 |  |  |  | | | | Welcome! | In 2005, Ron Carter, the world’s most respected jazz bassist, tapped me to write his biography.
Join me as I embark on telling Ron’s remarkable story that pivots on an early experience in the '50s when as an aspiring classical cellist/bassist, his dream was crushed when renowned conductor Leopold Stokowski told him that symphony “audiences are not ready for black players.” Rather than dwell in defeat, Ron chose to focus on jazz bass and went on to become the innovator who Miles Davis dubbed as the “anchor” of his classic ‘60s quintet. Today, Ron reigns as the most recorded bassist in popular music history—as well as one of jazz's most esteemed artists.
Rather than approach this NEA Jazz Master’s story in a conventional publishing manner, I’ve opted to pursue the biography in an unprecedented manner through ArtistShare. My project will present an intimate portrait of Ron’s never-before-told story via online audio, video, photo galleries and blogs as well as in a printed book to be published later this year.
As a veteran jazz journalist, I’m honored that Ron asked me to write his biography. During the past 25 years, writing for such publications as DownBeat, Stereophile and Billboard has taken me throughout the world to interview hundreds of musicians from Dizzy Gillespie to Frank Zappa to Norah Jones. (See my bio at the “About Dan” link.) Ron’s story stands out as the most compelling of all.
His dogged perseverance in the face of societal obstacles not only made him a phenomenal bassist but also a role model for thousands of aspiring musicians worldwide. This May he turns 70. He is living proof that a creative mind alive and attuned continues to grow and inspire.
For this endeavor to succeed, I’m enlisting the financial support of jazz aficionados such as you. As part of the ArtistShare model, fans fund projects in exchange for the privilege of being part of the creative process. In light of this, I’m inviting you to participate in the project. (See "Participant" section, at right, for details.)
With your participation, Ron’s story will be told for the first time. More importantly, by chronicling Ron’s legacy, which is our country’s shared legacy, we will be documenting an invaluable chapter of jazz for future generations.
Best regards,
Dan
Photo by Dan Ouellette | | |
|
| | | |
|
 | | Journal - Ron Reflects on Carnegie Hall-June 2007
| 10/5/2007 - Journal: Carnegie Hall
As I’m working on my chapter on Ron’s triumphant Carnegie Hall concert in June 2007—with four different bands: his trio, his quartet, his duo partnership with Jim Hall and a special quartet with former Miles alums Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Billy Cobham—I’m transcribing interviews I had with him about the event—his reflections before, during and after.
One question I asked him was, prior to the show, did he worry about how the large, heralded hall would fill up? In other words, what if a small crowd showed up instead of the near sellout that he attracted?
Ron replied, “I was never concerned about the number of people that showed up. I was concerned that I’d make a presentation worthy enough for those who came to the concert.”
The seasoned veteran that he is, Ron also noted that he’s experienced times when the crowds weren’t what he had hoped for. He recalled back in 1977 when he had just put together a quartet that scored a week’s stay at the Village Vanguard. “Some of my friends who knew me from working at the clubs uptown came to the Vanguard for the second set one night,” he said. “The house was maybe half-full. They asked me how I was doing? I told them that I was pretty disappointed and even despondent. They told me, ‘Hey, you’re still driving a Mercedes even if there’s no gas in the car at the moment.’ That’s helped me through the times when I expected a larger turnout.”
Larger turnouts have not been an issue in 2007. Carnegie sold out except for a handful of seats that have obstructed views. When I did my live DownBeat Blindfold Test with Ron at the International Association for Jazz Educators mega-conference in New York in January, it was the largest crowd I’d seen for an audience-attended BFT (and I have done 25-30 over the years at Monterey Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and IAJE)—plus, no one left the auditorium to go sample another clinic or show.
Another example: when... Read More >> | | |
|
|
 |
|
|
| | | | | | | Ron on Jim Hall |  | After several years of not performing together, in 2007, Ron relinked with guitarist Jim Hall as a duo act, and the two got reacquainted with their... |  | |
|
| | | |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|