Welcome to the Official Web Site of
Sara Caswell, Jazz & Classical
Violinist
Upcoming performances:
December 17, 2011
Mark O'Connor's American String Celebration
Folly Theater
Kansas City, MO
8pm
January 4, 2012
With Jack Wilkins' Blue & Green Project
2012 Jazz Education Network Conference
Inspirations Stage - Galt House Hotel
Louisville, KY
8pm
January 5, 2012
With Jack Wilkins' Blue & Green Project
2012 Jazz Education Network Conference
JENerations Stage - Galt House Hotel
Louisville, KY
11:30pm
January 2012
Happy New Year! Before looking ahead to what 2012 has in store, a quick reflection on the past year...
2011, a year dominated by touring with two different groups led by two incredible musicians…
• bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding, winner of the 2011 Best New Artist Grammy, the 1st jazz musician to receive this honor. Performances in support of her CD, Chamber Music Society (Heads Up International, 2010), took the band throughout the U.S. and Europe, to South Africa and Morocco, to Brazil and Japan ~ 5 continents in all! Although touring for this project came to a close in October, there is no doubt that the bonds created through our year together will last for years to come.
• vocalist Roseanna Vitro, whose CD, The Music of Randy Newman (Motema Music, 2011), was recently nominated for a 2012 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Concerts surrounding its release in May took us to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Reading (PA), New York City, Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles. I’m honored to have been a member of the quintet that recorded this project!
2011, an exciting year for me on the educational front as well: in addition to beginning my sixth year teaching for the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Jazz Arts Division, I began my first year as a faculty member for MSM’s College Jazz Arts Division ~ an honor to be affiliated with this prestigious institution!
2012, a year of new musical adventures with...
• Roseanna: awards and rave reviews for The Music of Randy Newman are leading to more performances and touring, so be sure to check my itinerary for updates!
• Jody Redhage: a triple threat as cellist, vocalist, and composer, Jody (also a member of Esperanza’s Chamber Music Society band) has formed a new ensemble called Rose and the Nightingale: the quartet includes Jody, me on violin, Leala Cyr on voice/flugelhorn, and Laila Biali on voice/piano. We head into the recording studio this spring, with touring slated to begin in the summer…excited to be making music with these incredible ladies!
• Nadje Noordhuis: equally talented as a composer & trumpeter, Nadje has recorded a beautiful collection of her compositions with help from pianist Geoff Keezer, bassist Joe Martin, drummer Obed Calvaire, and me on violin, as well as percussionist James Shipp and guitarist Rupert Boyd. With its release scheduled for the fall, concert plans are in the works ~ stay tuned!
• Caswell Sisters: my sister Rachel and I have some exciting performances on the horizon, including one which has led us to commission big band charts by two of our favorite arrangers: Alan Ferber and Michael Patterson. We continue making strides on our Caswell Sisters CD project, so…2012 is on course to be an exciting year!
As always, be sure to check my itinerary for a complete listing of upcoming concerts with these groups and others with whom I perform (The New York Pops, guitarist Gene Bertoncini…). And don’t be a stranger ~ stop by my Facebook page to say hello!
Sara
