Search - Sara Jones :: Daydream A Little

From the first notes that Sara Jones sings on her debut CD, Daydream A Little it is obvious that a bright new vocalist is already making her mark on the music world. Her voice is very appealing, inviting and youthful. She revitalizes The Girl From Ipanema in a version that owes little to Astrud Gilberto--she swings, and her rendition is full of joy. In fact, one can easily imagine and even hear her smiling through her music.
The same qualities are heard throughout Daydream A Little, a mixture of jazz and Brazilian standards that also includes a few superior pop songs. Teamed with guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist-producer Paul Langosch, and the members of Trio da Paz, Sara Jones' debut is memorable, musical and infectious.
Born in Thailand and raised on the Eastern shore of Maryland, she began performing music as a pianist. "My Mom, grandmother and great aunt played piano so there was always a piano in the house, remembers Sara. I caught the bug when I was five. Although I mostly played classical music, I also listened to a lot of my grandparents' records and tapes of big bands." Sara did not start singing seriously until she was in high school, winning the lead in the musical Anything Goes where she enjoyed performing Cole Porter's music.
Despite that, Sara entered college with the goal of becoming a classical pianist. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from St. Mary's College of Maryland and a Master of Music in Piano Accompanying from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. "Although I enjoyed the opera arias and art songs that I performed, I realized in graduate school that this was not what I really wanted to do." She heard from a friend about an opening in the U.S. Army Field Band Soldiers' Chorus, passed the audition and spent six years in the Army. She loved the experience, visiting 49 states (all but Hawaii) with one of the military's premiere bands, giving concerts for the civilian public while representing the American soldier through music.
While in the Army, Sara entered and won the Billie Holiday Vocal Competition. "That gave me the confidence I needed and the desire to go beyond the contest and pursue jazz." After she left the Army in the fall of 2007, Sara quickly lined up a series of singing jobs in the Baltimore/Washington DC area, becoming an important part of the local scene. Sara was fortunate to meet Paul Langosch, best known for being Tony Bennett's bassist. "Whenever he was in town, I would hire him for gigs. After working together for several months, he said that I should really have a recording and whenever I was ready, he would work with me on a project." Daydream A Little is the result of their collaboration. One of the major Brazilian jazz groups, Trio da Paz (guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer-percussionist Duduka da Fonseca), joins Sara on most of the selections with Paul Langosch in Matta's place on five numbers. Autumn Leaves and Mona Lisa are heartfelt duets by the singer with Lubambo. In addition, the Jazz Ambassadors' trumpet player Kevin Watt plays some tasteful flugelhorn on a few of the performances. Other highlights among the 14 songs include Aquarela do Brasil, I'll Take Romance, Janis Ian's At Seventeen and No More Blues, and each rendition has its special moments. Although the CD includes a lot of different moods, the music is consistently romantic and displays the singer's voice at its best.
Sara Jones looks to the future with enthusiasm. "I really love planning programs that both die-hard jazz fans and newcomers will equally enjoy. I always tell people that if they attend my shows, I swear that they'll have a good time!" On evidence of the performances recorded on Daydream A Little that is a sure bet.