Appearing @ 55 Bar
Monday, September 26th
7:00-9:00 PM
55 Christopher Street, NYC
www.55bar.com
No cover charge, 2 drink minimum
Sari Kessler- vocals
Freddie Bryant- guitar
Sean Smith- bass
Alvester Garnett- drums
Nadje Noorhuis- trumpet & flugelhorn
“Simply beautiful…a vital new voice.”
–Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes
“…a first-rate interpreter and dissector of songs.”
–Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
“…Enjoyably far-reaching in her choice of material...Kessler is an expressive, charming vocalist who does take her share of chances."
-Alex Henderson, New York City Jazz Record
With her debut album Do Right released in 2016, Sari Kessler is fast becoming a singular force in jazz, praised by critics for her recorded material and live performances alike. All About Jazz proclaimed her “a first-rate interpreter, (able) to tap into the marrow of a lyric and bring its essence to the foreground.” JazzTimes named her a “vital new voice,” stating, “Kessler maintains a welcome less-is-more approach that emphasizes the purity of her tone, with its enticing hint of duskiness, and the immaculate quality of her phrasing.”
To say that Sari Kessler has traveled a long way in her shoes is more than a metaphor. The New York-based jazz singer, songwriter, and arranger is also an avid runner, and it was only after finishing her first half-marathon that she knew anything was possible. Trading in her hard earned career as a clinical psychologist to be a full-time musician, Kessler has pursued jazz singing with like-minded persistence, achieving a deeply personal and soulful sound.
A compelling storyteller and tasteful improviser, Sari exudes warmth and a joyful spirit both on and off the stage. She says, “I know my stories and I know myself. Being an effective jazz singer means finding myself in the lyric and investing each word with meaning.” Looking at a list of Kessler’s influences—including Carmen McRae, Nina Simone, and Ray Charles—highlights a tradition of great storytellers, each of whom carved an unbeaten path across the landscape of the Great American Songbook. While Sari’s background in pop and soul gave her the foundation to use her voice as an expressive tool, it was Grammy-nominated singer and educator Kate McGarry who helped her investigate rhythmic and harmonic aspects of the jazz tradition in service of telling the story.
Kessler has shared the stage with the legendary talents of Houston Person, Gene Bertoncini, and Phoebe Snow. She has also recorded or performed with eminent jazzmen Howard Alden, Tootie Heath, Harvie S, John di Martino, and Freddie Bryant, among others. Kessler has appeared in the San Francisco Bay Area and at leading Manhattan venues such as Jazz at Kitano, Minton’s Playhouse, 55 Bar, and Somethin’ Jazz Club. In the Hamptons, she’s been featured at Shelter Island Jazzfest, LI Winterfest, and The Art of Song Parlor Jazz Concert Series. Sari’s wide-ranging resume also includes studio work, providing lead and background vocals for Miramax, public radio, and other corporate marketing ventures.
All of these experiences have nourished her appropriately titled debut, Do Right, an album that celebrates Kessler’s contemporary spirit while acknowledging the greats who inspire her. Preview tracks can be heard on the Music Page of her website.