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Sarah Pillow
Vocalist Sarah Pillow enjoys a unique career, drawing on her equal expertise in her interpretation of jazz, classical, and early music repertoire. Beginning her career as a jazz singer, Sarah won best vocal solo in a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. She went on to study classical singing at Oberlin Conservatory, earning a Bachelor of Music degree. Since moving to New York City from her native California, Sarah has toured the United States and Canada with her jazz quartet, her crossover project, Nuove Musiche, and her early music ensemble, Galileo's Daughters. She has performed as both chorister and soloist on all the great stages in New York City, including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Her performances in operatic works have resulted in critical praise, with “a genuinely genre-busting voice, full and vivid” by The Washington Post in modern operas by Gisle Kverndokk; and “splendid” and “radiating calm” by The New York Times for her portrayal of the Queen in the 12th-century “Play of Daniel” at the Cloisters and Trinity Wall Street Church. In addition to her own projects, Sarah enjoys appearing with early music ensembles Ayreheart and The Baltimore Consort as a guest performer. Sarah spent the coronavirus pandemic making weekly ‘Anthems’ with percussionist husband, Marc Wagnon, which can be found, as well as their ‘Fireside Chats’, on the Buckyball Music YouTube channel. More information and recordings can be found at buckyballmusic.com.
Awards
Best vocal solo, The Montreux Jazz Festival
Tags
Sarah Pillow: Nuove Musiche
by Glenn Astarita
Multitalented vocalist Sarah Pillow veers off the straight and narrow with this immensely absorbing release titled Nuove Musiche, which in Italian, signifies ‘new music’. Here, Ms. Pillow melds Baroque compositions with fusion, progressive rock and blues motifs, all sung in Latin, French, Spanish, English and/or Italian. A striking concept indeed, as the artist aligns her impressive vocal faculties with the eminent fusion/progressive ensemble, “Brand X”.
On this outing, the music of 17th century composers such as Purcell, Monteverdi, Rossi and ...
read moreSarah Pillow: Paper Cuts
by Glenn Astarita
On Paper Cuts vocalist Sarah Pillow effortlessly whirls through twelve standards as she displays remarkable range and good command of the jazz language. With somewhat of an all-star lineup, which includes trumpeter Dave Douglas, vibraphonist Marc Wagnon, guitarist Van Manakas and a thoroughly swinging rhythm section, Ms Pillow hops through octaves, scats and displays near flawless pitch while vocalizing through these pieces with confidence and flair. - Ms Pillow offers the best of both worlds – as though she ‘lived ...
read more'Ms. Pillow has a lovely, natural-sounding tone and a versatile gift for interpretation...' The New York Times
“A genuinely genre-busting voice, full and vivid.” The Washington Post
"Sarah Pillow's background as a jazz singer has no doubt helped make her an inventive early-music performer, a part of the repertory that thrives best when musicians know how and when to improvise..." The New York Times
"...Sarah Pillow's singing of "O Maria Dei Genetrix" is gorgeous...." The London Sunday Times