MUSIC - Singer, Sara Jones

Originally from the Maryland Eastern Shore. Sara attained degrees in music from both St. Mary's College of Maryland and her masters in music from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. She began playing piano at age 4 and professionally at the age of 14. She won first prize in the W.A. Virts Piano Concerto Competition in high school at 18.

Critics have written that Sara's musical voice is "lush", that she "beguiles and charms" the audience with her "velvet embrace" of the music. These qualities won her the " Billie Holiday Vocal Competition" in 2004. Since then she has toured and performed through out the U.S.

Her bio indicates that she "has performed as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, and Ravinia Festival Orchestra, under the batons of Emil de Cou and Erich Kunzel. An additional highlight includes a solo performance on the Esplanade with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra. In the local Baltimore/Washington area, Sara was a featured vocalist with the Jazz Ambassadors and has graced the stages of the Hippodrome Theater, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts."

While a full-time singer, Sara also performs as a pianist and accompanies both singers and instrumentalists on recitals. She is a featured vocalist on The Young Brothers CD "Tales of Time" (2007) on CD Baby.com. Notably, Ted Gioia of Jazz.com wrote the following about Sara for her rendition of "Skylark" on the "Tales of Time" CD, "Many celebrated vocalists have tackled "Skylark" over the decades, but Jones can withstand comparisons with these past masters. A talent this large deserves a bigger stage."

Sara is a regularly featured singing artist in the DC/Baltimore, MD area and can be heard performing around the U.S.

Q&A

DCB: I read that you won the W.A. Virts Piano Competition, but it does not say in what year. When did this occur?
SJ: I won the W.A. Virts Piano Competition in 1994. I was a senior in high school and was really excited to win.

DCB: During your career in music, which musicians you have performed with that have had the greatest impact? Were these instrumentalists or singers?
SJ: As for people I have worked with that have made a musical impact on me, I have a long list of very talented players from the area. Too many to mention! But if I was to name a few, bassist Paul Langosch, and pianists Steve Rudolph, Jay Cooley, and Robert Redd are some names. I also have enjoyed working with the Unified Jazz Ensemble several times this year. They are a great, fun, group.

DCB: Is there one or more concerts that stands out in your memory and what do you remember from the experience you might like to share?
SJ: Some of my most memorable experiences are these: One of them is as a pianist, the 2 others as a singer.

1. Performing with my mentor and teacher, pianist Brian Ganz. We played Ma Mère l'Oye (Mother Goose Suite)--a piano duet by Maurice Ravel--on one of my student recitals at St. Mary's. He's a true, true, artist. The piece was not technically difficult, especially for him, but he is always able to make even the simplest work a piece of art. It was a true pleasure to play alongside him.

2. Performing for the 4th of July Celebration as a vocal soloist with the Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart.

3. Performing a concert this last April near my hometown on the Eastern Shore in Oxford. It was so great to see so many familiar faces; I had known many of them since I was little. It was a proud moment for me. I had an amazing time!

DCB: As I was completing the Q&A I was listening to your music on MySpace and was thinking about how much I enjoy Brazilian music. I think Portuguese is one of the most beautful languages when sung. The music from movies like "Black Orpheus" and "Donna Flora And Her Two Husbands" have great Brazilian soundtracks.

What attracted you to the styles of music you perform and what specifically to Bossa Nova and the music of Brazil?
SJ: I really fell in love with Brazilian music in grad school. I had some friends who listened to it a lot, and I grew to love its sound. And yes, Portuguese is a beautiful language.

Once I started singing more and playing the piano less, I wanted to experiment and try performing some Brazilian standards. I really enjoyed those pieces, and now some of them are permanently in my repertoire.

DCB: You are featured on The Young Brother's CD. You have your own songs on MySpace and your website. Do you have plans to release your own CD in the near future? If are planning on releasing a CD, when might we expect to to reach the stores or to be available online for purchase?
SJ: As for my CD, I'm aggressively trying to get a recording done. The songs on my pages are of studio work that I completed a couple of years ago. Now, I'd like to start from scratch and create something new. I have a producer who is helping me with all the details, and I'm really excited about the project. I hope to have it completed and available for sale in Spring of 2009. I'm asking folks to add their names to my e-mail list---when the CD is complete I'll send out a notice.