Vocalist and Bandleader, Sarah Hayes, has been at the forefront of New York’s music scene for the last 8 years~ Performing Jazz and Swinging Standards with various bands and orchestras, lighting up New York's finest Jazz Clubs with her vibrant voice, enormous repertoire and sunny personality.
Sarah is wowing audiences around the country and internationally. Whether performances at the Montreal Jazz festival, concerts with Steve Rossi (Allen & Rossi), repeat singing engagements for NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, touring the country with The Artie Shaw Orchestra, (A position once held by Billie Holiday), weekly engagements in NYC with dear friend, Grammy & Hall of Famer- Tony Middleton of “The Willows”, Sarah brings the party to the party!
Sarah’s singing career started at the tender age of 5 when she belted out her own rendition of a bluesy tune, “Oh John the Rabbit” complete with backup singers. “When I heard the applause, I was hooked,” she says today of that childhood performance in her hometown of Monticello, FL.
Her passion for singing and performing landed her as Marilyn Monroe in the Universal Studio’s Old Hollywood musical show. At Universal and Disney’s MGM Studios, both in Orlando, she also sang as Carmen Miranda with her Latin Big Band and Disney's Hoop Dee Doo Revue Show.
While in Orlando, Sarah performed with a 1920s -style big band, The Coconut Manor Orchestra. That gig was a revelation for Sarah. “When I sang with the band, I realized that was really my passion,” she recalls. That moment of epiphany prompted her to start her own 1920s -1930s band, “Sarah Hayes & The Prohibition Playboys”.
At that time the swing music was making a big comeback, so Sarah put together yet another swing band focusing on tunes from the 1930s and 1940s. “Red Hot Kitty & The Alley Cats”, her retro Swing band traveled around the country, playing at several casinos and resorts.
Sarah spent three wonderful summers at Michigan's Landmark, Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. She performed with the hotel’s orchestra which she calls “the best summers of my life. I was singing every night, building my repertoire”.
After spending one summer singing with the Tom Haberman Orchestra at the Nevele Grand Hotel and Resort in New York, Sarah decided to make NYC her home. “I fell into a jazz club scene right away, and was lucky to work with some amazing and legendary artists,” she says.
Sarah has had the distinction of working with some of New York's finest musicians including Benny Powell, Les Paul, Dick Hyman, John Colianni, Jay Leonhart, Joe Cohn, Lee Musiker, Jack Wilkins, Wes”Warmdaddy Anderson”, Lew Tabackin, Christian McBride, Bob Kaye, Tadataka Unno, Kengo Nakamuro, and Bobby Porcelli among numerous others.
Sarah performs regularly with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, Bensen-Scott Big Band, her own septet, Swing Society, as well as her smaller trio and quartet.
With a huge repertoire of music and charts, Sarah can customize a show to meet all of your musical and entertainment needs.
When not traveling, Sarah can be seen weekly in New York’s finest jazz clubs...
