''Conversin' with the Elders'' is the fourth album by saxophonist James Carter recorded in late 1995 and early 1996 and released on the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

label.James Carter discography
accessed July 15, 2014 The album features guest appearances by veteran musicians, including trumpeters

Harry "Sweets" Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backi ...

and

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in th ...

, and saxophonists

Hamiet Bluiett Hamiet Bluiett (; September 16, 1940 – October 4, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. His primary instrument was the baritone saxophone, and he was considered one of the finest players of this instrument. A membe ...

, Larry Smith and

Buddy Tate George Holmes "Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States, and first played the alto saxophone. According to the website All Ab ...

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

awarded the album 3½ stars with its review by Scott Yanow stating, "Switching between tenor, alto, baritone and bass clarinet, Carter makes each of his guests feel at home while pushing them to stretch themselves. A consistently colorful and generally swing-oriented set".Yanow, S.
AllMusic Review
accessed July 15, 2014 Critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

rated the album an "A" saying, "A jazz album, absolutely. But one any rock and roller who can abide a saxophone could love".Christgau, R.
Consumer Guide Reviews
accessed October 15, 2016

Track listing

# "Freereggaehibop" (Lester Bowie) - 8:10 # " Parker's Mood" (

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

) - 6:29 # " Lester Leaps In" (

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

) - 4:57 # "

Naima "Naima" ( ) is a jazz ballad composed by John Coltrane in 1959 that he named after his then-wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. Coltrane first recorded it for his 1959 album '' Giant Steps'', and it became one of his first well-known works. History Co ...

" (

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

) - 7:09 # "Blue Creek" (Buddy Tate) - 6:13 # "Centrepiece" (Harry "Sweets" Edison,

John Handy John Richard Handy III (born February 3, 1933) is an American jazz musician most commonly associated with the alto saxophone. He also sings and plays the tenor saxophone, tenor and baritone saxophone, baritone saxophone, saxello, clarinet, and ...

) - 6:35 # "Composition #40Q" (

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chi ...

) - 6:41 # " Moten Swing" (

Bennie Moten Benjamin Moten (November 13, 1893 – April 2, 1935) was an American jazz pianist and band leader born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He led his Kansas City Orchestra, the most important of the regional, blues-based orchest ...

, Buster Moten) - 7:44 # "Atitled Valse" (James Carter) - 8:22 *Recorded at Power Station, NYC on October 2, 1995 (tracks 1 & 9), January 30, 1996 (tracks 3, 5, 6 & 8) and February 5, 1996 (tracks 2, 4 & 7)

Personnel

* James Carter - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet * Craig Taborn - piano * Jaribu Shahid - bass * Tani Tabbal - drums *

(tracks 1 & 9),

(tracks 3 & 6) - trumpet *Larry Smith - alto saxophone (track 2) *

- tenor saxophone, clarinet (tracks 5 & 8) *

- baritone saxophone (tracks 4 & 7)

References

{{Authority control 1996 albums James Carter (musician) albums Atlantic Records albums Albums recorded at Power Station