Doug Carn
- Instrument:
- Organ
- Notable collaborations:
- Jean Carn, Calvin Keys, Henry Franklin, Gene Russell
- Genres:
- Jazz, Funk / Soul, Electronic, Hip Hop, Folk, World, & Country, Non-Music, Pop, Latin, Stage & Screen
- Styles:
- Soul-Jazz, Soul, Funk, Jazz-Funk, Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Modal, Disco, Post Bop, Vocal
Doug Carn is a multi-instrumentalist, widely recognized for his mastery of the organ. His career is defined by his key role in the early 1970s development of soul-jazz. Carn released four seminal albums on the Black Jazz Records label, merging Afrocentric themes with hard-grooving instrumental prowess. These works, which include the classic Infant Eyes (his most reissued album) and Revelation, often featured the vocals of his then-wife, Jean Carn. Carn’s powerful sound, which spans Soul-Jazz and Funk, continues to resonate today. His recent collaboration on Jazz Is Dead 5 demonstrates his enduring influence on modern hip-hop and groove-based music.
Essential Doug Carn Albums
Infant Eyes
Doug Carn
1971
Soul-Jazz
Spirit Of The New Land
Doug Carn, Jean Carn
1972
Soul-Jazz
Adam's Apple
Doug Carn
1974
Soul-Jazz
Revelation
Doug Carn, Jean Carn
1973
Soul
Jazz Is Dead 5
Doug Carn, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
2020
Al Rahman! Cry Of The Floridian Tropic Son
Abdul Rahim Ibrahim, Doug Carn
1977
Funk
Virgo
Doug Carn, Terri Davis
1990
Contemporary Jazz
A New Incentive "Firm Roots"
Doug Carn
2001
Post Bop
My Spirit
Doug Carn
2015
What Happened To JR?
Obie Jessie, Oscar Brashear, Doug Carn, Billy Higgins, Bennie Maupin
1993
Similar Artists
Top Labels
| Label | Releases |
|---|---|
| Black Jazz Records | 12 |
| P-Vine Records | 9 |
| Not On Label | 5 |
| Heavenly Sweetness | 4 |
| Jazz Is Dead | 3 |
| Compost Records | 3 |
| Snow Dog Records | 3 |
| Ovation Records | 2 |
| Universal Sound | 2 |
| Trio Records | 2 |
Doug Carn Collaborations
As Leader
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Jean Carn | Vocals | 3 |
| Nathen Page | Guitar | 2 |
| Deszon X. Claiborne | Drums | 2 |
| Howard Wiley | Tenor Saxophone | 2 |
| Teodross Avery | Tenor Saxophone | 2 |
| Henry Franklin | Bass | 1 |
| Michael Carvin | Drums | 1 |
| Bob Frazier | Flugelhorn, Trumpet | 1 |
| George Harper | Flute, Tenor Saxophone | 1 |
| George Harper | Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Flute [Reed] | 1 |
As Sideman
| Musician | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin McNeal | Guitar | 2 |
| Taeko | Vocals | 2 |
| Albert Nicholson | Drums | 1 |
| Gary Starling | Guitar | 1 |
| Clydie King | Backing Vocals | 1 |
| Jessica Smith | Backing Vocals | 1 |
| Rhetta Hughes | Backing Vocals | 1 |
| Venetta Fields | Backing Vocals | 1 |
| John Boudreaux | Drums | 1 |
| Albert Hall | Horns | 1 |
Key Personnel
| Person | Role | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Various | Leader | 5 |
| Bob Berglund | Lacquer Cut By | 4 |
| Dee Dee Bridgewater | Leader | 3 |
| Dick Schory | Producer | 2 |
| Dave Cooley | Mastered By | 2 |
| Intuit | Leader | 2 |
| Taeko | Leader | 2 |
| Joe Fields | Executive-Producer | 2 |
| El Roy | Leader | 2 |
| Ancient Cosmonauts | Leader | 2 |
Discography
Total: 59 releases
| Artist | Album | Label | Leader/Sideman | Style | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Cosmonauts | Higher | Cosmonauts Records | Sideman | Funk | 2023 |
| Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad | Jazz Is Dead 10 (Remixes) | - | Sideman | 2022 | |
| Various | Blue Note Re:imagined II | - | Sideman | 2022 | |
| Stefanie Tornow, Beat Baumli | The Night Has A Thousand Eyes | AllJazz | Sideman | Smooth Jazz | 2021 |
| J Rocc | Jazz Is Dead Series 1 | Jazz Is Dead | Sideman | Funk | 2021 |
| Doug Carn, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad | Jazz Is Dead 5 | Jazz Is Dead | Leader | 2020 | |
| Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad | Jazz Is Dead 1 | - | Sideman | 2020 | |
| Ancient Cosmonauts | Higher | Cosmonauts Records | Sideman | Funk | 2020 |
| Joe Claussell | Praise (Praying For A Better Tomorrow) | Sacred Rhythm Music | Leader | Gospel | 2019 |
| Dee Dee Bridgewater | Little B's Poem | Trio Records | Sideman | 2019 | |
| Ramza | I Stay In The Mood | Rcslum Recordings | Sideman | Downtempo | 2019 |
| Doug Carn And His West Coast Organ Band | Free For All | Doodlin' Records | Sideman | 2019 | |
| Various | Soul Of A Nation (Afro-Centric Visions In The Age of Black Power: Underground Jazz, Street Funk & The Roots Of Rap 1968-79) | - | Sideman | 2017 | |
| Doug Carn | My Spirit | Doodlin' Records | Leader | 2015 | |
| Jean Carn | Give It Up | Essential Media Group | Sideman | Soul | 2015 |
| Taeko | Wonderland | Flat Nine Records | Sideman | Contemporary Jazz | 2013 |
| Theo Parrish | Theo Parrish's Black Jazz Signature | - | Sideman | 2013 | |
| Wallace Roney | Home | HighNote Records, Inc. | Sideman | Modal | 2012 |
| Indigo Jam Unit, Alicia Saldenha | Rose | Basis Records | Sideman | 2011 | |
| Jacob Koller, Maki Mannami | Pilot | P-Vine Records | Sideman | Post Bop | 2011 |
Styles & Genres Distribution
Styles
| Style | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Soul-Jazz | 14 | 14.7% |
| Soul | 6 | 6.3% |
| Funk | 6 | 6.3% |
| Jazz-Funk | 5 | 5.3% |
| Contemporary Jazz | 5 | 5.3% |
| Fusion | 4 | 4.2% |
| Modal | 4 | 4.2% |
| Disco | 3 | 3.2% |
| Post Bop | 3 | 3.2% |
| Vocal | 3 | 3.2% |
Genres
| Genre | Releases | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz | 41 | 43.2% |
| Funk / Soul | 18 | 18.9% |
| Electronic | 6 | 6.3% |
| Hip Hop | 3 | 3.2% |
| Folk, World, & Country | 3 | 3.2% |
| Non-Music | 2 | 2.1% |
| Pop | 2 | 2.1% |
| Latin | 1 | 1.1% |
| Stage & Screen | 1 | 1.1% |