RON CARTER & YOTAM SILBERSTEIN

Ron Carter is the most recorded bassist in jazz history.
A musician whose name appears on more than 2,000 albums and whose presence and style remains unchallenged. Born in Ferndale, Michigan, in 1937, he served as the harmonic and rhythmic bedrock of Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet in the mid-1960s, and has since recorded at the legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs on hundreds of occasions, leaving his mark on some of the most celebrated sessions in the jazz canon. Among them Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil and Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage. Celebrating his 89th birthday on May 4, 2026, he remains one of the most vital and commanding presences in the music.

Yotam Silberstein is one of the leading jazz guitarists of his generation. He has gained worldwide acclaim for his rich sound fueled by a deep love of the jazz lineage and a joyful immersion in Brazilian rhythms, bebop, blues, and other musical traditions. Born in Tel Aviv and based in New York, he was discovered at a young age by the great James Moody, and has since performed and recorded alongside some of the most important figures in jazz including Hank Jones, George Coleman, Billy Hart, and Christian McBride. His previous releases for JOJO RECORDS, two volumes of Standards, established him as an artist of rare depth and sensitivity.

Duets was conceived by JOJO RECORDS founder Simon Belelty as a tribute to the three duo recordings Ron Carter made with guitarist Jim Hall between 1973 and 1985, albums that had shaped him profoundly as a young musician. The session was booked at Van Gelder Studio, a space Carter knows like a second home. It took place on December 4th, Jim Hall's birthday, as if it was meant to be. A musical blessing from beyond. The eight pieces that emerged move between a lifetime of accumulated jazz wisdom and the freedom of two musicians playing in perfect, unhurried trust. The album features two original compositions by Silberstein: "Rain Again," and "Blues for Brother Malone," the latter being a heartfelt tribute to guitarist Russell Malone, a close friend and longtime collaborator of both musicians, who passed away in August 2024.

In the liner notes, author T.J. English calls the album "beyond special: ethereal, melodic and soulful, in a sacred space." The last words belong to Yotam Silberstein: "With Ron, his understanding of the role of the bass is profound. He goes there every time, and it makes anything possible. He is the best."