James Carter: Chasin' the Gypsy (Atlantic 83304-2).

James Carter: Chasin' the Gypsy (Atlantic 83304-2)

Saxophonist James Carter has prodigious talent; unfortunately, he also has a tendency to be a hot dog. The result on this outing is a CD that is a glorious mess. Sonically, this is a dazzling CD, full of unusual, powerful, startling, and sometimes-effective sounds. Bell sounds coming out of nowhere, huge tones from the saxophone, crisp drums, subtle guitars, a glorious aural kaleidescope--but not always a glorious musical experience. Listening to a James Carter recording is like taking a trip to the state fair: lots of fun, plenty of color and bright lights and exciting sounds and smells, but when it is all over, you just can't wait to get home and put all the garishness behind you. And so it is here. Carter has put together a heck of a band for his tribute to the music of Django Reinhardt, including Regina Carter on violin, Jay Berliner on steel-string guitar, Romereo Lubamba on nylon-string guitar, Charlie Giordano on accordion, Steve Kirby on bass, Cyro Baptista on percussion, and Joey Baron on drums. But it is Carter's saxophone that dominates the soundscape throughout, especially when he picks up his might bass saxophone on several of the cuts. Whoa! If only Carter could have backed off just a little, with not quite so many little flourishes and slides and squeals and pops and smears and trills and so darn many NOTES. If only he had done this, it might have been something of a musical trip to the Hot Club of France; but no, it's the state fair, and the hot dogs just have too darn much mustard on them. Guilty pleasure to the max, but then comes the indigestion. Partake at your peril. - KWN