Terri Lyne Carrington on Creating New Standards
When Terri Lyne Carrington realized she wanted to pursue a career in music, she got right to work and wasted no time. She was only 10 years old when she received her first union card in her native Massachusetts. After gaining a storied reputation as a “kid wonder” in the media for her impressive musical talents, she earned a full scholarship from the Berklee College of Music and launched a career as an in-demand musician in New York and later Los Angeles, where she landed gigs as the in-house drummer for The Arsenio Hall Show and Quincy Jones’ Vibe TV.
From there, Carrington was off and running, touring extensively with luminaries like Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and many others. In 2011, she won her first GRAMMY for her album The Mosaic Project. Two years later, she won a second GRAMMY for her album Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue, making her the first woman to ever win in the Best Jazz Instrumental category.
Since then, Carrington’s performed on over 100 recordings and is a shining example for aspiring music creators everywhere. She’s received honorary doctorates from a host of prestigious institutions, penned two books and is a sought-after educator. She’s the co-executive producer and musical director for the Jazz Music Awards, an NEA Jazz Master, and a three-time GRAMMY award-winning drummer, composer, and producer. BMI had the honor of speaking with Carrington at the NYC Winter Jazzfest about her creative process and latest project, New Standards, a new alum and accompanying book of lead sheets by women composer, a first of its kind. For this extensive project, Carrington won her third GRAMMY Award.
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