Ian Carr (21 April 1933 – 25 February 2009) was a Scottish

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

musician, composer, writer, and educator. Carr performed and recorded with the Rendell-Carr quintet and jazz-fusion band

Nucleus Nucleus ( : nuclei) is a Latin word for the seed inside a fruit. It most often refers to: *Atomic nucleus, the very dense central region of an atom *Cell nucleus, a central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing most of the cell's DNA Nucle ...

, and was an associate professor at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

in London. He also wrote biographies of musicians

Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also been a ...

and

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

Early years

Carr was born in

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...

, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr. From 1952 to 1956, he attended King's College, now

Newcastle University Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a UK public university, public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is ...

, where he read English Literature, followed by a diploma in education.

Musical career

At the age of 17, Carr started to teach himself trumpet. After university he joined his brother in a Newcastle band, the EmCee Five, from 1960 to 1962, before moving to London, where he became co-leader with

Don Rendell Donald Percy Rendell (4 March 1926 – 20 October 2015) was an English jazz musician and arranger. Mainly active as a tenor saxophonist, he also played soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Career Rendell was born in Plymouth, England, an ...

of the Rendell–Carr quintet (1963–69). In its six years, the group (including pianist

Michael Garrick Michael Garrick MBE (30 May 1933 – 11 November 2011)Peter VacheObituary: Michael Garrick ''The Guardian'', 15 November 2011 was an English jazz pianist and composer, and a pioneer in mixing jazz with poetry recitations and in the use of jazz ...

, bassist Dave Green, and drummer

Trevor Tomkins Trevor Ramsey Tomkins (12 May 1941 – 9 September 2022) was a British jazz drummer best known for his work in a number of British bands in the 1970s, including Gilgamesh. Biography Tomkins was born in London and studied music at the Guildhall ...

) made five albums for

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

– all of which have been re-issued – and performed internationally. During the 1960s he also played with the

New Jazz Orchestra The New Jazz Orchestra (NJO) was a British jazz big band that was active from 1963 to 1970. Neil Ardley recorded several more albums with many of the NJO's members, which were released under his own name. Origins and members The NJO was the offs ...

under the direction of

Neil Ardley Neil Richard Ardley (26 May 1937 – 23 February 2004) was a prominent English jazz pianist and composer, who also made his name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology, and on music. Early years Neil Ardley ...

and recorded an album with altoist

Joe Harriott Joseph Arthurlin Harriott (15 July 1928 – 2 January 1973) was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone. Initially a bebopper, he became a pioneer of free-form jazz. Born in Kingston, Harriott ...

. After leaving the quintet, Carr went on to form the ground-breaking

jazz-rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...

band

Fordham, John John Fordham is a British jazz critic and writer. As well as being the main jazz critic for ''The Guardian'', he publishes a monthly column for the newspaper. He is the author of several books on jazz, and has reported on it for publications incl ...

Obituary: Ian Carr
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 28 February 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2013. This led to the release of 12 albums (some under the band's name, some under Carr's), and a successful international career. In their first year Nucleus won first prize at the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

, released their first album, ''

Elastic Rock ''Elastic Rock'' is Nucleus' first album. Recorded in January 1970, it was a pioneering work in the emerging genre of jazz-rock fusion. Bandleader Ian Carr (later a jazz journalist and published expert on Miles Davis) was probably inspired by Da ...

'', and performed at both the

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hire ...

and the

Village Gate The Village Gate was a nightclub at the corner of Thompson and Bleecker Streets in Greenwich Village, New York. Art D'Lugoff opened the club in 1958, on the ground floor and basement of 160 Bleecker Street. The large 1896 Chicago school (architec ...

jazz club. Carr also played with the

United Jazz + Rock Ensemble United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * United (2003 film), ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * United (2011 film) ...

from 1975. Carr worked as a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

in non-jazz contexts, with

Nico Naftiran Intertrade Company Société à responsabilité limitée#In Switzerland, limited (NICO) is a Switzerland, Swiss-based subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). NICO is a general contractor for the oil and gas industry. NIOC bu ...

No-Man No-Man are an English art pop duo, formed in 1987 as No Man Is an Island (Except the Isle of Man) by singer Tim Bowness and multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson. The band has so far produced seven studio albums and a number of singles/outtakes ...

Faultline In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...

, and others. He also doubled on

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...

Writing and academic career

Apart from writing a regular column for the ''

BBC Music Magazine ''BBC Music Magazine'' is a British monthly magazine that focuses primarily on classical music. History The first issue appeared in September 1992. BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC was the original owner and publisher toget ...

