Ron Carter has played on more than 2,200 recording sessions— most famously with Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet—in every conceivable configuration. It’s second nature for him to find his place within the music while simultaneously influencing its direction. He is one of few acousticjazz bassists who could step out onto a stage, as he does here, accompanied only by a spoken-word artist, and keep a listener spellbound. Plucking, bending and sliding, taking unexpected turns and providing close accompaniment, he’s still—in his 80s—a wonder to behold. Danny Simmons, the co-leader at this gig, is the co-founder of Def Poetry Jam as well as a painter. His words are colorful, sharp, provocative—he alternately jabs and floats, making rhythms not to be showy but because that’s where his poetry takes him. Carter picks up on every nuance—he tones it down when it needs toning, adds color where color is required and picks up the pace when the action requires heat. The nine tracks here (six featuring the duo setup, and one with fellow Def Poetry Jam alum Liza Jessie Peterson) are, despite the album title, only tangentially related to the Beat movement, but the association is understood. This is not passive listening; you want to be involved, to hang on each of Carter’s words and phrases. Some—“Where Do I Begin” and “The Jigaboo Waltz” in particular—are so densely packed with imagery and information they require numerous hearings just to grasp Simmons’ intent, while others are not quite that penetrating. For the other two tracks, including a moody take on the standard “There Will Never be Another You,” Simmons takes a break and Carter is joined by pianist Donald Vega and guitarist Russell Malone. They’re reminders of what Ron Carter more typically does—and that he can do anything.