him to write "Good Vibes" in 1990. The National Endowment for the Arts gave him a grant that led to Tales of the Rising Sun Suite and Harlem Renaissance Suite. This music was performed in 1992 when he was 85 years old.

Carter had an unusually long career. He is one of few musicians to have recorded in eight different decades. Another characteristic of his career was his versatility as musician, bandleader, arranger, and composer. He helped define the sound of alto saxophone, but he also performed and recorded on soprano saxophone, tenor