Harlem Renaissance (album)

Harlem Renaissance is a live album celebrating saxophonist/composer Benny Carter's 85th birthday recorded in 1992 and released by the MusicMasters label.[1][2]

Harlem Renaissance
Live album by
Released1992
RecordedFebruary 7 & 9, 1992
VenueState Theatre, New Brunswick Cultural Center, New Brunswick, NJ
GenreJazz
Length99:33
LabelMusicMasters
65080-2
ProducerEd Berger
Benny Carter chronology
All That Jazz: Live at Princeton
(1991)
Harlem Renaissance
(1992)
Legends
(1993)

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]

"Harlem Renaissance Suite" won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 1992.[4] AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated "Benny Carter is a true marvel. At the time of this recording (a double CD), the classic altoist was already age 84, yet showed no signs of slowing down either his playing or his writing schedule. For his specially assembled big band and The Rutgers University Orchestra (which includes a full string section), Carter wrote entirely new arrangements that demonstrate that his talents have not diminished with age. ... In addition, Carter's alto is often the solo star although he does not hog the spotlight; it just naturally drifts back to him".[3]

Track listing

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All compositions by Benny Carter except where noted

Disc One:

  1. "Vine Street Rumble" – 11:21
  2. "Sao Paolo" – 5:05
  3. "I Can't Get Started" (Vernon Duke, Ira Gershwin) – 5:42
  4. "Stockholm Sweetnin'" (Quincy Jones) – 5:34
  5. "Evening Star" – 8:31
  6. "How High The Moon" (Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton) – 11:02

Disc Two:

  1. "Tales of the Rising Sun Suite: August Moon" – 4:26
  2. "Tales of the Rising Sun Suite: Teatime" – 3:51
  3. "Tales of the Rising Sun Suite: Song of Long Ago" – 5:06
  4. "Tales of the Rising Sun Suite: Samurai Song" – 3:07
  5. "Tales of the Rising Sun Suite: Chow Chow" – 9:19
  6. "Harlem Renaissance Suite: Lament for Langston" – 5:05
  7. "Harlem Renaissance Suite: Sugar Hill Slow Drag" – 5:04
  8. "Harlem Renaissance Suite: Happy Feet" – 6:54
  9. "Harlem Renaissance Suite: Sunday Morning" – 4:15
  10. "Harlem Renaissance Suite: Happy Feet-Reprise" – 5:11

Personnel

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  • The Rutgers University Orchestra (tracks 2-1 to 2-10):
    • Richard Rosolino, Susan Kynkor – horns
    • Katie Evans – flute
    • John Atteberry – bassoon
    • Gloria Agostini – harp
    • N. Scott Robinson – percussion (vibraphone, bells, gong, shaker)
    • Anna Lim, Grace Lee, Michael Locati, Orlando Wells, Rebecca Engstrom, Ruo Tao Mao, Suzanne Gilman, Amy Hegarty, Brigit Hammerling, Michael Jamanis, Norma Stites, Yi-Wen Jiang – violin
    • Clifford Young, Harold Levin, Jacqueline Young, Mu Ning – viola
    • Alex Kramer, Bridget MacRae, Tu Qiang, Wendy Tummon – cello
    • Jack Hayes – orchestrator

References

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  1. ^ Encilopedia del Jazz: Benny Carter, accessed June 10, 2019
  2. ^ Benny Carter: Selected Discography - Bibliography Archived 2017-06-21 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 10, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Yanow, Scott. Benny Carter: Harlem Renaissance – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  4. ^ Grammy Awards: Benny Carter, accessed June 10, 2019