In 1994, Sara Lazarus, a young American singer, is awarded the first prize of the international Thelonious Monk contest thus following in the steps of Joshua Redman and Jacky Terrasson. The jury is no less famous with the likes of John Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Cleo Laine, Abbey Lincoln, Dianne Reeves and Jimmy Scott. During the award ceremony, Sara takes part in a jam session with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Heath and Clark Terry.
Born on 1April in Delaware, one of the smallest US states, Sara displays a strong interest in musical comedies from an early age and thankfully discovers the jazz standards. She takes piano lessons at 8 and starts playing the saxophone so as to join her high school band. At 16, she joins the American Youth Jazz Band as a tenor saxophonist and singer and starts on European tour with the band culminating at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Back in the US, Sara studies literature at Harvard University. She joins the Harvard University Jazz Band and meets the tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet who asks her to be a guest singer in his band and strongly advises her to keep going in the same direction. She is awarded the best vocal jazz soloist prize (university standard) by the Downbeat magazine, a main American jazz magazine.
After graduating, Sara decides to settle in France. She takes part in numerous European festivals like Marciac, Crest Jazz Vocal, Montlouis, Braga and the JVC Paris Jazz Festival. She has been given the opportunity to sing with such musicians as Alain Jean-Marie, Jacky Terrasson, Manuel Rocheman, Frank Amsallem, Riccardo del Fra, Gilles Naturel and Andrea Michelluti.
In November 2000, she sings in Patrice Caratini Jazz Ensemble for his project centring on Cole Porter music and takes part in his record ?Anything Goes? / Harmonia Mundi distribution.
Following the great tradition of female jazz singers, Sara draws from the lore of standards to give free way to her true and tender nature and to her swing rhythm.
In mars 2005, her first album is published (Give Me A Simple Life) under the Dreyfus jazz label. The record is praised both by the press and the public. There follows a tour in France and Europe along with worthwhile performances in the great jazz festivals.
After this successful first opus, Sara Lazarus records a new studio album with a new group. Surrounded by Bireli Lagrene Gipsy Project, Sara Lazarus sets her delicate and temperate voice on the 12 standards of It?s All Right With Me (nov. 2006).
Exuding a compelling swing rhythm and entrancing ballads, this second album highlights the obvious gift of this young Franco American artist and is set to place her for ever as one of the outstanding jazz voices.
Sara Lazarus est nee un 1er avril [1] dans l'etat du Delaware aux Etats-Unis. C'est une chanteuse de jazz americaine, qui travaille principalement en France.
C'est par les comedies musicales que Sara Lazarus decouvre tres jeune les standards de jazz. A 8 ans, elle prend des cours de piano, et plus tard de saxophone pour jouer avec l?orchestre de son college. A 16 ans, elle integre l?American Youth Jazz Band comme saxophoniste tenor et chanteuse, et fait avec ce groupe une tournee europeenne qui se termine au Festival de Jazz de Montreux.
En 1994, elle remporte le premier prix du concours international Thelonious Monk [2], dont le jury compte Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn, Cleo Laine, Abbey Lincoln, Dianne Reeves et Jimmy Scott. A l?occasion de la remise des prix, Sara Lazarus participe a une jam session avec Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Heath et Clark Terry.
Elle poursuit ses etudes, en litterature anglaise, a Harvard et rentre dans l'orchestre de jazz de l'universite. Illinois Jacquet, qu'elle rencontre alors, l'encourage dans la voie du chant et lui propose de se joindre a sa formation comme chanteuse. Down Beat, l'un des principaux magazines americains consacres au jazz, la sacre "Meilleur(e) soliste en jazz vocal (niveau universite)".
Apres ses etudes, Sara Lazarus s'installe en France, et participe a de nombreux festivals europeens: Jazz in Marciac, Crest Jazz Vocal, festival de Montlouis-sur-Loire, Braga Jazz, et le JVC Jazz Festival Paris. Elle se produit avec les musiciens comme Alain Jean-Marie, Jacky Terrasson, Manuel Rocheman, Franck Amsallem, Riccardo del Fra, Gilles Naturel et Andrea Michelutti.
En novembre 2000, elle participe au projet de Patrice Caratini et son Jazz Ensemble, centre sur la musique de Cole Porter, et a son disque ? Anything Goes ?.
En mars 2005, l'accueil enthousisate de la critique comme du public pour son disque Give Me A Simple Life etablissent sa reputation, qu'elle confirme lors de tournees en France et dans le reste de l'Europe, notamment dans les grands festivals de jazz.
Sara Lazarus met sa ? voix sobre et delicate ? au service de sa spontaneite, sa tendresse et son sens communicatif du swing [3].
References
[1] L'annee et la ville de naissance de Sara Lazarus ne sont pas connues (ou, a tout le moins, non diffusees)
[2] Source: Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz - International Jazz Competition
[3] Source pour les elements de biographie: Christian Pegand, consulte en mai 2007
Discographie
* Anything goes, 2000, avec le Jazz Ensemble de Patrice Caratini (Harmonia Mundi).
* Give Me A Simple Life, 2005 (Dreyfus Jazz).
* It?s All Right With Me, 2006, avec le Gipsy Project de Bireli Lagrene.
