24 AMERICAN CAPRICES | STRINGS MAGAZINE - REVIEW

24 AMERICAN CAPRICES

August 2026

When the New York Times hails you as “a giant,” you’ve got to work hard to own that mantle. Seven-time Grammy-nominated violinist and composer Curtis Stewart has done the work.

This intriguing two-CD collection gathers violin caprices, punctuated by occasional spoken word and percussive stomps, inspired by a wide range of American pop, jazz, rap, and country artists, from Dolly Parton to Taylor Swift and Nina Simone to Billy Strayhorn. Stewart, who dazzled non-classical TV audiences through his 2022 Grammy Awards broadcast performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” takes a major stride in adding to the repertoire with these pieces.

24 American Caprices finds Curtis Stewart standing tall.