Female jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington at USM

This year’s USM Youth Ensembles’ Jazz Improvisation Weekend for high school musicians -- January 17 and 18, 2009 at the University of Southern Maine -- features the guest artist, sensational jazz drummer, Terri Lyne Carrington.

The public is welcome to attend both a master class with Carrington at 2 – 3:30 p.m. and the final student combo / faculty concert at 7 p.m., both on Sunday, January 18, 2009, in Corthell Concert Hall on the USM Gorham campus. Tickets are $6 for the master class; and $6 for the general public and $3 for students and seniors for the concert. Call 780-5555.

Sponsored by Gorham Savings Bank, Supported by Sam L. Cohen Foundation

Terri Lyne Carrington is a critically acclaimed drummer, composer, producer and clinician. Born in 1965 in Medford, Mass., she has had an extensive touring career of over 20 years with luminaries like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Stan Getz, David Sanborn, Joe Sample, Cassandra Wilson, Clark Terry, and Dianne Reeves. She recently was appointed professor at her alma mater, Berklee College of Music, having also received an honorary doctorate from Berklee in 2003.

The Sunday concert opens with the student combos performing the first half. The second half features Carrington with USM School of Music jazz faculty: Michelle Snow, vocals; Trent Austin, trumpet; Bill Street, saxophones; Chris Oberholtzer, trombone; Mark Shilansky, piano; Gary Wittner, guitar; Bronek Suchanek, bass; and Les Harris Jr., drums.

Approximately 40 high school students have the opportunity to play jazz and attend a variety of clinics over the two-day Jazz Improv event. Clinics cover topics such as the art of jazz improvisation, as well as issues concerning the student’s own major instrument. In addition, a great deal of time will be spent focusing on jazz improvisation while performing in a combo setting. Contact Chris Oberholtzer at 780-5126 for information on registering a student.

Bio of the guest artist:
Drummer, composer, producer and clinician. Terri Lyne Carrington, studied under full scholarship at Berklee. With the encouragement of her mentor, Jack DeJohnette, Terri Lyne moved to New York in 1983. For five years she was a much in-demand musician, working with James Moody, Lester Bowie, Pharoah Sanders, and others. In the late 80's she relocated to Los Angeles, where she gained recognition on late night TV as the house drummer for the "Arsenio Hall Show," then again in the late 90's as the drummer on the Quincy Jones late night TV show, "VIBE," hosted by Sinbad.

In 1989, Carrington released a Grammy nominated debut CD entitled "Real Life Story," which featured Carlos Santana, Grover Washington Jr., Dianne Reeves, Wayne Shorter, Patrice Rushen, Gerald Albright, John Scofield, Robert Irving III, Greg Osby, Don Alias and Hiram Bullock. Other solo CDs include 2002’s "Jazz is a Spirit," which features Herbie Hancock, Gary Thomas, Wallace Roney, Terence Blanchard, Kevin Eubanks, and Bob Hurst, and 2004's "Structure," a cooperative group which features Adam Rogers, Jimmy Haslip and Greg Osby. Both CDs were released on the Europe-based ACT Music label, and enjoyed considerable media attention and critical acclaim in the European and Japanese markets.

Her production collaborations with artists such as Gino Vannelli, Peabo Bryson, Dianne Reeves, Siedah Garrett, Marilyn Scott have produced notable works as well, including a special song commissioned by the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games, "Always Reach for Your Dreams," (featuring Peabo Bryson), and her production of the Dianne Reeves Grammy-nominated CD, “That Day," which hovered at the top of the music charts for many months.

Terri Lyne has played on many recordings throughout the 80's and 90's through today. Notable examples of her work include Herbie Hancock's Grammy winning CD "Gershwin's World" where she played alongside Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder. She has toured with each of Hancock's musical configurations (from electric to acoustic) over the last 10 years, and is featured on his "Future2Future" DVD.

After a hiatus from the U.S. recording scene as a solo recording artist, in 2008 Terri Lyne will be returning with "More To Say... (Real Life Story: NextGen)." She performs with friends and colleagues with whom she has been working with in her 20-year-plus career. Joining Carrington for the meticulously produced “More to Say” is an impressive all-star cast of jazz and contemporary jazz instrumentalists, including George Duke, Everette Harp, Kirk Whalum, Jimmy Haslip, Greg Phillingaines, Gregoire Maret, Christian McBride, Danilo Perez, Patrice Rushen, Robert Irving III (who also serves as co-producer), Chuck Loeb, Tineke Postma, Ray Fuller, Dwight Sills, Anthony Wilson, and a special appearance by her dad, Sonny Carrington, on tenor. In addition, Carrington collaborates with esteemed vocalist Nancy Wilson for the song, "Imagine This."