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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. Now she concentrates on singing truth.

Her hallmark craft and musicianship remain intact. “But prior to Thirsty Ghost,” says the L.A.-based singer and lyricist, “my records were beauty-focused instead of expression-focused.” In her quest for sonic perfection, she had downplayed the value of conveying her own experience and insights. She had traded consistency for the emotional connection that comes from making oneself vulnerable and taking risks. As she conceived and completed the self-produced Thirsty Ghost, however, her artistry reached a turning point. No longer afraid to fall short of predetermined standards, she had a better chance of soaring high above them. 

In making this pivot into a new lane, Gazarek received vital encouragement from Kurt Elling, the preeminent male jazz singer of the 21st century. “There was something that Kurt heard in my music early on, and anytime I played New York (Elling’s home in the 2010s), he came to my shows and often shared some valuable and heartfelt insights.” In 2015, she guested on Elling’s Passion World album. This occurred in the midst of what Gazarek describes as “a five-year period of exploring new collaborations and cultivating repertoire specific to things happening in my life. Kurt encouraged me to reflect those experiences in my art. He told me, ‘Don’t be afraid to walk away from what you think people want…  and to step into all of the depth, darkness, and radiance of who you really are.’ And that’s the first time I’d ever really done that.”

One such event – the near death of her mother in a horrific auto accident in 2016 – led Gazarek to face mortality on the most personal level. “My mother had to be brought back to life, then spent two weeks in the ICU and months in rehab. To have your life, your intentions – the way you’ve been existing, mirrored so vibrantly in front of you; to say, ‘Okay, who have I been, who do I want to be,’ after thinking the most primary relationship in my life was going to end: I took that with me everywhere.

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Take Five With...

Take Five with Sara Gazarek

Read "Take Five with Sara Gazarek" reviewed by AAJ Staff


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, and with 6 critically-acclaimed albums under her belt at the age of 40, Gazarek often tours internationally as a soloist/band leader, and as a ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Women in Jazz: Fabulous Singing, Part 2

Read "Women in Jazz: Fabulous Singing, Part 2" reviewed by Russell Perry


The past decade has been a great one for lovers of jazz singing with most of the exciting music coming from women singers. In this hour of Jazz at 100 Today!, we will complete our survey, begun in the last program, of 20 releases of 15 female vocalists performing songs from the Great American Songbook, contemporary pop tunes and their own compositions. We are celebrating Women's History Month on Jazz at 100 Today! Playlist Host Intro 0:00 Tierney ...

Album Review

Sara Gazarek: Thirsty Ghost

Read "Thirsty Ghost" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Le vocalist emerse dopo il 2010 (Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jazzmeia Horn, Veronica Swift, Cyrille Aimée ecc...) hanno messo un po' in ombra quelle del decennio precedente come Kate McGarry, Gretchen Parlato e appunto Sara Gazarek. È piuttosto buffo che l'interprete californiana (nata a Seattle ma a losangelina dal 2000) continui a essere votata nel critics poll di Down Beat solo nella categoria emergenti, quando ha debuttato nel 2005 e giunge ora al sesto disco da leader. Quest'album ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Sara Gazarek, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbie Hancock and More

Read "Sara Gazarek, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbie Hancock and More" reviewed by Joe Dimino


This week we kick off with the modern day jazz singer who is making waves Sara Gazarek. From there, we dig some new sound from NYC cat Mike Casey as we delve into the modern jazz sounds, we profile the veteran Ray Obiedo and look into new music from the great Kevin Sun. We also explore the old world of jazz with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra and Stan Getz. We then wrap everything up with some new ...

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Album Review

Sara Gazarek: Thirsty Ghost

Read "Thirsty Ghost" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Sara Gazarek has been working as a professional jazz singer since 2004. You can find plenty of vintage YouTube clips of her singing Great American Songbook material in a breezy, polished manner. A few years ago, things began to happen in her life. There was near-death tragedy in her family, her marriage fell apart and she began to wonder about her professional future. On this, her sixth album, her reactions to all this have resulted in a broadening and deepening ...

Album Review

Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson: Dream in the Blue

Read "Dream in the Blue" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Dopo anni di collaborazioni in comune (il pianista era presente nei precedenti quattro album della cantante e lei in due lavori del partner), Sara Gazarek e Josh Nelson hanno deciso di formare un duo che ha preceduto quest'incision con varie esibizioni live. La cantante, nata a Seattle ma Losangelina d'adozione, ha debuttato nel 2005 con l'album Yours ottenendo un immediato successo che s'è consolidato negli anni seguenti con eccellenti valutazioni della critica e nei referendum del pubblico. ...

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Album Review

Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson: Dream In The Blue

Read "Dream In The Blue" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The success of a story often hinges on the art of the telling. Listen to vocalist Sara Gazarek with pianist Josh Nelson and you immediately see that to be true. These two use ripples of inflection to elicit tidal waves of emotion, uncover new wrinkles in the oldest of thematic fabrics, paint scenes and/or inhabit characters so deeply and convincingly that they blur or erase the lines separating true self from role, and willingly reveal all that this world has ...

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Education

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

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

Source: Jessica Kaufman

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 after a 12-year tenure at the Thornton School of Music, of the University of Southern California, this two-time GRAMMY nominated vocalist has performed and/or ...

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Recording

Internationally Acclaimed Vocalists Jane Monheit And Sara Gazarek Team Up For A New Holiday Single: "Come Spend Christmas With Me"

Internationally Acclaimed Vocalists Jane Monheit And Sara Gazarek Team Up For A New Holiday Single: "Come Spend Christmas With Me"

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

Digital Release Only (iTunes and Amazon) available Nov. 5th Palmetto Records, Sara Gazarek & Jane Monheit are proud to support the ASPCA and its mission. To learn more, visit: aspca.org. Once in a while all the stars align to make something beautiful and meaningful possible. This holiday season they have done just that by bringing internationally acclaimed vocalists Jane Monheit and Sara Gazarek together in duo to sing a new Christmas song, Come Spend Christmas With Me. With its playful ...

