Terri Lyne Carrington
RACE
According to Terri Lyne Carrington, African-Americans “played an extremely strong role in the development of jazz” and explains that clearly the freedom of today is not the freedom of generations ago, but there has been progress in terms of the roles that you can play in the music industry now as opposed to before.1INFLUENCE
Carrington’s musical influence runs in the family and the genes were passed on directly, including the instrument. Her grandfather was a drummer who passed away shortly after Carrington was born. However, she had the opportunity to see her father—who played the saxophone and drums—play in the house often.2 By the age of 10, Carrington was already playing with popular bands such as Clark Terry and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. This led to Carrington meeting Dianne Reeves and they later became friends.3INDEPENDENCE
The musician believes that you don’t get into music thinking that you will make money, but if you are good and disciplined, is possible to make a living of being a musician.4Sample performance:
For full interview transcript, read the following:
1 See Terri Lyne Carrington, interview by Monk Rowe, Hamilton College Jazz Archive, January 9, 2003, lines 405-411, Transcript.
2 Interview, lines 35-37.
3 Interview, lines 58, 91.
4 Interview, lines 424-427
