Terri Lyne Carrington – Identity Song
Today, GRAMMY-nominated ensemble Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science released the entrancing new single “Identity Song,” from the forthcoming album Trip the Night Fantastic (out July 31 via Candid Records).
An alternative R&B anthem featuring vocalist Michael Mayo, emcee Nappy Nina, and harpist Brandee Younger, “Identity Song” tenderly addresses gender and queer identity, in support of sexual and gender minorities who are disproportionately impacted by queer-phobic bigotry. Empowering the queer and non-binary communities, Mayo beautifully sings “Just be,” while Nappy Nina doubles down with, “Be who you are in the face or the nose / You perfect from toes / Ain’t nothin’ here to dispose.”
“As a teacher, I encounter a lot of young people who are choosing not to stay within the binary when it comes to gender identity,” shares Carrington, who, in addition to being a GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, is also the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.
She continues, “We are living in a new time where this topic is part of the cultural, social, and political conversations of the day, and while there are many people who are rejecting this, it is real and people’s struggles are real. People are being discriminated against, and people are dying for being themselves, due to others’ discomfort.”
“‘Identity Song’ feels really special because the music itself embodies the message,” adds harpist Brandee Younger. “There’s something playful about the track. The production is layered and quirky, with a very serious sense of groove, making you want to dance while also making you listen very closely. The lyrics create a space for people to exist fully as themselves without judgment. It celebrates whoever you are, whoever you love, and however you identify. I think that’s part of Terri Lyne Carrington’s genius. She has this incredible ability to create music that is sophisticated and thought-provoking while still feeling very human and honest. The music and the lyrics are both achieving the same thing. The song reminds us that individuality and connection can exist simultaneously and that embracing our differences is where the magic happens. That’s what makes this track stand out to me.”
The soulful single follows the release of “Autonomy Song,” a compelling declaration of women’s independence and self-determination, featuring renowned artists Ledisi, Brandee Younger, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, and J. Ivy. Blending jazz with old-school R&B, “Autonomy Song” transforms heavy social critique into a movement-inspiring groove, reclaiming the narrative around women’s liberation with a message that is both celebratory and cautionary. Both singles are part of Trip the Night Fantastic.
The acclaimed Social Science collective (Matthew Stevens, Aaron Parks, and Morgan Guerin), led by four-time GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, educator, and activist Terri Lyne Carrington, returns with a new record to follow up their 2019 GRAMMY-nominated debut, Waiting Game. Boasting an illustrious roll call of emcees, spoken word artists, and instrumentalists, Trip the Night Fantastic explores systemic and contemporary themes that demand the listener’s attention, call them to action, and add stunning breadth to the time-honored tradition of amalgamating art and activism.
Climate change, immigration, gender justice, women’s empowerment, community building, and animal rights are all elucidated with a freshness, depth, and creative brilliance that can only be birthed from a group whose creative core is rooted in empathy and humanity.
Speaking on the inspiration, Carrington shares, “We set out to make a dance album ― music to make you move. The title is wordplay derived from the phrase ‘Trip the Light Fantastic’ (from John Milton’s 1645 poem ‘L’Allegro’), which implies dancing agilely, and with fancy footwork. We flipped the word ‘light’ to ‘night’ to reference the darkness being faced in trying times. While the album may inspire dancing, more importantly, we hope it inspires more care for one another.”
“A friend once told me that if we want the liberated future we hope for, we have to make it feel irresistible,” adds pianist Aaron Parks. “We need to make radical reimagination feel so enticing, so electric, that why would you not want to go there? I think that’s one of the things Social Science does really well. This is protest music at its core in many ways, but it’s also very much for something rather than just being against it. Terri’s vision as a producer is meticulous and clear-eyed but always open to surprise, and the way this record was built collaboratively, with many songs composed together and then shaped and reassembled, resulted in something I’ve never quite heard before. I love these people, this band, and I’m very grateful to be part of it.”
Featured throughout this new recording are vocalists Ledisi, Arooj Aftab, Michael Mayo, Miki Howard, Fatoumata Diawara, Debo Ray, Christie Dashiell, Lizz Wright, Vuyo Sotashe, Safa, Imani Rousselle, and Ian Michael; instrumentalists Brandee Younger, Marc Ribot, Larry Goldings, Rashaan Carter, Simon Moullier, Riley G, and Brenda Navarrete; emcees Nappy Nina, Kokayi, Kassa Overall, and Khemist; and spoken word artists J. Ivy, aja monet, Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball, and Moor Mother.
Large-scale collaboration has been a major hallmark of Carrington’s recording career since her groundbreaking 2012 GRAMMY Award-winning Mosaic Project. Between the first Social Science project and this one, Carrington released the GRAMMY Award-winning New Standards Vol. 1 and the GRAMMY-nominated We Insist 2025! with vocalist Christie Dashiell, reimagining Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln’s seminal 1960s civil rights project, We Insist! Freedom Now Suite. “This felt like the right thing ― to collaborate and not just leave everything up to my own devices,” reveals Carrington. “I’m about collectivism versus individualism, and I always wanted to be in a band for this reason. There’s a beautiful Buddhist adage that sticks with me: ‘Many in body, one in spirit.’”
While touring with Aaron Parks and Matthew Stevens in 2014, Carrington recalls meaningful conversations with the two musicians that centered around social issues and feeling a great sense of alignment. “I just knew I wanted to do some kind of project with them. I thought it would be great to start with that foundation, not knowing at the time how much it would evolve. After Aaron and Matthew agreed, I suggested the addition of virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Morgan Guerin.” Thus, Social Science’s nucleus was born, and their first project (culminating summer of 2020) was met with critical acclaim and a timeliness that to some felt uncanny.
Most of the current album’s material was written jointly by the four core band members, illustrating the band’s practice of collaboration. Carrington has maintained the role of primary lyricist, while welcoming contributions from band regulars Kokayi and Debo Ray. “It’s been an honor working with these extremely gifted musicians,” Carrington reflects. “Both Aaron and Matthew are part of the pantheon of great improvisers and stylists on their instruments, and Morgan is absolutely one of a kind. He not only produced the album with me, but plays 12 instruments on this project as well!”
As we pass the halfway mark of a decade that has been plagued by unavoidable truths about the gulf that separates the American dream and the American reality, the urgency of the moment becomes increasingly glaring. Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science meets the moment head-on, feeling a moral and creative obligation to engage with the pressing issues of our time. Through their thoughtful collective work, they create deeply affecting music that captivates and challenges their audience.
Ultimately, Trip the Night Fantastic is about community and hope. Not from a place of naivete, rather from within a space of introspection, compassion, activation, and community. “If we thought things would never get better, there’d be no hope or reason to work toward anything,” says Carrington. “Hopefully, people choose to do their part however they can, but what’s important is being empathetic and authentic. We set out to make something that can offer windows to imagining a future where the concern for society and humanity is prioritized.”
TOUR DATES
June 27, 2026 | Saratoga Jazz Festival
Aug 1, 2026 | Newport Jazz Festival
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