The Sarah Mac Band officially formed in 2005 as a trio, when friends who already met regularly to jam were offered a paying job at a local coffee house in Tallahassee, Florida. The response to their original blends of blues, jazz and acoustic rock was so overwhelming that Claire, Charlie and Sarah decided to formalize their partnership and intentionally pursue music together.
While playing in support of their 2006 debut, Countdown to Silence, the band shared a bill with another Tallahassee band, the a_Udience and were introduced to drummer, Keli. Upon the dissolution of the a_Udience in 2007, Keli joined the Sarah Mac Band and began touring and recording for their upcoming April 2008 release, Awakening. The band continues to tour the Southeast, partnering well with a wide variety of acts ranging from Amy Steinberg to Robert Randolph and Marc Roberge of O.A.R. in an online concert for NBC.
Sarah Mac:
Sarah adds vocals to the band, as well as playing the guitar and piano. It was widely thought that she was an intuitive, natural musician until her recent acquisition of an accordian, which she has been unable to learn how to play so far (much to the relief of her band members). She has formal training in the mental health field and is the team leader in the quest for healthy band member relationships and emotional wholeness.
Charlie:
Charlie, the oldest member of the Sarah Mac Band, lost his passport, which prevented the Sarah Mac Band from coheadlining U2's last world tour. He complains that his life is ruled by women-- Sarah, Keli and Claire in the context of the band, and his amazing wife Jaye, otherwise. He finds solace in practicing the guitar, which he has only been playing now for two weeks, and still finds the strength to ever remain "your hero and mine."
Claire:
Claire is the business and the brains behind the Sarah Mac Band franchise, sending out detailed weekly schedules to everyone first thing on Monday mornings to keep them all on track. She suffers from insomnia, which makes her the official driver for travel after late night gigs. She has years of formal training in piano and guitar, and then dabbled in hand percussion before deciding to learn to play the bass to fill out the SMB rhythm section.
Keli:
In Keli's free time she writes a dissertation from the comfort of her living room futon, greatly assisted by the fact that she figured out how to display her laptop on a ginormous television named Jimmy. Her claim to fame is that she is a touring, rock and rolling, kung-fu fighting, Pearl sponsored girl drummer, which only enhances the fact that she spent five adolescent summers as a carnie at the now defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park in PCB, FL.
What people are saying about the Sarah Mac Band....
"Eclectic and ultra-catchy" - Chris Dahlen, Paste Magazine
"A true Florida treasure..."- Tampa News Weekly
"Mirroring the vocal harmonies is the play between the guitar and bass, which sounds like a choreographed duel for the ears. The lyrics are written from the depths - where honesty resides." -Garret Bakalava, SLNN.com
"Tight arrangements + fun interaction amongst the band members + Sarah's sultry vocals= a memorable and enjoyable musical journey." - Nathan, WJZT FM Smooth Jazz
"This trio serves up an impossible to categorize, but easy to listen blend of styles that is refreshing and honest. The combination of exceptional vocal lines, intricate guitar work and funk-influenced bass lines converge into music that has to be heard to be believed."
-Mike McHargue, President, Pixel Records
