Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader.

From the beginning of his career in the 1920s, he worked as an arranger including written charts for Fletcher Henderson's big band that shaped the swing style.

In the 1920s, he performed with June Clark, Billy Paige, and Earl Hines, then toured as a member of the Wilberforce Collegians led by Horace Henderson.

In 1932, he formed a band in New York City that included Chu Berry, Sid Catlett, Frankie Newton, Dicky Wells, Wayman Carver, and Teddy Wilson.

Among the most significant were "Keep a Song in Your Soul", written for Henderson in 1930, and "Lonesome Nights" and "Symphony in Riffs" from 1933, both of which show Carter's writing for saxophones.

In 1933, Carter participated in sessions with British composer/musician Spike Hughes, who visited New York City to organize recordings with prominent African American musicians.

These 14 sides plus four by Carter's big band, titled at the time Spike Hughes and His Negro Orchestra, were initially only issued in England.

The musicians were from Carter's band and included Red Allen, Dicky Wells, Wayman Carver, Coleman Hawkins, J. C. Higginbotham, and Chu Berry.

In these settings, Carter played trumpet, clarinet, piano, alto and tenor saxophone, and provided occasional vocals.

In the mid-1940s he moved to Los Angeles, forming another big band, which at times included J. J. Johnson, Max Roach, and Miles Davis.

With the exception of occasional concerts, performing with Jazz at the Philharmonic,[3] and recording, he ceased working as a touring big band bandleader.

During the 1950s and '60s, he wrote arrangements for vocalists[3] such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Sarah Vaughan.

During the 1980s, he wrote the long composition Central City Sketches which was performed at Cooper Union by the American Jazz Orchestra.

[16][17] Information from AllMusic.com[19] With Louis Bellson With Ella Fitzgerald With Dizzy Gillespie With Jazz at the Philharmonic With Peggy Lee With Dave Pell With Nancy Wilson