The talent and skills of violinist/bandleader Regina Carter are limitless. She has been a dynamic force on the violin since her early days with the Detroit band Straight Ahead. Her solo projects have been impeccable, each taking her to a higher level of musicianship and artistry. Her current project, Paganini: After a Dream sores to unimaginable heights.

The vision for this project began in September 2001 when pianist Werner "Vana" Gierig played a rehearsal CD of her quintet for his longtime friend Andrea Liberovici, an Italian composer and theatre director. This inspired the idea of Regina playing a jazz concert with the Paganini violin. "The Cannon" (II Cannone) - nicknamed for its enormous natural sound, was built in 1743 by Guarneri del Gesu and belonged to the great baroque violinist and improviser, Nicolo Paganini. She would become the first non-classical violinist and the first African-American to play this illustrious instrument.

"But many people had to be convinced that playing jazz on "The Cannon" would not debase the instrument's artistic legacy or hurt its physical well-being..."

Through faith, determination, and perseverance, Regina, Vana and Andrea worked diligently to make the vision of playing "The Cannon" a reality. In December 2001, their vision came to life with a spectacular concert in Genoa, Italy for which Regina received several standing ovations. After the success of the concert and additional negotiations with the Italian officials, they came back to Genoa in November 2002 to record an album on this magnificent instrument.

Regina chose music from the French Impressionist period for this album. Many of the impressionists hung out with jazz musicians during that time which lends to the rich quality and beauty of the music presented in this recording. Each piece is filled with passion beyond compare. Included are Ravel's "Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte", Bonfa's "Black Orpheus", Faure's "Pavane", on which Regina melodically chants like rain falling on a desert, and "Apres Un Reve", Piazzolla's "Oblivion", and Debussy's "Reverie" which is based on an arrangement performed by Ella Fitzgerald. It is punctuated gracefully with the piano and cymbals. Pianist Werner "Vana" Gierig contributed "Healing in Foreign Lands" and there is an excerpt from "Alexandra" which Regina composed. This piece was originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The album closes with Morricone's "Cinema Paradiso" which opens like the beginning of a fairy tale and flows into playful bossa nova with a hint of Jobim toward the end.