Scottish jazz saxophonist and visionary behind Nucleus jazz-rock pioneers, Ian Carr, is constantly pushing musical boundaries. Ian Carr has been at the forefront of British jazz for almost four decades. Carr, who was self-trained in jazz-rock music, played a significant role in the development jazz-rock Fusion. He formed Nucleus in 1969, one of the first electronic jazz-rock groups in England, and has been playing with the United Jazz Rock Ensemble since 1975. Carr was awarded the Calabria Award in southern Italy in 1982 for Outstanding Contribution to Jazz. In 1987, Wire Magazine awarded him a special award in recognition of his contributions to British jazz. Carr is equally influential as a musician journalist and educator. Carr is the co-author of The Essential Companion, a jazz encyclopedia. He also wrote Music Outside, a review of British contemporary jazz, in 1973. Miles Davis: The Definitive Biography was published in 1982. Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music was published in 1991. Carr has been writing a monthly column in BBC Music Magazine since 1992. Carr is an associate professor at Guildhall School of Music and Dance and teaches weekly on jazz history. Carr was born in Scotland, but grew up in England. He didn’t think about a career as a musician until he was almost 30 years of age. Carr was educated at King’s College, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne where he studied English literature. He served in the Army in late ’50s. Soon after his discharge, Carr formed the EmCee Five with his brother Mike McLaughlin. Carr was with the band for 2 years before he left to form the Rendell-Carr Group in 1962 with Don Rendell, a saxophonist. Five albums were recorded by Carr during the seven years that he was with Rendell. Carr was instrumental in the formation of the groundbreaking fusion group Nucleus in September 1969. When it won the Montreaux International Festival’s top prize, the group received international acclaim. Carr continued playing with Nucleus through 1989, when he decided to travel Europe and the United Kingdom as an electric trumpet soloist with an Anglo-American orchestra under George Russell. Old Heartland was recorded in 1988 with the Kreisler String Orchestra, while Sounds and Sweet Airs were recorded in 1992 with John Taylor, an organist.
