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The other elderly statesman of California's free jazz was Texan-born but Los Angeles-based clarinetist John Carter (1928), the founder and leader of the New Art Jazz Ensemble, who debuted playing saxophone on Seeking (january 1969). He had to wait until the 1980s before his pioneering work was widely recognized. His five-part series of concept albums devoted to the history of blacks constitutesd one of the boldest and most successful attempts at fusing African and USA music, focusing not so much on the stereotyped rhythms of Africa but on its melodic aspect and wedding it to the elastic application of rhythm and harmony introduced by free jazz, as well as to his own (often harrowing) sense of melodrama: Dauwhe (march 1982), Castles of Ghana (november 1985), Dance of Love Ghosts (november 1986), Fields (march 1988), Shadows on a Wall (april 1989).
A quartet with Bobby Bradford (trumpet), Tom Williamson (bass) and Bruz Freeman (drums) recorded Flight For Four (april 1969).
Its follow-up Self Determination Music, includes the 15-minute The Eye Of The Storm and the 13-minute Encounter.
The double-disc Echoes From Rudolph’s (september 1976 and july 1977) featured Stanley Carter on bass, William Jeffrey on drums, Chris Carter on cymbal and Melba Joyce on vocals.
Tandem (april 1982 and october 1979) documents a
collaboration between clarinetist John Carter and cornetist Bobby
Bradford.
Carter died in march 1991.
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