Classical composer Roberto Sierra and jazz saxophonist James Carter came together to create Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra—a four-part concerto that seamlessly integrates the forms and harmonic language of contemporary classical music, Latin rhythms, and jazz’s improvisational imperative. The work was commissioned by the saxophonist’s hometown Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Written for soprano and tenor saxophones, Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra doesn’t just represent a new musical synthesis, it embodies a state-of-the-art open-source collaboration in which Carter and Sierra worked through the piece’s details together up until they recorded the piece last year in Poland with a world-class orchestra under the direction of Costa Rican–raised conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (music director of the Nashville Symphony).  Other artists who performed include master violinist Regina Carter, and cellist Akua Dixon’s String Quintet.

Born and raised in Detroit, saxophonist James Carter grew up surrounded by music, soaking up everything from funk and fusion to rock, soul, and various strains of acoustic jazz. He studied with his musical father, Donald Washington, and won a scholarship to the prestigious Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (in 1985 he became the youngest faculty member at 16!) and Interlochen Center for the Arts summer program. He performed sporadic orchestral and club dates with Wynton Marsalis from 1985 to 1987. It was the late trumpeter Lester Bowie who first brought Carter to New York, inviting him to perform with his New York Organ Combo.

Carter hooked up with the great altoist and groundbreaking composer Julius Hemphill, playing an essential role on his two last saxophone sextet albums. It also led to playing and recording with one of his musical heroes, the late Frank Lowe and his group the Saxemble. In 1993, Carter released his first album JC on the Set, a quartet tour de force that announced the arrival of a new talent equally expressive on alto, tenor, and baritone sax (and he’s added several other horns over the years, most importantly soprano sax).

Weaving together divergent impulses is at the heart of Carter’s music. Like the late tenor sax titan Ben Webster, he’s given to furious, high-velocity solos, but is just as likely to wax sentimental, using his big, bruising tone to tenderly caress a comely melody. In 2000, he released two unique albums—the lyrical Chasin’ the Gypsy and the groove-laden Layin’ in the Cut.

He reinvented the organ combo (with 2005’s Out of Nowhere and again in 2009 with John Medeski on Heaven and Earth), explored the music of alt-rock band Pavement (on 2005’s Gold Sounds), and paid loving tribute to Billie Holiday (on 2003’s Gardenias for Lady Day).  Roberto Sierra has called Carter “the Paganini of saxophone,” and their collaboration on Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra brings a new richness to both of their musical careers.

He has also collaborated with such diverse artists as Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, Kathleen Battle, electric bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma and drummer Grant Calvin Weston.

(All details adapted from artist websites and press materials.)