Sara Gazarek
Amongst a community teaming with startlingly gifted young singers, Sara Gazarek stands out as a particularly extravagant artist. Her first two albums introduced her singular sound and vision, steeped in the tradition of jazz but deeply informed by contemporary songwriters and performers. With Blossom & Bee, her highly anticipated debut release on the respected indie label Palmetto, Gazarek turns over an exciting, glistening new leaf.
With five years between her acclaimed 2007 album “Return to You” (Native Language) and “Blossom & Bee,” it’s no surprise that Gazarek has grown considerably in the meantime. What’s fascinating is the way that she’s tapped into sources of inspiration consonant with her own less-is-more sensibility. Working closely with the brilliant pianist/organist Larry Goldings, who produced the album, Gazarek and her band have crafted a program of emotionally expansive standards, inspired contemporary fare, and uncommonly memorable originals, all delivered with her insouciant sense of artistry.
As the title track might suggest, an undeniable thread running through “Blossom & Bee” is the irrepressibly buoyant spirit of jazz pianist, singer and songwriter Blossom Dearie. “When I looked at the 4 or 5 songs from our book that absolutely had to be on this record, I was surprised to realize they had all been inadvertently added to our repertoire over the years through our love for her.” From the upbeat and humorous “Everything I’ve Got,” their refreshing, glockenspiel laden take on “I’m Old Fashioned” and the meter-shifting “Tea For Two,” Gazarek acknowledges the direct correlation between these songs and Dearie’s.
“I’ve always seen myself more as a lyric interpreter” Sara says. “I’ve never been drawn to flashy vocal gymnastics, so I naturally fell in love with the simplicity of her voice and delivery,” Blessed with her own gorgeous, translucent voice, excellent pitch and supple sense of time, Gazarek manages to evoke the tough-minded discipline behind Dearie’s appealingly girlish sound. “She invests each song with so much emotion and musicality.”
But, rather than a tribute project, “Blossom & Bee” is meant to reflect the working repertoire of Gazarek’s stellar Los Angeles based group, featuring pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Hamilton Price and drummer Zach Harmon. “We are so excited to finally be able to share something with our listeners that encapsulates the energy, humor, and sheer joy we feel in our live performances,” Sara states.
Whether she’s plumbing the humorous depths of heartbreak on the Yip Harburg/Harold Arlen anthem “Down With Love,” an insistently bumpy arrangement worked out with Goldings, or evoking the giddy rush of new found love on the Comden/Green/Bernstein classic “Lucky To Be Me,” Gazarek never hits a false musical or emotional note, even when the tune appears to be an unlikely vehicle for her. Her approach to the Schoolhouse Rock hit “Unpack Your Adjectives” adds energy and simmering intensity to the classic tune, and she turns Shelton Brooks’ hoary vaudeville hit “Some of These Days,” into a hard-swinging jazz number featuring Goldings’ rippling organ and John Pizzarelli’s propulsive guitar.
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- Blossom & Bee by C. Michael Bailey
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Radio & Podcasts
Album Review
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Radio & Podcasts
Read more articlesNovember 09, 2012
Internationally Acclaimed Vocalists Jane Monheit And Sara Gazarek Team...
August 03, 2012
Sara Gazarek on "Jazz'n With J'Rodd"
July 12, 2012
Enter the "Sara Gazarek - Blossom & Bee" Giveaway at All About Jazz!
May 03, 2012
Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Alan Evans Trio, Javier Mendoza, and More
April 29, 2012
STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Song Stylings of Sara Gazarek
April 17, 2012
Sara Gazarek's New CD, "Blossom & Bee," to be Released by Palmetto on...
January 23, 2012
Germany's Acclaimed Triosence Joins Forces with Vocalist Sara Gazarek...
March 05, 2009
Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Gino Robair, the St. Louis Stompers, and...
June 13, 2007
Now Available: Sara Gazarek "Return to You"
June 06, 2007
Sara Gazarek's "Let's Try This Again" Free MP3 Tops 1000 Downloads on...
"Return To You is one of the best albums to appear in 2007." Joe Montague - jazzreview.com
“…A beautiful phrased and warmly expressive performance of jazz and pop standards” Gene Stout – Seattle Times
"She is such an original and completely unpretentious singer, bringing a fresh vision to the jazz standards and the contemporary songs she chooses to sing." Shannon West – SmoothViews
“Return to You is a complete gift that should endear Gazarek's fans even closer to her easygoing, youthful sound and charisma.” Paula Edelstein –All Music Guide
Primary Instrument
Voice / vocals
Location
Los Angeles
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
University Of Southern California, Adjunct Professor, Jazz Studies
Michele Thomas
voice / vocalsAmanda Addleman
voice / vocalsPhotos
Album Discography
Desert Song
From: "Desert Song" (Single)By Sara Gazarek
Everything I've Got
From: Blossom & BeeBy Sara Gazarek
Amazing
From: YoursBy Sara Gazarek