Sara Gazarek

By definition, any journey involves motion, from one point to the next. By that measure alone, Sara Gazarek’s artistic journey has been thrilling – and she’s just getting started. 

That may seem like an odd assessment, since Gazarek has already tasted stardom, and since she  turned 40 this past year. But in 2019, she took a giant leap in confidence and purpose with her twice GRAMMY-nominated album Thirsty Ghost, on which she unveiled previously shrouded layers of emotion and experience. Now she builds on that foundation with an arresting EP, Vanity. The title track harks back to Sarah Vaughan’s original 1951 recording, offering unusually stark nuance and introspection – qualities fit right into Gazarek’s game plan.

To put it simply, some singers concentrate on singing pretty, as Gazarek once did

Shirley Horn, Jackie Paris, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Christie Dashiell and More!

by Jua Howard
July 14, 2025

Greetings Music Family! It's time for another episode of the “First Instrument Jazz Show"! I've got new music from Christie Dashiell with Terri Lyne Carrington, Carrie Jackson, Anais Reno and the The Hot Toddies Jazz Band, and more timeless music from Shirley Horn, Allan Harris, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Jackie Paris, Incognito, Nina Simoneand many more. Come get ...

Richard Baratta, Hiromi, Caili O'Doherty, Artemis, Sheila Jordan Plus Remembering Claire Daly

by Mary Foster Conklin
March 10, 2025

This broadcast includes new releases from Richard Baratta, Eric Comstock + Barbara Fasano, Caili O'Doherty, Artemis and Sheila Jordan, plus a single from Hiromi with birthday shoutouts to Claire Daly, Sara Gazarek, Erykah Badu, Patti Wicks, Roseanna Vitro and Gentiane MG. Happy listening--please support the artists you hear. See them live, purchase their music so they ...

S?je: I Can't Help It

by Scott Lichtman
May 22, 2024

It is rare to encounter, an all-female, professional jazz vocal ensemble. The quartet säje (pronounced like “beige") not only has established itself in this genre with a Grammy nomination, but they raise the bar for all vocal groups. The singers--Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, Erin Bentlage and Johnaye Kendrick--are practically telepathic in synchronizing their phrasing. Any big ...

New Releases From Lois Deloatch, Randy Napoleon, Kersten Stevens, Mike LeDonne, Hilary Gardner, Womens History Month & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
March 11, 2024

Happy Womens History Month! This broadcast includes new releases from Lois Deloatch, Randy Napoleon, Kersten Stevens, Mike LeDonne and Hilary Gardner plus birthday shoutouts to Sara Caswell, Claire Daly, Dexter Gordon, Roseanna Vitro and Sara Gazarek, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their ...

Out to Lunch Tribute, Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald

by David Brown
March 5, 2024

This week we celebrate the recording anniversary of Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch. We'll pay tribute by playing tracks from the LP as recorded by Vandermark 5, Orchestre National De Jazz, James Newton, The Lounge Lizards and Eric Dolphy himself. A vocal set will follow featuring big band era vocalists Antia O'Day, Helen Humes and Ella ...

A Posthumous Recording Of Trumpeter Jaimie Branch Plus New Vocal Releases By Alyssa Giammaria, Jonathan Karrant, Maci Miller & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
September 11, 2023

This broadcast includes a posthumous recording from trumpeter Jaimie Branch, plus new vocal releases from Alyssa Giammaria, Jonathan Karrant and Maci Miller, with birthday shoutouts to Dinah Washington, Linda Purl, lyricist Carolyn Leigh, Sinne Eeg, Akiko Tsuruga, Rosana Eckert, Sherrie Maricle, Cecile McLorin Salvant and poet Sara Teasdale, among others. Thanks for listening and please support ...

Eastman School Of Music Appoints Sara Gazarek To Design And Lead New Jazz Voice Program

July 28, 2023

Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, announces the launch of a newly conceived Jazz Voice track in the undergraduate Jazz and Contemporary Media degree program. To lead and design this new program, Eastman has appointed Sara Gazarek as Associate Professor of Jazz Voice within the Jazz and Contemporary Media (JCM) department. Joining Eastman ...

Take Five with Sara Gazarek

by AAJ Staff
July 25, 2023

Meet Sara Gazarek Born and raised in Seattle, WA, 3x GRAMMY nominated jazz vocalist Sara Gazarek reigns as one of the most creative voices of her generation, and one “who may well turn out to be the next important jazz singer" (Los Angeles Times). Collaborating with jazz legends Fred Hersch, Billy Childs, Kurt Elling, and more, ...

New Releases From Sue Palmer, Sanah Kadoura, Sara Caswell, Ludovica Burtone Plus Birthday Celebrations For Ida Cox, Nina Simone & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
March 6, 2023

This broadcast includes new releases from pianist Sue Palmer, trumpeter Jeff Lofton, drummer Sanah Kadoura, bassist Buster Williams and violinists Sara Caswell and Ludovica Burtone respectively, plus birthday shoutouts to Ida Cox, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Claire Daly, Gentiane MG, Melissa Manchester, and Sara Gazarek, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you ...