'', Carr wrote biographies of the jazz musicians

and

. He was also the co-author of the reference work ''

The Rough Guide Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on customer ...

to Jazz'', which has passed through four editions from 1994 (originally ''Jazz, The Essential Companion'', 1988). In addition he contributed sleeve notes for the albums of other musicians (e.g. ''

Indo-Jazz Fusions John Mayer (28 October 1930 – 9 March 2004) was an Indian composer known primarily for his fusions of jazz with Indian music in the British-based group Indo-Jazz Fusions with the Jamaican-born saxophonist Joe Harriott. Mayer was born in Calc ...

'' by

and

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...

). In 1987, he was appointed associate professor at the

in London, where he taught composition and performance, especially improvisation. He was founder of the jazz workshop at the Interchange arts scheme, where pianist

Julian Joseph Julian Raphael Nathaniel Joseph (born 11 May 1966) is a British jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and broadcaster. Biography Joseph was born in London and attended Allfarthing Primary School and Spencer Park Secondary School in Wan ...

, among others, was one of his students.

Death

Ian Carr died aged 75 on 25 February 2009, having suffered from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

. A memorial service was held at

Golders Green Crematorium Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000 (the equivalent of £135,987 in 2021), ...

in London the following month. In addition to fellow Nucleus member Geoff Castle, speakers at the service included artist

Gerald Laing Gerald Ogilvie-Laing (11 February 1936 – 23 November 2011) was a British pop artist and sculptor. He lived in the Scottish Highlands. Early life Laing was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 11 February 1936, a son of Maj. and Mrs. Gerald Ogilvie ...

, author, critic and broadcaster

Alyn Shipton Alyn Shipton (born 24 November 1953) is an English jazz author, presenter, critic, and jazz bassist. Early life Shipton became interested in jazz in his youth and formally studied cello, but also played double bass in a school jazz band. He pla ...

Mike Dibb Mike Dibb (born Wharfedale, Bradford, West Yorkshire, 29 April 1940) is an English documentary filmmaker. In almost half a century of making films mainly for television – on subjects including cinema, literature, art, jazz, sport and popular cu ...

(with whom Carr collaborated on two films on

and

)

Steve Voce Steve Voce (born 23 December 1933) is a British journalist and music critic. As well as writing obituaries for ''The Independent'', Voce has been a columnist for ''Jazz Journal'' for about 60 years, and presented the ''Jazz Panorama'' radio progr ...

"Ian Carr: Trumpeter and composer whose band Nucleus was at the forefront of the jazz-rock movement"
''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', 27 February 2009. and Carr's students

, Sara Dillon and

Nikki Yeoh Nikki Yeoh (born 24 May 1973) is a British jazz pianist who has worked with Courtney Pine, Cleveland Watkiss, Steve Williamson, Chante Moore, The Roots and Neneh Cherry. Born in London, Yeoh is of mixed race origin, having a father from Malay ...

Discography

Emcee Five

*1961: ''Let's Take Five'' *1962: ''Bebop from the East Coast''

Rendell–Carr Quintet

*1964: ''Shades of Blue'' *1965: ''Live in London'' *1966: ''Dusk Fire'' *1966: ''Live at the Union'' *1968: ''Live from the Antibes Jazz Festival'' (plus 1964 recordings by the Don Rendell Four and Five) *1968: ''Phase III'' *1969: ''Change Is'' *1969: ''"Live"''

with the New Jazz Orchestra

*1965: ''Western Reunion'' *1966: ''Le Dejeuner sur L'Herbe''

with the Joe Harriott / Amancio D'Silva Quartet

*1969: ''Hum-Dono''

Springboard

*1969: ''Springboard'' (recorded in 1966)

Nucleus

*1970: ''

'' *1971: ''We'll Talk about It Later'' *1971: ''Solar Plexus'' (released as a "Ian Carr with Nucleus" album) *1973: ''Labyrinth'' (released as a "Ian Carr with Nucleus" album) *1973: ''Roots'' (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *1974: ''Under the Sun'' *1975: ''Snakehips Etcetera'' *1975: ''Alleycat'' *1976: ''Direct Hits'' (compilation) (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *1977: ''In Flagranti Delicto'' (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *1979: ''Out of the Long Dark'' (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *1980: ''Awakening'' (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *1985: ''Live at the Theaterhaus'' (released as a "Ian Carr's Nucleus" album) *2003: ''Live in Bremen'' (recorded 1971) *2003: ''The Pretty Redhead'' (recorded 1971 and 1982) *2006: ''Hemispheres'' (recorded live 1970 & 1971) *2006: ''UK Tour '76'' (recorded live in 1976 at

Loughborough University Loughborough University (abbreviated as ''Lough'' or ''Lboro'' for post-nominals) is a public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It has been a university since 1966, but it dates back to 1909, when L ...

