[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 108 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1630-E1631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A SALUTE TO REGINA CARTER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2006

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, as Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
and Chairman of the Jazz Forum and Concert that occurs during the 
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, 
I rise to salute the achievements of violinist Regina Carter, a rising 
star in the field of jazz. The following biography is found on 
Stephanie Jordan's own web site. It chronicles a career of 
accomplishment already deserving of high recognition, and of this 
body's thoughtful attention and respect:
  Regina Carter's immersion in music began at the age of 2 when she 
took up piano followed by violin at the age of 4. Forever indebted to 
the Suzuki method of music teaching, the approach freed her from the 
rigid restraints of solely reading music and opened

[[Page E1631]]

her to the wonders of improvisation. Though her original focus was 
classical music, with the hope of being a soloist with a major 
symphony, the pull of Detroit's rich soul music legacy and the 
discovery of jazz broadened her horizons.
  Regina attended Detroit's prestigious Cass Technical High School. 
Upon graduating, she departed for the New England Conservatory of 
Music, only to return to Michigan's Oakland University, seasoning her 
chops by gigging with several local musicians. She later joined the 
attention-grabbing all-female quartet Straight Ahead which recorded two 
albums for Atlantic Records. Carter departed the band in 1994, 
recording two solo albums for Atlantic while also making the most of 
her newfound New York connections by working with the likes of the 
String Trio of New York, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Greg Tate and the 
Black Rock Coalition.
  Carter joined Verve Records in 1998 and has since recorded four 
critically acclaimed works of astounding maturity and variety: Rhythms 
of the Heart, Motor City Moments, (also produced by John Clayton), and 
Paganini: After a Dream (for which she made history by being the first 
African American and jazz musician to travel to Genoa, Italy to perform 
and record with the legendary Guarneri del Gesu violin owned by 
classical music virtuoso Niccolo Paganini), and a duet project with 
pianist Kenny Barron entitled Freefall. Her playing has also graced 
work that includes filmmaker Ken Burns' soundtrack for the PBS 
documentary, Jazz. Wynton Marsalis' opera Blood on the Fields; 
Cassandra Wilson's tribute to Miles Davis, Traveling Miles; and the 
queen of hip-hop soul Mary J. Blige. In the summer of 2006, Regina will 
join Latin Jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri for some dates related to his 
latest recording, the Grammy award-winning, Listen Here, on which she 
was also a guest.
  Among her personal accomplishments is work she has done to spread the 
love of music to others, something that is touched upon in her one 
original composition on I'll Be Seeing You. John Clayton always insists 
that I write at least one original piece on every album'' she says ``I 
chose `How Ruth Felt,' which is a commissioned piece that I wrote for a 
woman named Ruth Felt, President of San Francisco Performances, and 
Arts organization in San Francisco. I spent some time as an Artist-in-
Residence there, teaching music to disadvantaged children and spreading 
the joy of music to people in community centers and churches around the 
Bay area. Ruth helped me tremendously while I was dealing with my 
mother's illness. I included `How Ruth Felt' on my album as a way to 
say, 'Thank you.' ''
  Now Regina Carter is looking forward to a brighter 2006, filled with 
sharing the memory of her mother and the music of I'll Be Seeing You: A 
Sentimental Journey with people in a live context. ``When I perform 
now, she shares, ``I feel different when I go on stage . . . stronger . 
. . like I've gone through something and really lived! I still get 
nervous, but all of those negative, critical voices that I used to hear 
in my head are gone. I think that's my mother . . . making me realize 
that none of that is important. This is my stage . . . It's what I do . 
. . and I'm having a good time.''

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