In a historic musical collaboration bridging two of America’s most profound genres, the “Maestro” Ron Carter and the “Choirmaster” Ricky Dillard announce the formal release of their groundbreaking joint album, Sweet, Sweet Spirit.
The album, a first-of-its-kind fusion of Gospel’s sacred power and Jazz’s masterful improvisation, is now available on all streaming platforms. The album’s new and invigorating single “Farther Along” releases today with a supporting video, directed by Paul C. Rivera and produced by Justin Green – released via Blue Note Records x Motown Gospel.
A deeply personal project for Ron Carter, Sweet, Sweet Spirit honors the memory of his late mother, Mrs. Willie O. Carter, whose favorite hymns shaped the musical foundation of the Carter household and the Detroit church community where they worshipped. The album revives those cherished hymns, originally sung a cappella by parishioners as the only instruments in the room; now reimagined through Carter’s legendary bass lines and the rich, soaring vocal instrumentation of Ricky Dillard’s choir.
The origins of Sweet, Sweet Spirit trace back nearly thirty years. When Mrs. Carter transitioned to a live-in care facility, her daughters requested that Ron arrange and record ten of her most beloved hymns. Carter composed and captured his bass interpretations so she could listen to them during her final weeks; a private gift of music, memory, and devotion.
To bring this vision to life, there was only one choice: Dr. Ricky Dillard, the reigning force and master of contemporary Gospel choir music. Together, Carter and Dillard crafted a sonic landscape where choir becomes instrument, bass becomes narrator, and both genres coexist with reverence and innovation. The project marks a monumental moment for both genres; a merging of two Black American art forms, each with deep spiritual and cultural roots, into something wholly new.
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