Larry Carlton

Larry Carlton is a jazz guitarist who learned to play guitar at six years old. He started playing jazz in high school, influenced by blues guitarist B.B. King and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. He released his first LP in 1968, titled "With a Little Help From My Friends". From 1971 to 1976 he played with the jazz-rock group The Crusaders, after which he had a full-fledged solo career. He signed with Warner Brothers records in 1977, and produced six solo albums from 1978 to 1984. He had won four Grammys for his performances and compositions. During the 1970s, Carlton was a session musician in Los Angeles, performing on thousands of recordings, including those by Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell. His guitar solo on Steely Dan's Kid Charlemagne from their The Royal Scam album was voted as the third best guitar solo on record by Rolling Stone magazine.

Related Topics:
Jazz - Guitar - Blues - B.B. King - John Coltrane - LP - 1968 - With a Little Help From My Friends - 1971 - 1976 - The Crusaders - Warner Brothers - 1977 - 1978 - 1984 - Grammys - Steely Dan - Joni Mitchell - Kid Charlemagne - The Royal Scam - Rolling Stone

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1985 he signed with MCA Master Series for an acoustic jazz album. The result was "Alone, But Never Alone". From 1985 to 1990 Carlton did various solo projects, winning another Grammy. While working on his 1989 release "On Solid Ground", Carlton was the victim of random gun violence, shot in the throat by gun-wielding juveniles outside Room 335, his private studio in Southern California. The bullet shattered his vocal cord and caused significant nerve trauma. Through intensive therapy and a positive frame of mind, Carlton eventually was able to complete the album. In 1991 he started to record a blues album, but had to delay the project because of a demand for another jazz offering. "Renegade Gentleman" was finally released in 1993.

Related Topics:
1985 - MCA Master Series - Alone, But Never Alone - 1990 - On Solid Ground - 1991 - Renegade Gentleman - 1993

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From 1994 to 1997 Carlton did various tours and released a duet album with guitarist Lee Ritenour. In 1997 he took Ritenour's place in the smooth jazz quartet "Fourplay", in which he is playing at the time this article was written.

Related Topics:
1994 - 1997 - Lee Ritenour - Smooth jazz - Fourplay

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~