Ronald Levin Carter (born May 4, 1937) is an American jazz double bassist. His appearances on 2,221 recording sessions make him the most-recorded jazz bassist in history. He has won three Grammy Awards, and is also a cellist who has recorded numerous times on the instrument. In addition to a solo career of more than 60 years, Carter is well-known for playing on numerous iconic Blue Note albums in the 1960s, as well as being the anchor of trumpeter Miles Davis's "Second Great Quintet" from 1963-1968.
Beginning with Where? in 1961, Carter's studio albums as leader also include Uptown Conversation (1969), Blues Farm (1973), All Blues (1973), Spanish Blue (1974), Anything Goes (1975), Yellow & Green (1976), Pastels (1976), Piccolo (1977), Third Plane (1977), Peg Leg (1978), A Song for You (1978), Etudes (1982), The Golden Striker (2003), Dear Miles (2006), and Ron Carter's Great Big Band (2011).
Tap on any album for track list.
Ron Carter returns to Birdland in NYC this October for his annual Ron-tober residency, featuring 29 performances with four ensembles and weekly livestreams.
Ron Carter’s walking bass on “Time After Time” is pure mastery, with Emmet Cohen and Joe Farnsworth giving the jazz legend plenty of room to move in style.
Ron Carter and Richard Galliano bring decades of chemistry to “It’s About Time,” filling the NOSPR Concert Hall with nothing but bass and accordion alone.
With only upright bass and guitar, Ron Carter and Yotam Silberstein bring warmth, space, and conversation to a timeless reading of “Love Letters” together.
Ron Carter joins Norah Jones and Bill Frisell for a new “Playing Along” episode full of stories, deep listening, and music.
