James Carter has been studying and playing the saxophone since the age of 11 and performs on all reed instruments, from piccolo to contrabass clarinet. His work pays homage to his musical influences, from Dixieland through the "avant-garde" jazz traditions, from opera singers to the polytonal freedom of blues and rock and roll pianists and guitarists. In addition to re-working standard tunes with a fierce abandon that's an essential part of the tradition, Carter's own compositions push at the boundaries of the known world with a rare fluidity between imagination and technique.

"My main purpose is to 'edutain', a combination of educating and entertaining the listener. I hope I can be a healing force in the world, on and off stage. There's an education to be had from this music, this heritage; as my teacher says, 'keep your eyes on the prize, study the music.' ...I'm paying homage to where I come from. Music as a whole gives a person a third eye, like a sixth sense... I make music the center of my everyday life."