Carlton Fisher’s journey to the bass wasn’t a straight line, but that’s part of what makes his sound so rich. A Rhode Island native and current jazz bass major at the University of Rhode Island, Carlton’s musical roots stretch back to middle school, when he chose drums as his first instrument. “I just kept trying new instruments—guitar, piano… and eventually bass guitar. At first it was just for fun, but I was the only bassist in my high school jazz band, so I kind of got drafted in. That’s when it really became my instrument.”
Now studying with renowned bassist Dave Zinno, Carlton performs regularly across the state, including at the 2024 Newport Jazz Festival. A passionate listener of both jazz and classical music, he cites Wayne Shorter and Gustav Mahler among his inspirations. “I think about music like conversation,” he says. “It’s not just melody—it’s counter-melody, it’s intuition. I love when two musicians seem to just know what the other is going to say next.”
His musical interests span far and wide, from performance to musicology, from jam sessions in local bars to philosophical questions about AI’s impact on music’s future. But if there’s a thread that ties it all together, it’s Carlton’s belief in collaboration. “I couldn’t survive without a community in music,” he says. “When I’m not playing with others, I feel like I’m going insane. That’s how you really hear what you’ve been practicing—it’s where the music comes alive.”
This year, Carlton is the recipient of the Kingston Chamber Music Festival Scholarship, which he sees as a signal to keep growing. “It’s encouragement,” he says. “A sign of progress. And a reminder that I’m on the right path—even if I’m still figuring out exactly where it leads.”
~ Written by Sophia Rousseau, KCMF Social Media Coordinator
