Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
Regina Carter: Translating African Folk To The Jazz Violin
Listen
9:25
Regina Carter, the jazz violinist and onetime MacArthur Fellow, stopped by NPR headquarters recently to perform and discuss material from her new album, Reverse Thread. The record marks a new direction for Carter, who used it as a vehicle for interpretations of African folk songs, both traditional and contemporary.
"For many years, I've wanted to do a 'world music' record, if you will," Carter says. "And my journey, when I started this project, was extremely broad. And then it was narrowed down to certain music from different parts of Africa. So I'm just skimming the surface, but it's our Western and contemporary arrangements on pieces -- some very old folk melodies that I found to be very beautiful, and that would work with this instrumentation."
Carter spoke with host Robert Siegel about the new album and her approach to jazz violin. And, with Will Holshouser on accordion and Yacouba Sissoko on kora, she played stripped-down versions of three songs from Reverse Thread.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
