Femme Fatale Friday: Violinist Regina Carter
August 6, 2010 at 6:40 AM Happy Birthday (August 6) to Regina Carter!
Some people don't readily associate the violin with jazz music. If they are aware of a jazz violinist, it is usually Jean-Luc Ponty, Noel Pointer or Stéphane Grappelli. Therefore, I would like to share a little about Ms. Carter's philosophy and music.
”I think a lot of people look at the violin and they get a little nervous,” Carter notes. “They have a stereotype of what the violin is - very high, kind of shrill-sounding with long notes, and a lot of vibrato. It doesn't have to be that at all, it can be a very fiery persuasive instrument and that's how I like to use it."
Regina Carter"I don't think of the music trying to fit the violin,” she continues, “or how to make the violin work in this music. For me, it just does. I'm not playing it as a violin. Instead of being so melodic, which I can be, I tend to use the instrument in more of a rhythmic way, using vamp rhythms or a lot of syncopated rhythms, approaching it more like a horn player does. So, I don't feel that I have a lot of limitations - I feel like I can do anything.” [allaboutjazz.com]
Carter began as a classical violinist at the age of four, studying the Suzuki Method until she was nine.
It was already set in her mother's mind what sort of professional career Regina would have when she came of age. The plan was that Regina would play in a respected symphony orchestra — preferably in her hometown of Detroit. She would earn a fine salary with a pension and health benefits that would provide her with plenty of security for the future.
That's not exactly how it went down and as fans of jazz music, our musical experience is all the better for it.
Even while being introduced to jazz violinists' music in high school (and seeing Grappelli's energy live in concert) she wasn't totally hooked on jazz. She initially attended the New England Conservatory of Music to study classical violin.
After hanging (and jamming) with friends that were in NEC's jazz program for awhile, she finally made the move during the second semester of her sophomore year to become a jazz major.
That decision didn't go over so well at home with her mom but it soon became obvious that jazz was Ms. Carter's burning passion.
One thing that I found interesting about this stage of her development as a jazz violinist is that after she transfered to Oakland University in MI, she became part of the saxophone section of the University's big band.
"The big band instructor at Oakland put me and my violin in the sax section if the band," says Carter. "He told me to learn the alto sax charts and to mimic them on violin. He told me to copy their vibrato, and to breathe when they breathe. Having the sax players on either side of me and hearing how they phrased the music really helped."
"He also told me to stop listening to jazz violinists and to listen to horn players and singers. I also found out that I had to do more than transcribe a horn solo to figure it out. I also had to understand what was going on underneath that solo — to listen to what everyone else in the band was doing and how they each section was relating to the others. It was a gradual process, but I was on the right track." [allaboutjazz.com]
Her professional career began in Detroit after graduating from Oakland University. Regina made a name for herself locally but decided in 1991 to move to New York City. She felt that moving there would ultimately dovetail with the style of jazz that she wanted to play.
The rest, as the saying goes, is history.
Regina Carter's Discography
"Regina Carter" - 1995 - Atlantic
"Something For Grace" -1997 - Atlantic
"Rhythms of the Heart" - 1999 - Verve
"Motor City Moments" - 2000 - Verve
"Paganini: After A Dream" - 2003 - Verve
"I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey" - 2006 - Verve
"Reverse Thread" - 2010 - E1 Entertainment
The album "Reverse Thread" finds its inspiration primarily in African folk tunes. Her newest challenge was to figure out how to take beautiful traditional music and infuse it with a contemporary feel while remaining true to its past -- and then, how not to compromise its beauty. [reginacarter.com]
Atane (@atane), a Twitter friend of mine that I consider a music guru, did a great review of "Reverse Thread" on his blog. You can check out Atane's review here by clicking this link.
Regina Carter's Tour Schedule
09/16/2010 Ouro Preto Festival [Ouro Preto, Brazil]
09/25/2010 The Egg Center for the Performing Arts [Albany, NY]
09/26/2010 State Theater Regional Arts Center [New Brunswick, NJ]
10/08/2010 Notre Dame University [South Bend, IN]
10/20/2010 Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall [New York City]
11/03/2010 Jazz at the Bistro [St. Louis, MO]
11/04/2010 Jazz at the Bistro [St. Louis, MO]
11/05/2010 Jazz at the Bistro [St. Louis, MO]
11/06/2010 Jazz at the Bistro [St. Louis, MO]
12/10/2010 Symphony Hall [Chicago, IL]
Do you have any of Regina Carter's albums in your music library? Which one is your favorite? Of course, I'd like you to share if you've seen her perform live, too. :)
Take care!
Reader Comments (3)
we saw her with the traveling Monterrey folk this past winter. Only Have I'll Be Seeing You, which I love
Did the Monterey JF on Tour come to the Philly area or you saw them perform somewhere else?
I haven't been able to put my hands on my CD collection for over 18 months so I'm not even certain what I have of her music any more. :(
This too shall pass.
WE saw them just north of here at Lehigh University... Bethlehem, PA. what's up with your CD's?