Regina Carter facts for kids

This page is about the American jazz violinist. For Reginae Carter, see Tha Carter V.

Quick facts for kids Regina Carter
Carter in 2006
Background information
Born	(1966-08-06) August 6, 1966 (age 58) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, classical
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Violin
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Atlantic, Verve

Regina Carter (born August 6, 1966) is an amazing American jazz violinist. She is known for her unique style that blends different types of music. Regina has played with many famous artists and has won important awards for her talent. She is also the cousin of jazz saxophonist James Carter.

Early Life and Musical Start
Regina Carter's Career Highlights
Discography
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Musical Start

Regina Carter was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up with two siblings. Her musical journey began very early, at just two years old!

Discovering the Violin

Regina started taking piano lessons when she was very young. She could play melodies by ear, which means she could play them just by listening, without needing sheet music. One time, during a concert, she purposely played a wrong note at the end of a song. Her piano teacher then suggested she try the violin. The teacher thought the Suzuki Method of learning, which focuses on listening and creativity, might be a better fit for Regina.

So, at age four, Regina began studying the violin at the Detroit Community Music School. She also continued with piano and took lessons in tap dancing and ballet.

Growing as a Musician

As a teenager, Regina played in the youth division of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. This gave her a chance to learn from famous violinists like Itzhak Perlman and Yehudi Menuhin in special master classes.

While attending Cass Technical High School, Regina became friends with jazz singer Carla Cook. Carla introduced her to the music of the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. During high school, Regina also performed with the Detroit Civic Orchestra and played in a pop-funk band called Brainstorm. Besides the violin, she also learned viola, oboe, and sang in the choir.

Switching to Jazz

Regina first studied classical violin at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. However, she soon decided to switch her focus to jazz music. She transferred to Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, where she majored in jazz. There, she studied with trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, who helped her connect with other musicians in the Detroit jazz scene. Regina graduated in 1985.

After college, she taught string instruments in Detroit public schools. Later, she moved to Europe and lived in Germany for two years. While there, she worked as a nanny and taught violin at a U.S. military base.

Regina Carter's Career Highlights

Regina Carter performing in Half Moon Bay, California

Regina Carter returned to the U.S. and quickly gained attention.

Joining Straight Ahead

In 1987, she became the violinist for an all-female pop-jazz group called Straight Ahead. The band included Cynthia Dewberry, Gayelynn McKinney, Eileen Orr, and Marion Hayden. They released three albums with Atlantic Records: their self-titled debut, Body and Soul, and Look Straight Ahead. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis praised them, saying, "They truly swing." Regina left the band in 1991 to start her solo career and moved to New York City.

Solo Career and Collaborations

In New York, Regina was not yet widely known. She took on work accompanying many famous performers, including Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Billy Joel, and Dolly Parton. She also played with jazz legends like Max Roach and Oliver Lake. Regina was also a member of the String Trio of New York, recording several albums with them.

In 1995, Regina released her first solo CD, titled Regina Carter. Two years later, she released Something for Grace, which she dedicated to her mother. She then toured with Wynton Marsalis for his 1997 production, Blood on the Fields.

Regina later signed with Verve Music Group, which gave her more artistic freedom. With Verve, she released Rhythms of the Heart (1999) and Motor City Moments (2000), an album that honored her hometown of Detroit.

Playing a Historic Violin

In December 2001, Regina had a very special opportunity. She played a concert in Genoa, Italy, using a famous violin called Il Cannone Guarnerius. This violin was made in 1743 and was once owned by the legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini. It's called "Il Cannone" (The Cannon) because it can produce a powerful, "explosive" sound.

Regina was invited to play this historic instrument as a sign of unity after the September 11 attacks. She was the first jazz musician and the first African American to ever play it. She later recorded an album called Paganini: After a Dream, which featured classical pieces and music from the movie Cinema Paradiso.

Tribute to Her Mother

Regina's sixth CD, I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey, was a tribute to her late mother. The album included some of her mother's favorite songs and classic American tunes from the 1920s to the 1940s. Some of the songs included "Blue Rose" by Duke Ellington and "Sentimental Journey" by Les Brown.

Teaching and Mentoring

Regina Carter is also a dedicated educator and mentor. She believes in the Suzuki method of teaching music. She has given many workshops and master classes at different schools and institutions. From 2007 to 2018, she was an Artist in Residence at Oakland University, her alma mater. She has also taught at the jazz summer camp at Stanford Jazz Workshop. In 2018, she became the Artistic Director of the New Jersey Performing Arts All-Female Jazz Camp.

Awards and Recognition

In September 2006, Regina Carter received a prestigious MacArthur Fellows Program grant, often called a "genius grant." This award gives talented individuals $500,000 over five years. The committee praised Regina, saying she is a "master of improvisational jazz violin." They noted that her music draws from many styles, including Motown, Afro-Cuban, Swing, Bebop, Folk, and World music. They also highlighted how she uses the violin in new and exciting ways, showing its "lyric, melodic, and percussive potential."

In 2018, Regina also received the Doris Duke Award, another important recognition for artists.

Regina Carter married Alvester Garnett, who is the drummer in her band, on September 5, 2004, in Detroit. She lives in Maywood, New Jersey.