For the Love of Ron: Ron Carter and Friends 85th Birthday Celebration In what was an absolute highpoint for an instrument that even in the age of social media remains too often overlooked, the grand master of jazz bass, Mr. Ron Carter, was honored at a packed Carnegie Hall concert on May 10, celebrating his 85th birthday. All bassists hold a sweet spot for the Detroit-born and raised, New York City-forged Carter, from his landmark early career with the Miles Davis Quartet and Quintet to his frequent solo projects that range from bebop to Bach. In between are thousands of recordings as a sideman — chiefly in jazz, but extending to pop, R&B, Latin, and rap — upon which he has established himself as the foremost architect of bass line construction. An impressive collection of Carter devotees led the proceedings, starting with host Lester Holt of NBC News, himself an active bassist. Holt spoke eloquently and then introduced Stanley Clarke, who framed Carter as the superhero he is