Kent Carter's father was a viola player and conductor and his son studied piano, cello and bassoon as a child, starting with the bass in 1959. He studied music in Boston, Mass. from 1960 to 1964, participating in the "October Revolution" Jazz Composers Guild Orchestra under the direction of Michael Mantler and Carla Bley. Kent Carter toured and recorded in Europe with Paul Bley, Carla Bley, Michael Mantler, Steve Lacy, Don Cherry, Gato Barbieri, Alan Silva, Mal Waldron, Michael Smith, Bobby Bradford, Max Roach, Enrico Rava, Roswell Rudd, Derek Bailey, John Stevens, Trevor Watts, Steve McCall and many others.