Ron Carter

Since he rose to stardom in the '60s, it's likely that Ron Carter has been in greater demand for session work than any other bass player. Given the man's lyrical genius, Carter has elevated the role of the upright bass beyond that of a mere time-keeper and harmonic foundation, to an instrument that provides both counterpoint and rhythmic variation. Carter rose to national prominence as a member of Miles Davis' second quintet along with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams. Much of the quintet's brilliance originated from the rhythm section's ability to navigate quick tempo/meter changes, swinging solidly all the while. Carter's solo work includes dazzling Post Bop arrangements featuring the great Eric Dolphy on clarinet, full-scale Fusion combos, solo bass compositions and piano duets. He's toured and recorded with artists as diverse as Miles Davis, Cedar Walton and Eric Dolphy. To this day, the ubiquitous Ron Carter remains an unshakable pillar of modern jazz.