) *2009: ''Live in Europe 1970-71'' (recorded live 1970 & 1971) *2014: ''Nucleus With Leon Thomas - Live 1970'' (recorded live Montreux Jazz Festival) *2015: ''Three of a Kind'' (three archive recordings from the 1970s and 1980s)

Tribute

*1973:''Mike Taylor Remembered'', a tribute to Mike Taylor with

Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...

, Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, and others. (released 2007)

Solo

*1972: ''Belladonna'' *1989: ''Old Heartland''

with Don Rendell

*2001: ''Reunion''

As co-leader

*1971: ''Greek Variations & Other Aegean Exercises'' (with

) *1974: ''Will Power'' (with Neil Ardley, Mike Gibbs, and

Stan Tracey Stanley William Tracey (30 December 1926 – 6 December 2013) was a British jazz pianist and composer, whose most important influences were Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Tracey's best known recording is the 1965 album ''Jazz Suite Inspir ...

) *1980: ''Collana Jazz 80"'' (with the Algemona Quartetto) *1991: ''Virtual Realities'' (Zyklus, with Warren Greveson,

and John L. Walters) *1993: ''Sounds and Sweet Airs (That Give Delight and Hurt Not)'' (with John Taylor)

As sideman

*1965: ''Roy Budd'' (

Roy Budd Roy Frederick Budd (14 March 1947 – 7 August 1993) was a British jazz pianist and composer known for his film scores, including ''Get Carter'' and ''The Wild Geese''. Early life Born in South Norwood, South London, Budd became interested in mu ...

, piano;

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

, tenor sax;

, drums; Ian Carr, trumpet and

Harry South Harry Percy South (7 September 1929 – 12 March 1990) was an English jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, who moved into work for film and television. Career South was born in Fulham, London. He came to prominence in the 1950s, playing wi ...

, arranger)

with George Russell's Living Time Orchestra

*1989: ''The London Concert'' ( George Russell, composer/leader)

Publications

*1982: ''Miles Davis'' (Quartet / William Morrow & Co.) / *1988: ''Jazz: The Essential Companion'' with

Digby Fairweather Richard John Charles "Digby" Fairweather (born 25 April 1946) is a British jazz cornetist, author and broadcaster. Biography Before becoming a professional musician, Fairweather was a librarian and has retained an interest in jazz bibliograph ...

Brian Priestley Brian Priestley (born 10 July 1940)Many sources list Priestley's year of birth as 1946, but this is inaccurate. See Priestley's entry in ''The Rough Guide to Jazz'' anon his revised Charlie Parker study. is an English jazz writer, pianist and a ...

(Paladin Books) *1991: ''Keith Jarrett: The Man and His Music'' (Grafton Books) *1999: ''Miles Davis: The Definitive Biography'' (Thunder's Mouth Press) *2004: ''The Rough Guide to Jazz'' with Digby Fairweather & Brian Priestley (3rd edn) Rough Guides Limited. *2008: ''Music Outside: Contemporary Jazz in Britain'', 2nd edn., with new postscript and photographs (London:

Northway Publications Northway Books ( Northway Publications) is a publishing company based in London, UK. Northway specialises in biographies of musicians, and British social and cultural history. Its focus has been particularly on documenting jazz history in Britain ...

). (1st edn published 1973 by Latimer New Dimensions. ).

References

Bibliography

*Roger Farbey, ''Elastic Dream: The Music of Ian Carr – A Critical Discography, 2nd Revised Edition'', 2015. *Roger Farbey, ''The Music of Ian Carr – A Critical Discography'', 2010. *Alyn Shipton, ''Out of the Long Dark: The Life of Ian Carr'', 2006

External links

The Ian Carr and Nucleus WebsiteIan Carr

The Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet

Nucleus
discographies at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

*Roger Farbey,
Ian Carr: The Maestro and His Music
' – AllAboutJazz.com 7 July 2005 *John Kelman,
Ian Carr and Nucleus: '70s British Jazz Rock Progenitors
', 19 January 2004 – AllAboutJazz.com

– European Jazz Network

– Jazzscript {{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Ian People from Dumfries Alumni of Newcastle University Jazz-rock trumpeters Scottish jazz trumpeters Male trumpeters Scottish jazz composers 1933 births 2009 deaths United Jazz + Rock Ensemble members People educated at Barnard Castle School Nucleus (band) members Academics of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Centipede (band) members 20th-century trumpeters Male jazz composers 20th-century British male musicians New Jazz Orchestra members 20th-century jazz composers