Betty Carter

'The Music Never Stops' is a beautiful piece of unheard history: an archival recording of a concert headlined by the late, great vocalist Betty Carter. Recorded in 1992, the show was a centerpiece of one of Jazz at Lincoln Center's earliest seasons. Carter titled the singular show 'The Music Never Stops,' because, well, the music never really stopped. She assembled three trios, a big band, and a string section on the stage and darted back and forth between the different ensembles, transitioning seamlessly and effortlessly between burning be-bop and deeply felt ballads, wearing out the musicians with her stamina. The album highlights the legendary Carter's many talents: her effortless way with a melody, her endlessly inventive improvisations, and her unparalleled ability to build both a narrative and a mood by spontaneously weaving jazz standards and her own genius material together.

PERSONNEL:

• BETTY CARTER, vocals, accompanied by:

• THE TRIOS:
• Cyrus Chestnut – piano
• Ariel Roland – bass
• Clarence Penn – drums
• John Hicks – piano
• Lisle Atkinson – bass
• Kenny Washington – drums

• FEATURING:
• Geri Allen – piano
• Greg Hutchinson – drums

• THE BIG BAND:
• Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone
• Rick Wald – alto saxophone
• Alex Foster – tenor saxophone
• Lou Marini – tenor saxophone
• Joe Temperley – baritone saxophone
• Art Baron – trombone
• Robin Eubanks – trombone
• Joe Randazzo – trombone
• Lew Soloff – trumpet
• Earl Gardner – trumpet
• Ron Tooley – trumpet
• Kamau Adilifu – trumpet
• John Hicks – piano
• Lisle Atkinson – bass
• Kenny Washington – drums

• THE STRING:
• Jeanne LeBlanc – cello
• Akua Dixon – cello
• Julie Green – cello
• Bruce Wang – cello
• John Beal – bass
• Dave Finck – bass

Recorded at Aaron Davis Hall, New York, March 29, 1992.

TRACKS:

• 01. Ms. B.C.
• 02. Make It Last
• 03. 30 Years
• 04. Why Him? / Where or When / What's New?
• 05. Tight! / Mr. Gentleman
• 06. Social Call
• 07. Moonlight in Vermont
• 08. The Good Life
• 09. Bridges
• 10. If I Should Lose You
• 11. Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love
• 12. Make Him Believe
• 13. Frenesi