Regina Carter: Gone in a Phrase of Air

Trying to fit Regina Carter into a neatly defined musical category is futile. Carter enjoys performing many styles of music, including but not limited to jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop and African. In each she explores the power of music through the voice of the violin. The MacArthur “Genius,” Doris Duke Artist Award recipient and NEA Jazz Master makes her SMF debut with her project: Gone in a Phrase of Air. It is an exploration of the impact of urban renewal on African-American and immigrant communities beginning in the 1950s, and the displacement of people and of culture that resulted from neighborhoods in Carter’s hometown of Detroit to others in St. Louis, Chicago, New York City and more. In the work’s collection of original and reimagined music of the era, Carter shines a spotlight on what’s been lost—gone in a phrase of air—then finds celebration in the ashes, reinforcing her status as one of the world’s most exuberant and original artists. 

A free and open-to-the-public Q&A with the artist follows immediately after the performance.

Pianos by Steinway & Sons | A Faircloth Jazz Series Performance