James Carter (born January 3, 1969) is an American jazz musician widely recognized for his technical virtuosity on saxophones and a variety of woodwinds.

Carter was born in Detroit, Michigan, and learned to play under the tutelage of Donald Washington, becoming a member of his youth jazz ensemble Bird-Trane-Sco-NOW!!

In 1996, he took part in Robert Altman's film Kansas City, where he played Ben Webster alongside several other contemporary jazz musicians playing the roles of players from the 1930s, including Joshua Redman as Lester Young, Craig Handy as Coleman Hawkins and Geri Allen as Mary Lou Williams.

Carter has won DownBeat magazine's Critics and Readers Choice award for baritone saxophone several years in a row.

[3] With Karrin Allyson With the Art Ensemble of Chicago With Ginger Baker and the DGQ20 With Kathleen Battle With Hamiet Bluiett with Lester Bowie's New York Organ Ensemble With Dee Dee Bridgewater With Regina Carter With Cyrus Chestnut With Jayne Cortez & The Firespitters' With Benny Golson With Herbie Hancock With the Julius Hemphill Sextet With D. D. Jackson With Ronald Shannon Jackson With Wynton Marsalis With Christian McBride With Liz McComb With Marcus Miller With Junco Onishi With Madeleine Peyroux With Odean Pope With Steve Turre With Roseanna Vitro and Kenny Werner With Rodney Whitaker With the World Saxophone Quartet