released many albums as a band leader. He is also known for his work on many famous Blue Note albums in the 1960s. He was a key member of trumpeter Miles Davis's "Second Great Quintet" from 1963 to 1968.
Some of his own albums include Where? (1961), Uptown Conversation (1969), and The Golden Striker (2003).
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Ron Carter was born in Ferndale, Michigan. His father worked as a bus driver.
When he was 10, Ron started playing the cello. Later, at Cass Technical High School, he switched to the double bass. He studied music in college. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1959. He then got a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 1961.
While at Eastman, Ron started playing jazz. He joined a band that played at a club called the Pythodd Room. There, he met other musicians who told him to go to New York City.
Ron's first jazz jobs were with Chico Hamilton in 1959. He also played with other famous musicians like Cannonball Adderley and Thelonious Monk. One of his first recordings was on Eric Dolphy's album Out There in 1960. He played cello on that album. In 1961, he released Where?, his first album as a band leader.
Career Highlights
Playing with Miles Davis
Ron Carter was a big part of the second Miles Davis Quintet. This group played in the mid-1960s. Other members included Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams. Ron joined Miles Davis's group in 1963. He played on albums like Seven Steps to Heaven. He also played on E.S.P., which was the first album to feature the full quintet. Ron even wrote three songs for this album. He stayed with Miles Davis until 1968.
During this time, Ron also played on recordings for Blue Note. He played with many artists like Freddie Hubbard and McCoy Tyner. He also played on Roberta Flack's album First Take. He created the famous bass-line on "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott Heron.
Later Career and Awards
After leaving Miles Davis, Ron Carter made many albums on his own. He also played with a wide range of other musicians. In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked with Joe Henderson and Hank Jones. He was also a member of the New York Jazz Quartet.
In 1986, Ron played on Billy Joel's song "Big Man on Mulberry Street". In 1987, he won his first Grammy Award. This was for music he wrote for the film Round Midnight.
In 1994, Ron won his second Grammy Award. This was for Best Jazz Instrumental Group. He also appeared on the hip hop album The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest. He played on a song called "Verses from the Abstract". Ron also played with the Classical Jazz Quartet.
He helped with the album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. This album raised money and awareness for the AIDS epidemic. It was named "Album of the Year" by TIME. In 2001, he worked with Black Star on a tribute album to Duke Ellington.
Ron Carter taught music for 20 years at the City College of New York. He became a Distinguished Professor Emeritus there. In 2008, he joined the faculty at the Juilliard School. He taught bass in their Jazz Studies program.
He appeared in the 1996 film Kansas City. In the movie, he played a duet with fellow bassist Christian McBride. Ron Carter also helps the Jazz Foundation of America. This group helps elderly jazz and blues musicians.
Recent Years
In 2010, Ron Carter received a special award from France. It was called the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2012, he was added to the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame.
In 2021, the Japanese government honored Ron Carter. He received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. They thanked him for helping jazz become popular in Japan. In May 2022, he celebrated his birthday with a Tiny Desk Concert. This was recorded at the Blue Note Jazz Club.
Ron Carter still records music with other artists. In August 2024, he was added to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
Documentary Films
A film about Ron Carter's life and career was released in 2022. It is called Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes. It was shown on PBS.
Personal Life
Ron Carter was married to Janet Hasbrouck Carter. She was a supporter of African and African-American art. She passed away in 2000.
Ron Carter enjoys science fiction.
Discography
- Where? (New Jazz, 1961)
- Uptown Conversation (Embryo, 1969)
- Blues Farm (CTI, 1973)
- The Golden Striker (Somethin' Else, 2002)
- Dear Miles (Somethin' Else, 2006)
Filmography
- 2003: Ron Carter & Art Farmer: Live at Sweet Basil
- 2019: Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
- 2022: Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes
Images for kids
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Carter at George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 2009, Newport, Rhode Island
See also
In Spanish: Ron Carter para niños
