Track Listing

1. Nuages
2. Derniére Bergére (The Last Shepherdess)
3. Manoir de Mes Reves/Django's Castle
4. Artillerie Lourde (Heavy Artillery)
5. Chasin' the Gypsy
6. Oriental Shuffle
7. I'll Never Be the Same
8. Avalon
9. Imari's Lullaby

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #151784 in Music
• Released on: 2000-06-06
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
For Chasin' the Gypsy, James Carter enlists violinist (and cousin) Regina Carter, drummer Joey Baron, guitar mainstay Jay Berliner, and several others to tackle this homage to Gypsy guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt. The bustle and muscle are in balance, with accordion, steel-string guitar, bass saxophone, violin, and drums flawlessly chugging through these nine tunes. --Andrew Bartlett

Amazon.com
At first glance, jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt might seem an unlikely inspiration for a modern jazz saxophonist. But in referencing the fiery gypsy virtuoso (while employing dual acoustic guitarists), James Carter has fashioned his most compelling, fully formed recital as a leader. While his galloping soprano on the title tune enhances Carter's reputation as fiery technical craftsman (all the more joyous for the torrid exchanges with his cousin, violinist Regina Carter), Chasin' the Gypsy showcases his gifts as a torch player, while deepening his connections to the rich timbres, macho articulations, and swinging romanticism of the pre-bebop saxophone tradition. In the process, he finds provocative new applications for forgotten instruments of the 1920s. On "Oriental Shuffle," he elicits a ripe, bulbous tonality from the F Mezzo--like a soprano sax on steroids--carefully layering taut melodic nuggets until busting out in a Djangoish reverie. Even more satisfying is his portrayal of the classic chestnut "I'll Never Be the Same," in which James matches Regina's soaring lyricism by transforming the ungainly bass saxophone from an ugly duckling into a lithesome swan (as he also does on Django's classic "Nuages," with Charlie Giordano's accordion providing authentic period counterpoint). Fans of Carter's timeless tenor saxophone tone won't be disappointed by the tender inflections marking his intimate performance of "Django's Castle" and an original for his freshly minted baby daughter, "Imari's Lullaby." This is a big step up in class for the young heavyweight. --Chip Stern

From Jazziz
Since his 1993 debut, reedsman James Carter has applied boundless confidence and monster chops to original compositions and old favorites, to all-but-forgotten classics, and to evolving sub-genres like organ-combo and "quiet storm." Now Carter immerses himself in the War Years' swing of guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Carter might easily be taken for two - or a half-dozen - players. His low-slung first entrance on Chasin' the Gypsy, on Reinhardt's classic "Nuages (Clouds)," is that of a lounge lizard hauling forth a bass saxophone, hoisting it high, then higher - like Coleman Hawkins tossing an Apache dance partner.

Carter's virtuosity is decked in Cyro Baptista's castinets, small chimes, cymbals, and ship's bell, lifted with characteristic modest grace by drummer Joey Baron, sustained on squeezebox by Charlie Giordano, and offset by well-placed bursts of Jay Berliner's steel-stringed and Romero Lumbambo's nylon-stringed guitars. The ensemble evokes noir soundscapes: public and private salons alive with intimations of assignations; night in the harbor, foggy streets, waterfront bars, and cafés; campfire-lit wagons under trees on the outskirts of town.

Some of the arrangements and solos allude to present-day tropes: Giordano breaks into zydeco, and the intro to the "Artillerie Lourde (Heavy Artillery)" could just as easily open a Motown version of "Fever." But mostly Carter pitches his interpretations across time. His superfast title track would have suited Benny Goodman; Carter carves out its quick, tight curlicues with his knife-like soprano. On "Oriental Shuffle," he blows f mezzo saxophone with judicious use of vibrato, à la Sidney Bechet.

On "Artillery," a shaft of light pierces the darkness of Carter's tough tone and melodic swagger. It's a suspenseful yet humorous pizzicato solo from his formidable cousin, violinist Regina Carter. With her sassy bow work and drive on "Chasin'," her wit trading fours with and partnering James on the chase choruses of "Avalon," Regina thickens the plot. Like the female lead who shows up to complicate a gangster film, suddenly every brutish gesture is reflected from another perspective.

Reinhardt himself has been popularized recently by Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown and by the Mosaic reissue of his historic Hot Club of France recordings. Here, neither of the Carters nor anyone else cares a bit about preserving period practices for presumably anachronistic repertoire (including the standard "I'll Never Be The Same"). The approach is direct and dramatic, but not overly high-minded. Regina pays no overt homage to Reinhardt's pal Stephane Grappelli, being at least as much influenced by Stuff Smith and Eddie South. James is particularly inspired by Django's lyricism, considering the depth of tenderness he brings to the CD's final track, his own "Imari's Lullaby." It strikes me as one of the most sincere, selfless, and open-ended improvisations committed by a saxophonist in decades, a golden ballad of intent comparable to Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes."

--Howard Mandel, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

a parisian night
with most tributes you expect a sampling of tunes by the noted artist with maybe an original or two thrown in for good measure. here, mr. carter not only samples the music of django reinhardt, but he creates the whole mood and atmosphere of paris in the 1920s and '30s. the intriguing instrumentation (accordion, violin, two guitars, and a bevy of little-used saxes [bass, f-mezzo, etc.])and choice of titles creates an experience of the sidewalk cafes on a cool night in the city of lights. you almost expect an arrogant waiter to insult you half way through the disc for good measure! mr. carter has always been adept at showing his chops, ranging from neo-bop to out music experiments, but here he reigns in the fireworks to evoke the sound and feel of django. the chops are still prodigious, but the melody's the thing here. particular highlights are the opening tango ("nuages"), featuring the bass sax, the swinging "oriental shuffle," and the beautifully pastoral "la detniere bergere." this is a wonderful album celebrating not only the past talent of django but also the ever maturing talent of mr. carter.

Beautiful Music
I've been a fan of James Carter for some years now and own every CD he's recorded. Someone once predicted that Joshua Redman would become the next John Coltrane but, if there is going to be a saxophonist to compare with St. John, my money is on Carter.

It's difficult to pin down what he's doing and where he's going because he is still BECOMING what he will be and I don't think he's established a pattern yet that allows us to predict his next recording efforts. No two of his albums have been the same.

Chasin'The Gypsy just blew me away! I've played it over and over and over again and I still love it for its richness of sound, its depth and multi-layered textures. My favorite Carter album had been The Real Quietstorm, a fascinating collection of ballads done in Carterian fashion, but now it has competition from Gypsy. If you haven't been introduced to Carter yet, start with these two CDs. But if you are a straight-ahead jazz fanatic, as I am for ballads, then try Layin' In The Cut or JC On The Set. It's all beautiful music. So, do yourself a favor and listen to this man!

What's next, Mr. Carter? I'm waiting in eager anticipation.

Outstanding treatment of Django's music
With this CD, James Carter reaffirms himself as the leading force on the tenor saxophone today. Carter has always been known for outstanding technical dexterity and power but has not gotten sufficient credit for the sensitivity and warmth he brings to the music. In this recording, Carter captures the feeling and sweetness of Django without imitating his music. He teams up with his sister, who plays violin, and weaves sounds that make you want to listen to the CD over and over. He also demonstrates his power by tackling the bass sax, an extremely difficult instrument to get any sound out of let alone brilliant melody. While quite different from his previous recordings, this may well be Carter's best.