ArtistInfo

Les Carter

Producer of Jazz and Spoken Word

Jazz disc jockey and record producer. Born in Detroit, Les became soon involved in jazz and cultivated an enthusiasthic interest in rhythm and blues (“I could go to an R and B show at the Greystone Ballroom and watch Jackie Wilson, The Drifters, Washboard Willie And His Super Suds Of Rhythm and The Miracles bring down the house, and then, after the show, catch Coltrane or Miles at a local jazz club and think nothing of it. I’m a jazz disc jockey on a twenty-four hour jazz station in Los Angeles, but I still have some pretty strong roots in R and B”, Les wrote about himself within the liner notes of Ain't That A Groove!). As an innovative DJ Les performed at KBCA-FM in Los Angeles (1963-1967), then at KPPC-FM in Pasadena (1968-1971; as program director since 1970). When at KBCA-FM, Les launched Billy Stewart’s "Summertime" album before any pop or R&B station was aware of it (see “Record World”, February 4, 1967, p. 46). He also was A&R assistant and promoter at World Pacific Records (see ”Cash Box”, August 7, 1965, p. 39). In 1968 Les, with the help from his wife Susan Carter, opened a small record retail store at 8709 Santa Monica Boulevard, "The Music Revolution", specialized in progressive rock, folk, blues and jazz (see ”Billboard”, July 13, 1968, p. 3). In 1976 he began a successful career writing and producing for television and films (scripts of "Cagney & Lacey," "The Marshal" and "L.A. Law" among others). Les died 1996, August 26, at the age of 53.

Genres

• Jazz
• Spoken Word