Carter Jefferson

Carter Jefferson (1946 – 9 December 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.^[1]

Biography

Jefferson played clarinet and alto saxophone early in his career, playing in the backing bands for The Temptations, The Supremes, and Little Richard in the 1960s.^[2] In 1971, he entered New York University, and played with Mongo Santamaría and with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.^[3] Between 1977 and 1980 he performed and recorded with Woody Shaw.^[4] Following this, Jefferson spent time with Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, Cedar Walton, Jerry Gonzalez, Malachi Thompson, Barbara Donald, and Jack Walrath. His only record as a bandleader was the 1978 release The Rise of Atlantis, produced by Woody Shaw.^[5] A heavy drinker and smoker for most of his life, he died in Kraków, Poland, in 1993 after an emergency surgical procedure; he had been suffering from cirrhosis, kidney failure, stomach ulcers, a hemorrhaging esophagus, acute circulatory failure, and other maladies.^[6][7]

Discography

As leader

• 1978: The Rise of Atlantis (Timeless Muse) with Terumasa Hino, Harry Whitaker, Clint Houston, Victor Lewis, Steve Thornton, Lani Groves, Shunzo Ono, John Hicks

As sideman

With Art Blakey

• Buhaina (Prestige, 1973)
• Anthenagin (Prestige, 1973)

With Walter Davis, Jr.

• Illumination (1977)

With Woody Shaw

• Rosewood (Columbia, 1977)
• Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia, 1978)
• Woody III (Columbia, 1979)
• For Sure! (Columbia, 1979)
• Woody Shaw Quartet Basel 1980 (Elemental Music, 2019)

With Barbara Donald

• Barbara Donald and Unity: Olympia Live (Cadence Jazz Records, 1982)^[8]
• Barbara Donald and Unity: The Past and Tomorrows (Cadence Jazz Records, 1983)^[9]

With Malachi Thompson

• Spirit (Delmark, 1983)
• The Jaz Life (Delmark, 1992)
• Lift Every Voice (Delmark, 1993)
• New Standards (Delmark, 1993)
• 47th Street (Delmark, 1997)
• Freebop Now! (Delmark, 1998)

With Jack Walrath

• Master of Suspense (Blue Note, 1987)
• Neohippus (Blue Note, 1988)
• Gut Feelings (Muse, 1990 [1992])

With Clifford Jordan

• The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan (Mapleshade, 1989-91 [1997])