Sara Gazarek - Vanity (2022) [Hi-Res]

With the announcement of her highly-anticipated collection of new songs, 3x GRAMMY® nominated vocalist Sara Gazarek also sends a sort of postcard from the journey she has traveled over the past few years. On her new EP, Vanity, we witness a rebirth and a revelation since the release of her previously critically-acclaimed and widely celebrated Thirsty Ghost; a journey of growth, exploration and lessons. Vanity gives us a Sara Gazarek with fear taken off the table; replaced by truth, compassion, and an acknowledgement of the artist she has become over the last three years. An artist that values expression over beauty, communication and freedom over safety and consistency. “Through the pandemic, I pushed myself to explore deeper parts of myself, a deeper relationship with my instrument (through rigorous weekly voice lessons), fundamentally and forever changing my perspective and approach as a jazz musician and vocalist,” said Gazarek.
On Vanity, we hear Gazarek exploring more depth of sound in not only her instrument, but in the repertoire she continues to traverse. Sara’s first original composition, “We Have Not Long To Love” (words by Tennessee Williams) “is meant to amplify the importance of taking every moment for the miracle that is,” said Gazarek. “I pushed myself to compose, thinking about colors and shapes, emotional textures and storytelling, much in the way that I do when I write a lyric. I wanted to capture the yin and yang of every day love and life, and the movement, modulations, and meditative repetition that can become more of an undercurrent than a miracle if we let it. And, while what resulted is by no means perfect, it is the truth – for me.” The fairly obscure title track, “Vanity” (arranged by Alan Ferber, and originally covered by the great Sarah Vaughan), is a statement of what people likely view Gazarek’s persona to be, based on her past, vs the person and artist she has now become. Gazarek explains, “I’ve wanted to put a song to the shift that I’ve experienced over the last ten years, the space I’ve finally stepped into, and the need to document that in a way that showcases the unexpected and the unconventional.” Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine” arranged by Geoff Keezer, with horn orchestrations by Alan Ferber, is utilized by Gazarek as a statement on women’s rights and how, “in the jazz community, fighting for equality has been an important journey for me and for my students,” states Gazarek. “Something Good” (from The Sound of Music), arranged by Stu Mindeman, is a deeply personal love letter to Gazarek’s mother. The artist explains, “I’ve wanted to sing a love song to my mother since her almost catastrophic car accident a few years ago (and I penned an extra verse just for her).”
We also hear Gazarek surrounded by a wider spectrum of instrumentation in the music of Thirsty Ghost. With horns arranged by master composer Alan Ferber, Gazarek is joined by 5 horns and expanded rhythm section — with pianist Miro Sprague, bassist Alex Boneham, drummer Christian Euman, guitarist Brad Alen Williams, trumpeter Michael Stever, the aforementioned trombonist/arranger/orchestrator Alan Ferber, alto saxophonist Lenard Simpson, tenor saxophonist Daniel Rotem, and baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder. “They all have such command over their craft, and having Alan orchestrate for a larger ensemble brought things to another level. The experiences I wanted to capture are on a wider spectrum than Thirsty Ghost, so it only made sense to encapsulate that with a broader instrumentation. The band is comprised of deeply beloved, long-time friends and master musicians; but at the end of the day, I am grateful to have had their contributions in movement and air, and gifting me the space and opportunity to fly free, in return,” said Gazarek.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Sara Gazarek - Vanity (6:42)
1.02 - Sara Gazarek - Something Good (5:47)
1.03 - Sara Gazarek - We Have Not Long to Love (5:27)
1.04 - Sara Gazarek - Extraordinary Machine (4:44)