Out of Nowhere
"Out of Nowhere," the second straight live album by saxophonist James Carter's Organ Trio (the Hammond man is fellow Detroiter Gerald Gibbs), is rich in delights. It features his gorgeous throwback tenor sound on the title ballad, hooks him up in an earthy dual baritone sax feature with Hamiet Bluiett and cooks with gas on a Brazilian-tinged version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." But a 16-minute workout with the raw-boned avant-blues guitarist James "Blood" Ulmer on "Highjack" is a rather jarring departure and Carter's freewheeling take on the Benny Golson classic, "Along Came Betty," is undercut by the sweetening effects of his soprano. If you once anticipated the day when the prodigiously talented saxophonist would rein in his excesses--the showboating and mannerisms, the devouring of styles, the insistence on playing every saxophone ever invented--it is now clear he is never going to mature in that fashion.  But, if you take the best of what he offers, which is considerable, you will definitely find a way to enjoy the whole package.--Lloyd Sachs