Regina Carter is considered the foremost jazz violinist of her generation — a designation which doesn’t quite paint her picture in its entirety. For Regina, the violin isn’t merely an improvisational vehicle. For Regina Carter, the violin is a passport to unexpected realms, a Rosetta stone that unlocks the door to a myriad of cultures and worlds.

As a result of her curiosity, passion, and quest for beauty brought to every stop taken on her full musical journey, Regina Carter was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant.” Those qualities are more apparent than ever on her critically acclaimed release, Southern Comfort (Sony Music Masterworks), on which she explores the folk music of the South.

Regina Carter’s Southern Comfort

On Southern Comfort, Regina interprets her own roots through a modern lens. “In the Appalachians there were Scottish and Irish descendants, slaves and Native Americans. It was a cultural hodgepodge and the music resulting from it is intoxicating. This disc was to pay homage to my family,” said Regina, “but it turned out to be so much more.”