Where? (Ron Carter debut album released on New Jazz)

!!! Issues

Magic/Where?

Magic, a twofer, consistently list the title Where? at 7:30 although this alleged longer version is not on the original LP nor on any reissue whatsoever.

Whether this is a printing error on the sleeve of Magic, or truly an alternate / edited version is still unclear.

Unfortunately, even the Ron Carter page on Youtube fails to provide clarity, as what they list as Where? is actually Rally.

If you do own Magic, your help would be highly welcome in clarifying what's going on.

Wanted

Victor VICJ-41810

If you have full scans of everything (medium, sleeve, obi, liner), please add them.

Listening notes

Dolphy instruments as listed by Saul are accurate. Dolphy is out on: Bass Duet, Where?

As for Carter & Duvivier, here is a detailed reading of their performance here by editor riwood:

1. Rally. Carter is on cello, arco in unison with Dolphy on the melody, plus a solo; Duvivier pizz bass throughout.
2. Bass Duet – both pizzicato bass, Carter in the left channel (he plays the first few notes)
3. Softly – Carter only on bass. He plays the difficult head & solo with the bow, then swaps to pizzicato for walking accompaniment, then back and forth; to the bow for the head at the end.
4. Where? Carter on cello with the bow. Duvivier on contrabass (pizzicato).
5. Yes Indeed – Carter on cello (pizz), Duvivier on contrabass (pizz)
6. Saucer – Carter only, playing bass (pizzicato).

(*) some people find Carter to be playing out of tune and have a strong reaction against his cello parts.
Carter was originally a cellist and does not tune the instrument like a contrabass unlike other jazz musicians. Although clearly a contemporary master, there are times when Carter's arco intonation is sub-optimal - as with this album, with some rough intonation on both bowed cello (Where?) and bowed bass (Softly).
Note of course that this was Carter's first album as leader, and he called Dolphy to play on it - which in itself is absolutely phenomenal.

Verbatim

Simosko

"Dolphy appeared on four titles, using flute on two."
"bass clarinet solo on Rally"
"alto work on Softly"

Saul

"Rally 5:35 (bcl), Yes Indeed 5:47 (fl), Saucer Eyes 5:06 (fl), Softly as in a Morning Sunrise 7:40 (as)"
"Status ST8265, (G)BJS40166, (J)VIJ-233, (J)SMJ-6570, (F)68.419, (I)HB6057."

Original Liner, Joe Goldberg

"Carter plays cello [on Rally]"

"Carter and Duvivier. The two play the theme together [on Bass Duet]"

"Carter is the only player of both [cello and bass] who does not alter his cello and tune it like a bass. The reason for this is undoubtedly the fact that Carter is not a converted bassist like the others; he played cello first" (*)

"[on Softly] Carter bows the larger instrument with an agility that few could match on the smaller one"

RVG remasters liner notes, Dan Ouellette

"Duvivier, who sits out two numbers"

"Carter delivering a staccato pizzicato cello solo [on Yes Indeed]"

Reissues

Besides Saul's list above, this has been mainly (re)issued by New Jazz (Fantasy / Concord), with the usual Japanese Victor remasters.

All titles (including these without Dolphy) are on the ''Complete Prestige" Fantasy box, 9PRCD-44182

Remasters

As usual, Phil de Lancie 90s OJC remaster was for the longest time the only CD option outside of Japan.

Nowadays, this has been remastered as part of the RVG collection, which is the currently best available option, both in CD and digital formats.

Matrix numbers

3086 Rally
3087 Where?
3088 Yes Indeed
3089 Bass Duet
3090 Saucer Eyes
3091 Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise