At the Crossroads (album) explained

At the Crossroads
Type:	Album
Artist:	James Carter Organ Trio
Cover:	At the Crossroads.jpg
Released:	October 4, 2011
Recorded:	February 8 & 9, 2011
Studio:	Avatar Studios, New York City
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	74:44
Label:	EmArcy
Producer:	Michael Cuscuna
Chronology:	James Carter
Prev Title:	Caribbean Rhapsody
Prev Year:	2011

At the Crossroads is an album by saxophonist James Carter's Organ Trio, released on the EmArcy label in 2011.^[1]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek commented: "At the Crossroads delivers what its title promises: a portrait of the Organ Trio at the point where they look back at B-3 jazz history and move it ever forward". In JazzTimes, Steve Greenlee said: "Carter's tone—alternately gruff and sensuous, always balancing melody and skronk—of course gets the limelight. His is, after all, one of today's most unmistakable saxophone voices, and he knows it".^[2] For All About Jazz, C. Michael Bailey observed: "Carter takes advantage of the music, exploring all of its facets in his exceptional organ trio format. No stone is left unturned, no influence unaknowledged".^[3] The Guardian critic John Fordham wrote: "Carter can be sumptuously romantic or exhilaratingly funky – his technique embraces all kinds of extreme playing, from split-note multiphonic harmonies to staccato effects – and he directs his full firepower at this mostly mainstream-groovy repertoire".^[4]

Track listing

1. "Oh Gee" (Matthew Gee) – 6:49
2. "JC Off the Set" (Gerard Gibbs) – 3:19
3. "Aged Pain" (Ronald Shannon Jackson) – 5:26
4. "The Walkin' Blues" (Jesse Powell, Ralph Bass) – 5:21
5. "My Whole Life Through" (Eddie Durham, Sarah McLawler) – 7:04
6. "Walking the Dog" (Jack McDuff) – 7:23
7. "Lettuce Toss Yo' Salad" (Leonard King, Jr.) – 7:00
8. "Misterio" (Guido Luciani) – 5:09
9. "Ramblin' Blues" (Fred Mendelsohn, Maybelle Smith) – 4:19
10. "Come Sunday" (Duke Ellington) – 7:34
11. "Tis the Old Ship of Zion" (Traditional) – 5:21
12. "The Hard Blues" (Julius Hemphill) – 9:52

Personnel

• James Carter – soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
• Gerard Gibbs – organ
• Leonard King, Jr. – drums, vocals
• Bruce Edwards (tracks 1, 3 & 6), Brandon Ross (tracks 4 & 12) – guitar
• Miche Braden – vocals (tracks 4 & 11)
• Keyon Harrold – trumpet (tracks 4 & 10)
• Vincent Chandler – trombone (tracks 4 & 10)
• Eli Fountain – tambourine (track 10)

Notes and References

1. http://jamescarterlive.com/discography James Carter discography
2. Greenlee, S., James Carter Organ Trio: At the Crossroads – review, JazzTimes, November 2011 – accessed October 24, 2016
3. Bailey, C. M., All About Jazz Review, accessed October 24, 2016
4. Fordham, J., The Guardian Review, November 25, 2011