James Carter Quartet - JC On The Set

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Review by Marcus Oliveira

Album Review: JC On The Set by James Carter Quartet (1994) Alright, so let’s talk about JC On The Set by the James Carter Quartet. This album came out in '94 and is a solid example of contemporary jazz that swings hard but also has these little moments where it feels like you're floating off into space. I mean, how do they even do that? It’s got this cool mix of groove-heavy tunes and these introspective vibes that just stick with you. The tracklist itself is kinda short—only eight songs—but man, does it pack a punch. Two tracks really stood out to me while I was jamming this one: “Sophisticated Lady” and “Caravan.” Let’s break ‘em down real quick. First up, “Sophisticated Lady.” Now, if you know anything about jazz standards, you’ve probably heard this tune before—it’s Duke Ellington classic territory. But James Carter doesn’t just play it safe here. He takes the melody and runs wild with it, adding layers of complexity without losing the soul of the original. Craig Taborn on piano absolutely kills it too, tossing in these lush chords that make you feel like you’re lounging in some smoky club from another era. And then there’s James himself on sax—you can tell he’s having fun because his solos are unpredictable yet totally smooth. Like, how does someone sound chaotic and controlled at the same time? Beats me, but it works. Then there’s “Caravan.” Oh man, this one slaps. If you’ve ever wanted a song that makes you wanna grab a scarf and twirl around your room pretending you’re mysterious or something, this is it. Tani Tabbal’s drumming sets up this hypnotic rhythm right away, and Jaribu Shahid’s basslines are so deep they could double as earthquake tremors. James switches between alto and tenor sax here, showing off his range like he’s flexing muscles you didn’t even know existed. By the end, you’re not sure whether to clap or bow down to the musical gods. Honestly, both reactions feel appropriate. What I love most about this album is how raw and alive it sounds. You can hear every breath, every scrape of fingers on strings—it’s like being right there in the studio with them. Credit goes to Jim Anderson for recording and mixing; dude clearly knew what he was doing. Plus, props to Allan Tucker for mastering everything so well that even cranking it up loud doesn’t ruin the vibe. So yeah, JC On The Set might be over 25 years old now, but it still hits different. Listening to it feels like finding an old vinyl in a dusty record store and realizing it’s gold. Jazz fans will dig it for sure, but honestly, anyone who loves good music should give this a spin. Oh, and here’s the kicker—I swear listening to this album made my cat start acting all weirdly cultured. True story. She sat next to the speaker the whole time, tail flicking like she was critiquing each note. Maybe cats are secret jazz aficionados? Who knows. But hey, if my feline approves, maybe yours will too.

Download James Carter Quartet - JC On The Set
Artist: James Carter Quartet
Album: JC On The Set
Rating: 4.33

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: james-carter-quartet-jc-on-the-set.zip
  • MP3 size: 56 mb
  • FLAC size: 305.6 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Hour Of Parting8:18
Baby Girl Blues7:47
JC On The Set6:25
Caravan9:43
Blues For A Nomadic Princess13:50
Worried And Blue8:07
Sophisticated Lady6:41
Lunatic4:18

Video

JC on the Set - James Carter
James Carter - Blue for а nomadic princess

Images

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Catalog Numbers

  • CK 66149
  • DIW-875

Labels

  • DIW, Columbia
  • DIW

Listen online

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Formats

  • CD
  • Album
  • Unofficial Release

Companies

RoleCompany
Recorded AtSound On Sound, New York
Phonographic Copyright (p)Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Copyright (c)Disk Union
Manufactured ByColumbia Records

Credits

RoleCredit
Alto SaxophoneJames Carter
Tenor SaxophoneJames Carter
Baritone SaxophoneJames Carter
BassJaribu Shahid
DesignDIW Design Room
DrumsTani Tabbal
EngineerDevin Emke, John Siket
Executive-ProducerDisk Union
Liner NotesHoward Mandel
Mastered ByAllan Tucker
Photography ByCheung Ching Ming
PianoCraig Taborn
ProducerDIW Records, Kazunori Sugiyama
Recorded ByJim Anderson
Mixed ByJim Anderson
TechnicianEd Wedberg
Saxophone [AltoJames Carter
TenorJames Carter
Baritone]James Carter

Notes

  • Recorded on 14, 15 April 1993 at Sound On Sound, NYC.
  • This is a US reissue of a DIW Records Japanese release. The DIW and Columbia logos appear in adjacent positions on the spine and elsewhere on the artwork.
  • © 1993 Disk Union/℗ 1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc./Manufactured by Columbia Records/550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022-3211
  • 1993 Disk Union
  • This is a russian unofficial reissue of a DIW Records Japanese release.

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 0 7464-66149-2 1
  • Matrix / Runout: ZZ-93GP0001805
  • Rights Society: JASRAC R-360256

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s a cool fact: James Carter, the saxophone genius behind *JC On The Set*, played not one, not two, but three types of saxophones on this album—alto, tenor, and baritone. It’s like he couldn’t pick a favorite, so he just mastered them all. The album blends smooth contemporary jazz with tracks like "Caravan" and "Sophisticated Lady," showcasing his versatility. Fun detail: it was released in both the US and Russia, making it a global jazz gem.

Comments

petragoossens1
2025-03-14
JAMES CARTER (t sax), Craig Taborn (p), Jaribu Shahid (b) and Tani Tabbal (d) in 1993.
meshalalsiari
2025-03-14
THe best tracks that James Carter ever laid were Caravans on JC On The Set and another album he did in the 1990s with Epistrophy.
ksdempsey8470
2025-03-14
Haha the sounds he can make with his Saxophone are just amazing it keeps surprising me even after listening for the 10th time.
daveylove66
2025-03-14
1:37 ' rhapsody in blue '
chibelshome
2025-03-14
To me this is one of the greatest saxophone solos ever
rameenayamuna11
2025-03-13
Bad News that i-tunes does not have J.C On The Set, with Caravans . There was another album in the 1990s with Epistrophy that will blow your mind. I heard him out of Main Public Radio. He seemed to have been destined for great things but ended up becoming obese and uncomprehensible. But how he did Caravans and Epistrophy in the 90s is haunting to this day
bigmcasinos
2025-03-12
La fucking cúspide de la música!
asumarudin
2025-03-12
nice