Iconic Bassist Ron Carter Honoured with Induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
World-renowned jazz bassist, Ron Carter, has been inducted into Alabama’s Jazz Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the historic Carver Theatre in Birmingham on August 3, 2024. Carter, a pivotal figure in the jazz music scene, is recognized as the most recorded jazz bassist in history.
A Refreshed Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Reopens
The induction ceremony was dubbed “A Cool Jazz Afternoon” and served as a grand reopening event for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame headquarters. The celebration marked the official visitor re-opening of the museum and the Jazz Hall Radio studio on August 6, which underwent significant upgrades since closing for renovations in 2017.
Carter’s Legacy in Music
Carter, who is also known as Mr. Carter or Maestro Carter, has had a career that spans many decades and genres. He was a part of Miles Davis’s ‘Second Great Quintet’ from 1963 to 1968, with jazz legends such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams. After leaving the quintet, Carter embarked on a freelance career collaborating with jazz luminaries from Lena Horn and Dexter Gordon to Cannonball Adderly and Gil Scott-Heron.
Throughout his career, Carter tirelessly ventured into different musical genres, recording with some of the greatest artists, including Roberta Flack, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Bette Midler, and Aretha Franklin. He even added hip hop to his repertoire in the ’90s when a Tribe Called Quest’s rapper Q-Tip recruited him for their second studio album, “The Low End Theory”.
His illustrious career garnered him three Grammy awards and a Guinness World Record for playing on over 2,500 individual albums, making him the most recorded bassist in history. Although a Michigan native, Carter has Alabama roots that date back to his mother, Willie Carter, who was born in Lee County and grew up near Birmingham.
The Induction Ceremony
The award presentation was led by Bishop Jim Lowe, son of Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame founder J.L. Lowe, and witnessed by over 100 attendees, including jazz enthusiasts, educators, musicians, and community leaders. Carter was presented with an engraved medal and a resolution from the Alabama State Senate.
Following the presentation, a tribute concert ensued with performances from a band consisting of Gary Motley on piano, Sherman Irby on saxophone, Rodney Whitaker on bass, Ben Johnson on drums, Collins “Bo” Berry on trumpet, and vocalist Veronica Swift. They played a selection of Carter’s arrangements including the ballad “Candlelight”, culminating in the song “Stars Fell on Alabama”.
Carter’s Response
Carter, blissfully emotional, thanked the audience but kept his remarks brief. Following the concert, he returned to engage the audience socially, taking photographs, signing autographs, and meeting the attendees. He later exclaimed that being in Alabama for a prolonged period was “just amazing” to him and expressed a keen interest in returning to further explore his ancestry and meet the network of musicians and educators.
Conclusion
Carter’s induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is an embodiment of a fulfilling process that began a year ago. It brings to the spotlight a name that is globally recognized, one that carries an equally significant legacy. Moreover, it reinforces the essence of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, which is to preserve jazz through education.
