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Cynthia Sayer – banjo, vocals, arrangements
Charlie Giordano – accordion Mauro Battisti – string bass Larry Eagle – percussion Sara Caswell – violin Adrian Cunningham – clarinet Jon Herington – electric guitar Randy Sandke – trumpet Scott Robinson – tenor sax & tarogato, Marcus Rojas – tuba Mike Weatherly – string bass & backup vocals  |
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Cynthia Sayer, the internationally celebrated banjo player and vocalist praised for her "drive and virtuosity" by the New York Times and 10+ years performing in Woody Allen's New Orleans jazz band, has confirmed the release of JOYRIDE, her first album in five years. Fretboard Journal describes the album as “pushing the four-string banjo into new, uncharted territory.” Downbeat Magazine says “Sayer’s singing is as nuanced as her banjo playing, [which] makes Joyride sparkle with energy.”
Inspiration for the groundbreaking project came from Sayer's unlikely 2011 introduction to featured accordionist Charlie Giordano, a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. "When I met Charlie,” Sayer recalls, “our styles struck me as a perfect fit. The banjo-accordion sound is incredibly cool.” Sayer’s singular & striking arrangements show off the rest of her top-tier personnel. Tracks include two originals, jazz standards, tango, blues, roots, and favorites from the Great American Songbook. The album opener, Sayer's "Banjo Blues," is a cheeky rebuke to banjo stereotypes and sets the tone for the album. Song selections cover a wide range of jazz styles and musical eras, all delivered with an unmistakably current sensibility. Cynthia single-handedly connects us to the unexpected versatility and power of the 4-string banjo.  SPECIAL RESERVICE: May 7, 2013 Artist: CYNTHIA SAYER Title: JOYRIDE Label: Plunk Records UPC Code: 884501795333 Release Date: Jan 22, 2013 Track listing, track times and composer: 1. Banjo Blues 3:13 (Cynthia Sayer) 2. Move It On Over 3:24 (Hank Williams) 3. I Get Ideas (Adios Muchachos) 4:44 (Sanders & Cochran) 4. Ella Miriam’s Blues 3:45 (Andy Statman) 5. You Talk Too Much 3:05 (Cynthia Sayer) 6. The Man On The Flying Trapeze 5:06 (Leybourne & Lyle, alt. lyrics by Cynthia Sayer) 7. I Love Paris 4:11 (Cole Porter) 8. Getting To Know You 4:00 (Rodgers & Hammerstein II) 9. El Irresistible 3:30 (L.Logatti) 10. Goody Goody 3:44 (Malneck & Mercer) 11. Honey 3:25 (Simons, Gillespie, & Whiting) 12. Under The Bamboo Tree 3:05 (Cole & Johnson) 13. When You Wish Upon A Star 4:23 (Harline & Washington) Artist’s Home Market: USA |
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About Cynthia Sayer
Cynthia Sayer is regarded as one of the top 4-string banjoists in the world today. A member of Woody Allen's jazz band for over 10 years, Cynthia's solo career has taken her well beyond these New Orleans roots to become an internationally acclaimed bandleader and guest artist. She has a unique and expansive approach to the instrument which is all her own, and she is also a dynamic vocalist and engaging performer. Her eclectic repertoire ranges from swing and hot jazz to tango, western, classical, and more.
Sayer has worked with a variety of leading
jazz and popular artists such as Bucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Wynton
Marsalis, Marian McPartland, Bill Cosby, Les Paul, Warren Vaché,
Wycliffe Gordon, Milt Hinton, Marvin Hamlisch, John McEuen (Nitty Gritty
Dirt Band), and many others. She has also played with top
bluegrass/roots/country artists, including Andy Statman, Tony Trischka,
Eric Weissberg, Mike Marshall, Odetta, and John McEuen (Nitty Gritty
Dirt Band).
Cynthia began playing the banjo at age 13,
when, after begging her parents for a drum set, she one day discovered a
banjo on her bed, clearly intended as a more peaceful substitute. Years
later, after Cynthia chose the banjo over law school, her banjo
teacher, Patty Fischer, would apologize to Cynthia's mother whenever
they crossed paths at the local grocery store. Her mother always kindly
reassured the woman that it wasn't her fault: Cynthia was bound to find
her way into music one way or the other.
Cynthia's extensive career includes
performances in New York City's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center,
playing for two U.S. Presidents (once at the White House), appearing
with The New York Philharmonic, feature film and TV soundtracks, TV
commercials, radio jingles, and numerous national TV and radio show
appearances in the USA and abroad. She was filmed for the 2011 PBS TV
documentary “Give Me The Banjo.” On the lighter side, she is the
subject of a Trivial Pursuit game question and was the official banjoist
for the New York Yankees. Sayer appears at music festivals in North
America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Cynthia’s performances and recordings have
accumulated numerous awards and honors, including induction into the
National Banjo Hall of Fame. Upcoming national broadcasts include NPR’s
“Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz,” airing next month, and “Woodsongs
Old-Time Radio Hour.”
Cynthia graduated Magna Cum Laude from
Ithaca College. She endorses Ome Banjos, GHS Strings, Blue Chip Picks,
and The Realist Banjo Pickups by David Gage.
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Upcoming Live Appearances
Fri & Sat, May 10 & 11: NYC Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Place, NYC. (212)228-8490. Music starts at 9:45 PM. With: Jon Weber (piano). Sat, May 18: NYC Taste Of Tribeca, Noon - 3:PM, FREE! Outdoor fair, stage location & further info TBA. Fundraiser for Tribeca public schools, music sponsored by City Winery. With Cynthia Sayer’s Sparks Fly Quartet: Adrian Cunningham (clarinet/sax), Jim Whitney (string bass), Larry Eagle (drums). Sun, May 19: Madison, NJ Shanghai Jazz, 24 Main Street, Madison, NJ. "Jazz Social" Music + Q&A. 1:00 - 3:30 PM, $10. With: Conal Fowkes (piano). Sponsored by the Jersey Jazz Society. 973-822-2899. Fri, June 21: Brooklyn Barbes, with The Ghost Train Orchestra, 376 9th St., Brooklyn, NY. 10:00 PM. Thurs - Sat, Aug 1-3: Mansfield, MA Headliner for All Frets 2013 Convention. Holiday Inn Mansfield, MA. For more info: allfrets2013@hotmail.com Thurs - Sat, Aug 1-3: Mansfield, MA Jazz Banjo/Fretted Instrument Jazz Workshop, Noon – 2:PM, $50. Holiday Inn, Mansfield, MA. Email Cynthia for further info. Fri & Sat, Aug 9 & 10: NYC Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, 33 University Place, NYC. (212)228-8490. Music starts at 9:45. With: Conal Fowkes (piano). Tues, Aug 13: NYC City Winery's "First Annual Picking & Strumming Fest" behind City Winery at 155 Varick Street btw Vandam and Spring Street. FREE! 5:30 - 7:15 PM. Headliners: Cynthia Sayer, Michael Daves, Tony Trischka, & Andy Statman. Part of the Annual Hudson Square Music and Wine Festival. |
For Interviews and Promos Contact:
Jim Eigo
Jazz Promo Services
T: 845-986-1677
E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.
