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Sarah
Elizabeth Charles is a vocalist and composer
currently living in New York City and working to achieve her
Bachelors in Jazz Performance/Social Inquiry at
The New School University.
The vocal stylings of Ms. Charles are smooth and
unique. Ranging from Jazz, Blues and R&B to Neo-Soul and
Originals, this vocalist and composer has been acquiring a
respected following in both the New England and New York
City areas. Modernizing classics and composing distinctive
originals are among the many intricacies to her art.
Currently, Ms. Charles performs every Wednesday and
Friday in New York City at Destino (891 1st Ave) and Dervish
(146 West 47th Street). In addition to her weekly
performances, she has performed at many other events
throughout the city including New York Couture Fashion
Week in both September 2009 and February 2010 where she
composed an original piece for Andres Aquino’s runway
show. In the coming months, Ms. Charles will be performing
at Blue Note New York City with Jesse Elder (April 16th) and
the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Getting her start in Massachusetts, Ms. Charles
became recognizable as the regular National Anthem singer
for the New England Patriots and the Boston Celtics. She has
studied
and grown as a musician first through the Community Music
School of
Springfield, MA and now at The New School For Jazz and
Contemporary Music
in New York City under the direction of an unlimited amount
of
renowned faculty. Performance opportunities have followed
Ms. Charles up
and down the East coast, including Philadelphia, Vermont,
Boston,
Virginia, Washington D.C., and New York City. Ms. Charles
has also earned numerous honors including an Outstanding
Musicianship Award from
the International Association of Jazz Educators, a Judges
Choice Award
at the Berklee Jazz Festival, and scholarships to
prestigious jazz
programs including Jazz in July at UMass-Amherst in MA, the
Vermont
Jazz Center’s Summer Workshop, resulting in numerous
performances
with the Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, and most recently,
the selective
2009 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency for Jazz Composers in
Washington DC. In addition to recognitions and residency
opportunities,
Ms. Charles has released 2 CD’s. Her first, entitled “Angel Eyes” was
completed in early 2004. Her second CD “Sarah Elizabeth
Charles Live at
the Majestic Theater” was released subsequent to a
self-produced,
concert in September 2005.
Since having moved to New York City in 2007, Ms. Charles has
had
the opportunity to sit in with various well respected
artists at
venues such as The Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway. During the
summers
of 2008 and 2009, she performed at City Stage as the opening
act for
saxophonist Kim Waters, “The Mick” lounge and Stanley Park
for their
annual “And All That Jazz” celebration. During 2008 and 2009 her
venues have included PIANOS in New York City, The
Northampton Center
for the Arts in Massachusetts, The Kennedy Center in Washing DC,
Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, and many more.
The opportunities that have posed themselves to Ms. Charles
thus far
have been broad and rewarding. One can only look forward to
the future. |