Benny Carter - Harlem Renaissance (1992)

Benny Carter is a true marvel. At the time of this recording (a double CD), the classic altoist was already age 84, yet showed no signs of slowing down either his playing or his writing schedule. For his specially assembled big band and The Rutgers University Orchestra (which includes a full string section), Carter wrote entirely new arrangements that demonstrate that his talents have not diminished with age. While the first disc mostly sticks to older material, the second disc is comprised of two new suites "Tales of the Rising Sun" and "Harlem Renaissance." In addition, Carter's alto is often the solo star although he does not hog the spotlight; it just naturally drifts back to him.