Regina Carter & Jenny Scheinman Artist Interview with Sunny Sumter

101 District Square Southwest,Washington DC 20024

04 September, 2021

Description

Two jazz violin standard bearers discuss the unique legacy of their instrument in jazz. Meet the Artist is designed to provide DCJF audiences with artist insights off the bandstand, presenting unique opportunities to learn about these creative people beyond the performance. These sessions serve to “demystify” the jazz art form for our audiences, providing them with ample occasion for their own inquiries and questions to artists beyond those posed by our interviewers. Regina Carter is the foremost jazz violinist of her generation. Her quest for beauty, combined with her passion for excellence, did not escape the attention of the MacArthur Foundation, which awarded her its prestigious fellowship “genius grant.” Carter’s recent release, Ella: Accentuate the Positive, and touring program, “Simply Ella,” mark the hundredth birthday of a musical legend. She explains her deep and visceral connection to Ella Fitzgerald's music, "Growing up in Detroit, there was always music playing in our home. While there was a variety of music I enjoyed, there were a few recordings and artists I found consistently captivating. Ella Fitzgerald was one of these exceptions. To this very day, whenever I hear an Ella recording it grabs me at my core. I’m entranced by her voice, her melodic improvisations and the passion and artfulness with which Ella sings a song. She helps me understand a song by providing a window to its essence. In a word, Ella is sublime, and she is at the top of my go-to list when learning a jazz tune. Perhaps Jimmy Rowles said it best, ’Music comes out of her. When [Ella] walks down the street . . . she leaves notes.’ I’m so excited to celebrate Ella Fitzgerald, an artist who has meant so much to all the notes in my musical life.” On the Regina Carter, the Los Angeles Times calls her "a talented, charismatic player who is almost single-handedly reviving interest in the violin as a jazz instrument." Jenny Scheinman is a jazz violinist who has produced several critically acclaimed solo albums, including 12 Songs, which was named one of the Top Ten Albums of 2005 by The New York Times. She has played with Linda Perry, Norah Jones, Nels Cline, Lou Reed, Ani Difranco, Bruce Cockburn, Aretha Franklin, Lucinda Williams, Bono, Bill Frisell, the Hot Club of San Francisco, and Allison Miller. In 2008 Scheinman released a self-titled vocal album. She has also played with her friend, Sean Lennon, on the Late Show with David Letterman. Her playing is frequently used as soundbed for NPR programming. Her album Mischief & Mayhem features guitarist Nels Cline, drummer Jim Black, and bassist Todd Sickafoose. She grew up in Petrolia, California, a remote area of Humboldt County near Cape Mendocino. She is the niece of robotics pioneer Victor Scheinman and the granddaughter of Telford Taylor, chief prosecutor at the United States war crimes trials at Nuremberg. *Registration for a Meet-The-Artist ticket does not guarantee admission to the 2021 DC JazzFest. Festival attendees are required to register for general admission or purchase a ticket to gain admission to the festival. Festival registration or ticket purchases can be completed by visiting dcjazzfest.org.* The DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) organization provides enriching and entertaining jazz performances and programs that introduce students and adults from all walks of life to jazz; our nation’s singular original art form. DCJF presents a selection of the jazz genre’s most acclaimed artists as well as emerging artists, and provides enhanced exposure for the rich treasure trove of musicians from the Washington, DC area. Throughout the year, DCJF nourishes the community with music education programs that extend our reach into underserved communities and enhance the quality of life for DC public and charter school students. Our signature programs are the annual DC JazzFest, presented since 2005; the free-round, year-round, DC Jazz Festival Education Program, which gets kids “jazzed” about learning; the Fishman Embassy Series, which showcases emerging and established artist; and DCJazzPrix, our international jazz band competition. DCJazzFest has grown in size and stature each year. The 2020 DC JazzFest attracted a record-breaking 200,000+ attendees of all ages, ethnicities and income levels. A snapshot of our current activities can be found here.