Violinist Diane Monroe’s versatility and expressive artistry consistently bring audiences to their feet. Her visibility as a jazz artist began with her long-standing membership as the first violinist of the Uptown String Quartet and the Max Roach Double Quartet. In this piece, she crafts a musical memoir that bridges jazz, classical, and traditional African music, revealing an African-American violinist’s trials and triumphs.

Graceland was Paul Simon’s comeback album, and the secret to its success on the road to winning the Grammy for Album of the Year was the vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Dubbed by the late Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s “Cultural Ambassadors to the World”, they share a joy and excitement that breaks down barriers and unites everyone through the universal language of music. The group performs isicathamiya – a traditional music that originated with black mine workers in South Africa.