NYC based trombonist Sara Jacovino is an ambitious young composer and arranger who cut her teeth in the renowned One O'Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas. Hailed by the likes of David Baker as having a completely unique compositional and performing voice, Sara has already drawn the attention of many seasoned professionals. In the fall of 2008, Sara made the move to NYC where she joined the BMI jazz composer's workshop led by Jim McNeely. In June of 2009, Sara was awarded the BMI Foundation's Charlie Parker Composition Award/Manny Album Commission after just her first season in the workshop. Earlier in 2009, Sara received the Airmen of Note's Sammy Nestico Award in jazz composition and was awarded Downbeat Magazine's Student Music Award in the category of jazz arranging. Similarly in 2008, Sara’s received two Downbeat Awards, including best Original Song and best Extended Composition. She also earned invitations to the prestigious Better Carter Jazz Ahead residency and Ravinia Steans Institute residency, while being awarded the Kai Winding jazz ensemble prize and selected as one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association’s J.J. Johnson solo jazz trombone competition. Sara can be seen leading her original quintet and big band as well as her recently co-founded jazz philharmonic, The Orchestral Reeducation Commission. Sara earned both a BMus and MMus degree from UNT while studying composition with Neil Slater and Paris Rutherford and trombone with Steve Wiest and Tony Baker.
Sara has shared the stage with jazz greats such as: Steve Davis, Slide Hampton, Rufus Reid, Wayne Bergeron, John Abercrombie, Pete Christlieb, Bill Holman, Rich Perry, Lou Marini, Steve Wiest, Adonis Rose, Jim Pugh, Ejiro Nakagawa, Phil Woods, Carmen Bradford, Bernard Wright, Robert “Sput” Searight, Lynn Seaton, Stefan Karlsson, Marlena Shaw, and Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra to name a few.
She can be heard on the albums “Lab 2008,” “Lab 2007,” “Lab 2006” and “Live at Blues Alley” by the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band; “The Best of the Big O” by the University of North Texas Two O'Clock Lab Band; and “Bring Us the Bright,” “The Only Constant,” “The World is Getting Smaller” and “Real to Reel” by the Jazz/World/Fusion Ensemble Snarky Puppy.
