New York jazz lovers looking for something to do this weekend may want to check out one of James Carter’s sets at the Blue Note.  I was lucky enough to catch the 10:30 set last night (we were close enough to the stage to catch sweat from the drummer had he flung it our way), and believe me, they put on a great set.

The Blue Note’s only been around since 1981, but since its founding it’s rapidly become one of New York’s premier destinations for serious jazz.  Just down the street and around the corner from the Village Vanguard, it’s hosted great artists like Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughn despite its relatively recent inception. Granted, the decor may not be as nice as Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at the Time Warner Center (it’s a little on the glitzy-cheesy side, and the tables are not the most comfortable in existence), but it’s still a terrific place to go for big names in jazz.

Carter is known for contemporary jazz saxophone, and has even played on an album with my favorite jazz musician, Cyrus Chestnut.   This week he’s receiving terrific backup by John Medeski (organ), Adam Rogers (guitar), Christian McBride (bass), and Joey Baron (drums).  The ensemble may be this good in part because they’re doing a live recording session during the five days of the run; they may be having fun, but they’re not fooling around.

I have to admit, much though I like jazz, McBride was the only member of the ensemble that I’d heard before. The verdict?  Spectacular.  Every member of this ensemble was well up to snuff, performing some great solo runs, and they were having a great time.  The energy in this set never flagged for a second.  Carter is a terrific sax player; his playing definitely leans toward the modern side of jazz (the intro to one song made me feel like I had been kidnapped into a particularly disturbing sci-fi film for a few minutes), but the energy and the skill were irresistible, even for someone who tends to lean toward straight-ahead jazz.  Carter can make the sax sing, or make it sound like anything from a rabbit’s death squeal to James Earl Jones humming.  Like jazz?  Go.  Even in New York, ensembles as good as this are a rare treat.

Carter and the ensemble will be playing at the Blue Note through Sunday, with 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm shows both Saturday and Sunday.  Bar seats are $15.00 and table seats are $27.50; reservations can be made online at the Blue Note’s website or by calling (212) 475-8592.