"A heartfelt letter to the world at large at a time of great suffering and offers, in Sara's own words, "...hope to a better new year..." - E.Shawn Qaissaunee
Chapter 1: full circle NOW AVAILABLE!
About
About Sara Michaels
For Sara Michaels, an accomplished jazz vocalist, singing is soulful, and her heartbeat resonates
with her audience. Bringing a background in spiritual music, classic blues, and musical theater,
she weaves storytelling into her live performances, taking listeners on a “joy journey” through
her beloved musical genre - jazz. Raised in Philadelphia, Reading, and Atlanta, Sara received a
BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She first began singing in the church, but
quickly found her calling in jazz, as a performer and a producer.
2023 marks the debut of Sara’s album of nine original songs entitled “Chapter 1: Full Circle”,
joined by premier jazz artists E. Shawn Qaissaunee (guitarist, producer, arranger), violinists Zach
Brock (Snarky Puppy) and Diane Monroe, horn players John Swana, Victor North, and Greg
Riley, bassists Matthew Parish and Jason Fraticelli, and drummers Matt Scarano, Harry “Butch”
Reed, and Adam Shumski.
Sara’s involvement with jazz goes beyond the stage and the recording studio. Since 2013, she
has produced the Jazz Cocktail Hour at the Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center in West
Chester, PA, and the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences during the summer
season. Sara also produced “Bill Withers: Reimagined”, a show featuring Philadelphia jazz artist
V. Shayne Frederick and Lynn Riley and the World Mix. In addition, Sara is embarking on
collaborations with dancers and other creatives and art forms in
concert settings, videos, and film.
Much of what drives Sara are causes close to her heart: keeping jazz alive, helping jazz and blues
artists in crisis, supporting musicians who mentor and teach children, mental health and wellness,
and finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which runs in her family. Part of her life’s work is to
spread awareness of “music as medicine” and the power of music therapy in hospitals, schools,
and workplaces. Beyond jazz, Sara enjoys time in nature – gardening, walking, and swimming
and spending time with family, friends, and fellow musicians. She is married to an entrepreneur
in the IT world and together they have three children and three grandchildren.
“I put a lot of thought into my setlists for each performance. My mind is always a
rolling film of imagery and words. I am a storyteller first.” ~ Sara Michaels
Events
Vocalist
Composer
Performer
Hosted by Sara
Produced by Sara, The Jazz Cocktail Hour features some of the Greater Philadelphia Area's top Jazz & Blues artists and musicians at The Uptown Knauer Performing Arts Center in West Chester, PA. (See events for upcoming shows.)
For those interested in performing please contact Sara by email: Phelan.Sara@gmail.com