Jimmy Carpenter

James Carpenter is an American electric blues saxophonist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, who won a Blues Music Award in both 2021 and 2022 in the 'Instrumentalist - Horn' category. He has been involved in the music industry over a span of six decades and, since 2008, has released five solo albums. His most recent was ''The Louisiana Record'', issued in 2022 by Gulf Coast Records. His recording credits include work for Billy Iuso, Jimmy Thackery, Tab Benoit, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Eric Lindell, Maria Muldaur, Honey Island Swamp Band, and Mike Zito, among others.

Life and career

He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. His father's record collection included big band music, and also Dave Brubeck records which had Paul Desmond playing the alto saxophone. It was his first musical inspiration and Carpenter decided at an early age, that he wanted to play the saxophone. The education system in Greensboro at that time, allowed budding musicians get access to quality music programs, with Carpenter playing in the school band from fifth grade. He was helped by having what he described as "a great saxophone teacher, Charles Murth, who was a wonderful band director". By high school, Carpenter briefly decided to switch to playing the guitar, but quickly realised his future lay with the saxophone. When it came to leaving school and deciding on the next career step, Carpenter choose to try to get work playing gigs. Naturally gravitating towards the hippie culture then found on Tate Street, Carpenter expanded his musical knowledge hearing recorded work by Otis Redding and Little Walter. By 1979, Carpenter started to play in the Little Alfred Band, a group of local hopefuls. He followed his time there by joining the Alka-Phonics, described on Carpenter's website as "a renegade blues band". The band was formed following potential members all being present in the audience at a Tinsley Ellis concert. The Alka-Phonics went on tour in the Eastern United States, playing a mixture of James Brown, Motown and R&B standards. Whilst the group recorded several demos, nothing tangible came out of it and the band split up in 1987 after eight years of playing and touring.

Carpenter then joined a blues rock band based in Charlottesville, Virginia, named the Believers, which turned in to another eight year working period. The band make several recordings, one of which was produced by Garry Tallent. By 1996, with grunge all pervasive, the band found work harder to find and Carpenter left them to open a booking agency. He built the business up over an 18 month period, before he was contacted by his friend, Tinsley Ellis. He tempted Carpenter in to giving up the business and touring for a year as the saxophonist in a four piece band. As that period elapsed, Carpenter heard from another guitarist, Jimmy Thackery, who enquired if Carpenter was available to do a few shows together. This turned out to be a job that lasted for six years, as Carpenter became a full-time member of Thackray's backing band, the Drivers. That band made recordings and toured across Europe with Carpenter picking up the role of road manager, learning new skills as well as obtaining more valuable playing experience.

In 2003, Carpenter left the ensemble to settle in his new home in New Orleans