Present Tense is an album by saxophonist James Carter released on the EmArcy label in 2008.

[1] In the AllMusic review, Thom Jurek commented: "Present Tense showcases Carter at his most disciplined and ambitious ...

[2] In JazzTimes, David R. Adler called the album "an unselfconscious mix of influences, more three-dimensional than his various tribute discs and the recent organ-trio blowouts".

[5] On All About Jazz Greg Camphire observed: "This solid, straight-ahead outing sounds both "old-timey" (in the best sense), with deep roots in blues and swing; and exploratory, never sacrificing Carter's personal approach, while maintaining his place in the jazz tradition".

[3] In The Guardian, critic John Fordham wrote: "The whole set is a jazz history, rescued from cheesiness by Carter's mastery of every technical detail".