Sara Caswell is an award-winning violinist who spent her formative years under the tutelage of internationally-renowned violin teacher, Josef Gingold. She began her violin studies at age 5 and has become a "brilliant world-class violinist...one of the very best of the present
generation of emerging young jazz stars," according to David Baker, music professor at Indiana University and director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

www.saracaswell.com/sara

Rachel Caswell is an award-winning jazz vocalist with a unique style combining extraordinary scatting ability and sensitive song interpretation. She has performed with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, John Blake, Jr., Ingrid Jensen, the Billy Taylor Trio and Curtis Fuller and was selected as one of two vocalists for the 1997 Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Colony at Jazz Aspen/Snowmass.

www.rachelcaswell.com/rachel

Now available

"A gifted starbright talent of the first magnitude, Sara is a top tier member of the young generation of major voices - regardless of instrument. As a formidable, arresting violin soloist in both classical and jazz idioms, she has sealed her membership in that echelon with incandescent brilliance. Her prodigious technique permits beautiful intonation begetting a beautiful sound and shaded emotions. But Beautiful - an exquisite recording where every single golden note from front to back is simply ...beautiful."

- Dr. Herb Wong

Now available

"There are singers who show evidence of jazz influences and there are singers who choose to sing material from the jazz canon, but Rachel Caswell is that rara avis who is truly a jazz vocalist. Her intonation is impeccable, her diction precise, her jazz sensibilities above reproach, and she swings like mad!…Few improvisers – vocal or instrumental – have better ears than she possesses and she has an exceptional instrument that is immediately identifiable among a sea of other vocalists."

- David Baker

THE CASWELL SISTERS

       The riveting performances of the Caswell Sisters, vocalist Rachel and violinist Sara, are the culmination of years of working together. Their seamless sound combined with their unique interpretation of repertoire ranging from the “Great American Songbook” to contemporary jazz including their own compositions is propelled by arresting improvisation.

       These talented siblings share much in common: both studied jazz from an early age with Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Distinguished Professor David Baker, both attended IU on full scholarship as Wells Scholars and graduated with High Distinction in Classical Performance and Jazz Studies, both went on to earn Masters Degrees in Jazz Performance (Rachel at New England Conservatory in Boston and Sara at Manhattan School of Music in New York), and both were invited to participate in the Thelonious Monk Institute’s Summer Residency Program in Aspen/Snowmass, CO, where they worked with major jazz artists.

       Rachel and Sara co-lead the Caswell Sisters Quintet which recently recorded a CD project with acclaimed jazz pianist Fred Hersch (to be released in 2010). They have given concerts throughout the country including a week-long After-Hours engagement at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center. Rachel also frequently collaborates with bassist Jeremy Allen, and their duo was selected to perform at the 2006 IAJE (International Association for Jazz Education) Annual Conference in New York City. She has performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, John Blake, Jr., Ingrid Jensen, the Billy Taylor Trio, and Curtis Fuller. In addition to winning the Hilton Head Jazz Society Scholarship and placing in the top ten of 150 contestants in the jazzconnect.com 2005 vocal competition, Rachel has won many awards as a classical cellist and jazz musician. She can be heard on her debut CD Some Other Time which has received excellent reviews.

       Sara has performed with Gene Bertoncini, Charlie Byrd, Skitch Henderson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Lynne Arriale, John Clayton, and many of today’s top jazz violinists. She has made several appearances as a featured soloist with The New York Pops in Carnegie Hall as well as on national TV for the NBC broadcast of the 2009 Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. Her most recent CD But Beautiful (Arbors Records) has received numerous awards including a #1 ranking on nationally-syndicated jazz radio host Bob Parlocha’s list of “Top 40 New Releases” and top rankings for 2005 jazz albums in both Coda Magazine and Jazz Education Journal. Sara tours as a soloist with violinist Mark O’Connor’s American String Celebration, performs with the New York Pops Orchestra, and teaches jazz violin. She studied classical violin with the legendary Josef Gingold and has won over 100 awards and first-place prizes in the jazz and classical competition worlds including several DOWNBEAT awards. In addition to But Beautiful, Sara can be heard on her debut CD First Song (Double-Time Records).

       The Caswell Sisters have given concerts nationwide and continue to provide audiences with electrifying performances through their unique combination of sound and artistry.

Selected Performances

• Recording project with jazz pianist Fred Hersch, anticipated release, 2010
• Guest Artists with Bloomington High School North Jazz Ensemble, Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) Regional Convention, Indianapolis, IN, 2009
• After Hours Sets, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, New York, NY, 2008
• Jazz Guest Artist Concert Series, University of Evansville, Evansville, IN, 2008
• Artist Series, Hope College, Holland, MI, 2008
• Summer Music Festival with Sara Caswell, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 2008
• Jazz in July Concert Series, Indiana University Art Museum, Bloomington, IN, 2004,’06 & ‘08
• String Theory Music Series with Sara Caswell, Symphony Space, New York, NY, 2008
• Chamber Music Series, Eastern Illinois University, Tarble Arts Center, Charleston, IL, 2008
• New Discovery Series, Indiana University Southeast, The Ogle Center, New Albany,    IN, 2008
• Laureate Series, International Violin Competition of Indianapolis with Sara Caswell, IN, 2007
• Artist Series, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, 2007
• Artist Series, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, 2006
• Concert, International Association for Jazz Education,Toronto, Canada, ‘03, & New York, ‘06
• Jazz Arts Group of Fargo-Moorhead, NDSU Festival Concert Hall, Fargo, ND, 2005
• Jazz Cabaret Series, Kentucky Center for the Arts, Louisville, KY, 2001 and 2004
• The Midwest Clinic, Annual Conference, Chicago Hilton, Chicago, IL, 2004
• Artist Series, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2004
• Artist Series, West Virginia State College, Charleston, WV, 2003
• Forest Hills Central HS Jazz Night, Forest Hills Central High School, Grand Rapids,    MI, 2003
• With Ingrid Jensen at Jazz Fables Concert Series, Bear’s Place, Bloomington, IN, 2002
• An Evening of Jazz, Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN, 2002
• Hoagy Carmichael Festival, Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Bloomington, IN, 2002
• An Evening of Jazz, MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL, 2002
• Jazz Fest, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 2002
• Belz-Parker Artists Ascending Concert Series with Sara Caswell, Memphis, TN, 2001

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