Betty Carter IV: Elder Stateswoman

Betty Carter Quartet - I'm All Smiles
From Feed the Fire: Verve/Bet-Car 523 600-2 [Buy]

Betty Carter Sextet - East of the Sun
From I'm Yours, You're Mine: Verve/Bet-Car 533 182 [Buy]

The last ten years of Betty Carter's life were characterised by growing critical and popular acclaim. There seemed to be a clear realisation from many that Carter was at the height of her powers, and was indeed one of the unique voices of the century.

Betty Carter at Ronnie Scott's Club, London, 1993

While Carter continued to pull young talent into her bands, nurturing some of the major voices of today's American straightahead scene, some of her finest moments occurred at the head of an all-star band. In the late summer of 1993, Betty Carter toured Europe with Jack deJohnette, Dave Holland and Geri Allen. The band was caught on tape at the Royal Festival Hall in London on October 30, 1993, and the recording was released on Verve as Feed the Fire.

Betty Carter's final album was the slow-burning I'm Yours, You're Mine, released in 1996, featuring a poignant rendition of Kurt Weill's September Song, (too searing to post here - buy the album!), which could well act as her epitaph. She continued performing live and teaching until her death from cancer in New York on September 26th, 1998.