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Video / DVD

Sara Gazarek on "Jazz'n With J'Rodd"

Sara Gazarek on "Jazz'n With J'Rodd"

Source: Michael Ricci

Jazz vocalist Sara Gazarek sits down for an interview on “Jazz'n With J'Rodd", the web's first (and only) live streaming jazz showcase. About Blossom & Bee Hailed as the next important jazz singer (Don Heckman, LA Times), Sara Gazarek recently recorded Blossom & Bee, her debut for the Palmetto Records label. Blessed with a beautiful, translucent voice, Gazarek is a strikingly original artist who continues to blur the line between innovation and emotional integrity. For her ...

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Contest

Enter the "Sara Gazarek - Blossom & Bee" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Enter the "Sara Gazarek - Blossom & Bee" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Palmetto Records “Sara Gazarek - Blossom & Bee“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on August 12th. Click here to enter the contest

(Following Sara Gazarek at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck! Your Friends at Palmetto Records About Blossom & Bee Blessed with a beautiful, translucent voice, Gazarek is a strikingly original artist who continues to blur ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Alan Evans Trio, Javier Mendoza, and More

Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Alan Evans Trio, Javier Mendoza, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Though we're getting close to the end of the academic year as well as the nominal seasons of several of our local not-for-profit presenters, there's still a good amount of live jazz and creative music on tap over the next few days in St. Louis. This week's touring attractions include one of the best young female jazz singers working today, and the local debut of a new organ-driven jazz/funk trio from one of the genre's most well-regarded drummers. Let's go ...

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Video / DVD

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Song Stylings of Sara Gazarek

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Song Stylings of Sara Gazarek

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Today, we're going to look at some video clips featuring singer Sara Gazarek, who's coming to St. Louis to perform next Saturday, May 5 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Born in Seattle, Washington, Gazarek studied music at the University of Southern California, winning the Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Collegiate Vocalist in 2003. She released her first album, Yours, in 2005, and made her St. Louis debut in October of that year ...

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Recording

Sara Gazarek's New CD, "Blossom & Bee," to be Released by Palmetto on June 19

Sara Gazarek's New CD,  "Blossom & Bee," to be Released by Palmetto on June 19

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

Sara Gazarek — once hailed as “the next important jazz singer" by The Los Angeles Times — is back on the scene with the recently recorded Blossom & Bee, her debut for the Palmetto label. Blessed with a beautiful, translucent voice, Gazarek is a strikingly original artist who continues to blur the line between innovation and emotional integrity. For her new project, she is joined by her all-star, LA-based trio (Josh Nelson, p; Hamilton Price, b; Zach Harmon, d) with ...

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Recording

Germany's Acclaimed Triosence Joins Forces with Vocalist Sara Gazarek on "Where Time Stands Still"

Germany's Acclaimed Triosence Joins Forces with Vocalist Sara Gazarek on "Where Time Stands Still"

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

While the instrumental group Triosence has already built a strong following over the past decade in Germany, their latest outing promises to attract Stateside attention for the first time. For Where Time Stands Still, the group reached out to Seattle-born singer Sara Gazarek, a rising star on the contemporary jazz scene in the States. The resulting collaboration is a match made in heaven, with Gazarek's crystalline vocals and evocative lyrics supplying an even more personal touch to Triosence's appealing sound. ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Gino Robair, the St. Louis Stompers, and More

Jazz This Week: Sara Gazarek, Gino Robair, the St. Louis Stompers, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

With warmer weather in the offing for St. Louis this weekend, it should be a good time to get out and hear some live music. Here's what's going on in jazz and creative music over the next few days in St. Louis:We've got two touring artists of note in town this week, one of whom is the delightful singer Sara Gazarek, who's back to perform at Jazz at the Bistro through Saturday. Gazarek is a standout in the ...

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Recording

Now Available: Sara Gazarek "Return to You"

Now Available: Sara Gazarek "Return to You"

Source: All About Jazz

Now available in stores and online... Sara Gazarek Return To You Championed by some of music's most celebrated figures, Sara Gazarek has emerged as a strikingly original artist with limitless potential. In follow up to Yours, her widely hailed 2005 debut focusing on American Songbook standards, the 25-year-old Gazarek delivers a sensational follow-up on her sophomore album Return to You, seamlessly combining the intimacy of singer/songwriter stylings with the musical and improvisational elements of jazz. Blessed with a ...

“She may well turn out to be the next important jazz singer” Don Heckman – LA Times "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 “Gazarek seduces, conjures and cajoles elements from her songs with the aplomb of pro's long past” Larry Sakin – blogcritics.com “iPod worthy” -Parade Picks, Parade Magazine “On Return to You, Gazarek, a mere 25-year-old lies on the threshold of becoming a jazz great

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Primary Instrument

Vocals

Location

Los Angeles

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

University Of Southern California, Adjunct Professor, Jazz Studies

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Acceptance

Mack Avenue Records
2020

buy

"Desert Song" (Single)

Self Produced
2020

buy

Thirsty Ghost

Self Produced
2019

buy

Dream In The Blue

Steel Bird Music
2016

buy

Blossom & Bee

Palmetto Records
2012

buy

Yours

Native Language
2005

buy

Desert Song

From: "Desert Song" (Single)
By Sara Gazarek

Everything I've Got

From: Blossom & Bee
By Sara Gazarek

Amazing

From: Yours
By Sara Gazarek

Videos

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