I want to pay my respects here to some of the fantastic musicians who have joined me in bringing my songs to life over the years. I am currently performing with Makoto, Mitchell, and Chris Roy.
Guitar: Mitchell Robe, Rod Schaub, Brad Barr, Geoff Mullen, Jamie Kime, Takeshi Akimoto, Brian Cass
Bass: Chris Roy, Geoff Sink, Marc Friedman, Garrett Sayers, Jordan Scanella, Mike Weefer
Drums: Makoto Izumitani, Chris Mulligan, Bill Carbone, Andrew Barr, Brian Sayers, Venus Campos
Influences
every moment of every day- trees, rain, snow, summer relief, lake michigan, topanga fog, loving, longing, reaching, failing, dancing, feeling, smoke, dreams, facades, transformation, friends, lovers, home.
nina simone, the slip, joni mitchell, steely dan, stevie wonder, bob dylan, betty carter, bill frisell, aretha franklin, ricki lee jones, marching band, wilco, jeff buckley, rumi, osho, neil young, iron&wine, moldy peaches, feist, pink martini, the bluerags, leslie helpert, alice and john coltrane, bata music, nusrat fateh ali khan, tom waits, woven, whitney houston, chopin, holst, mozart, miriam makeba, the fringe, willie nelson, ray charles, edith piaf, the pixies, nathan moore, siouxsie sioux, peter gabriel, billie holiday, django reinhardt, hugh masakela, the staple singers, roots reggae, U2, art tatem, the grateful dead, all the many choirs, mom&dad and all of my beautiful and inspiring co-inhabitors
Sara Azriel is a vocalist, pianist, and songwriter of unprecedented emotional charge. Her voice carries an urgency and passion that speaks from several traditions of the instruments of voice-- from the universal language of torch and blues singers, of jazz and folk singers, and of songwriters throughout time. With a pop sensibility and a devotion to exploring musical forms and inventions, this music is luscious, dynamic, and inspiring. It does what all great music is meant to do: it touches the part of you that is intrinsically human.
Sara was born into a large family of musicians, raised on the pristine beaches of Muskegon, Michigan. Her father, Rodney Schaub, forged a musical path by playing guitar for the band that recorded the hit song "Happy Days". Appearing on American Bandstand and other popular shows, he also composed and performed avant-garde pieces at the New England Conservatory of Music and Boston's Symphony Hall.
Fresh out of high school, Sara accepted a scholarship from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where, in 2001, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Professional Music. During her tenure at Berklee, Sara performed at many well-known Boston-area venues under her own name and with Boston reggae-greats, The Joint Chiefs. Such venues included The House of Blues, The Middle East, The Lizard Lounge, and radio station WERS. Sara has also performed at the Muskegon Summer Celebration—a festival that has featured nationally known artists such as Aretha Franklin, Santana, Arturo Sandoval, and Ray Charles. In July 1998, Sara had the honor of opening for The Wallflowers.
Relocated to Los Angeles in 2003, Sara has performed at legendary venues such as the Knitting Factory, Hotel Cafe, and Ghengis Cohen. She completed a recording program at Musician's Institute and was awarded "Best Stylist". She also finds time to collaborate with her old Boston friends The Slip- an internationally acclaimed Rock trio.
Always writing and recording demos, Sara looks forward to signing with an established independent label and bringing her song to a city near you. "Music is what drives and moves me...there’s never been a choice for me. I’ve always known this is what I have to do." Sara Azriel
Please visit these friends online for some amazing music!
hey there girl. i was driving by the beach today listening to siouxsie and thought of you. how you doing? what's new in your life? things are good here. hope all is well. take care. love you.
Sawa! That is a FOXY picture of you!! I love that... Well - here's your friend Celestie's flyer for her record release party - it would mean a lot if you could come!
You were awesome in concert! Everyone was really impressed. I'm sure you've heard but if you haven't check out Jon Brion at the Largo sometime. You'll love it. Let me know when the next concert is! I'll bring more people with me.
thanks for comin last night!!! and thank you sooooo much for obliging me and singing and playing and filling me up with your delicious soulful songs!!! you are the best!!! love you mucho!!! xoxo ...and thank you for my beautiful leaf!!
Hey Sara, I hope you had a fantastic show on Friday. One of these days I'll have to come up to see ya play. You should come down here though sometime, I can put you in touch with the right people ;}
Hey, beauuuuutiful! Your music sounds magnificent... Your voice is like honey bringing sweetness to my soul... Ah, how I miss harmonizing! Wishing you all the best out west. xo
lady, you are so beautiful!!! i love you so much!!! your 'comment' came at such a perfect moment... thank you, angel! 'mediocrity is self inflicted, genius is self bestowed' - Walter Russell YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxo
