Thirsty Ear would like to congratulate Tomeka Reid, Jazz Cellist and Composer, as a Fellow for the 2022 MacArthur Genius Award. Over the last decade or so Chicago cellist and composer Tomeka Reid has emerged as one of the most original, versatile, and curious musicians in the city's bustling jazz and improvised music community. Her distinctive melodic sensibility, usually braided to a strong sense of groove, has been featured in many distinguished ensembles over the years. She's been a key member of ensembles led by legendary reedists like Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell, as well as a younger generation of visionaries including flutist Nicole Mitchell, singer Dee Alexander, and drummer Mike Reed. She's also a founding member of the adventurous string trio called Hear in Now, with violinist Mazz Swift and bassist Silvia Bolognesi, but until now Reid had yet to release a recording where she's the bandleader. That all changes with the eponymous recording by the Tomeka Reid Quartet, the lively, charged debut album from her remarkable ensemble a vibrant showcase not only for the cellist's improvisational acumen, but also her knack for dynamic arrangements and her compositional ability.