"Sara Michaels is both singer and storyteller, delivering music with her beautiful vocals 
while telling the stories and history of the songs. She leaves her listeners with an 
experience that is both music to their ears and healing to their hearts."

~ E. Shawn Qaissaunee

Chapter 1: full circle NOW AVAILABLE!

CHAPTER 1: Full Circle

Sara Michaels

Sounds like Liz Wright, Diana Kroll, Sara Vaughan

The nine original songs on Chapter 1: Full Circle represent two sides of Sara’s music – Jazz/Blues and Spiritual/Faith. They come together, as the title implies, in one “Full Circle”, expressing hope, healing, and joy. Sara weaves storytelling into her music, taking listeners on a “joy journey”

Sounds like Liz Wright, Diana Kroll, Sara Vaughan

The nine original songs on Chapter 1: Full Circle represent two sides of Sara’s music – Jazz/Blues and Spiritual/Faith. They come together, as the title implies, in one “Full Circle”, expressing hope, healing, and joy. Sara weaves storytelling into her music, taking listeners on a “joy journey” through the genre of jazz.

The first half of the songs on the album cover topics about personal relationships. The second half are reflections of the pandemic demonstrating the emotional roller coaster of those years, leaving the listener with a sense of hope. The titles of the songs are: The Girl in the Front, Positively Lovely, What a Day if I Spend it with You, You’ll be Fine, Lipstick Blues, Hard Winter, Not Alone, Pandemic Haze, and When the World Gets Better.

The album was produced by E. Shawn Qaissaunee who also performs on the recording as guitarist. The other musicians are: Aaron Graves – piano, organ; Zach Brock - violin; Diane Monroe - violin, Matt Parish - upright bass; Jason Fraticelli - upright bass; Matt Scarano - drums; Harry “Butch” Reed - drums; Adam Shumski – drums; John Swana - trumpet; Victor North - tenor saxophone; Greg Riley - clarinet, tenor saxophone; Jarred Antonacci – trombone; John Swana – trumpet; Nick Lombardelli – trombone; Barbara Jaffee - violin; Nina Wilkerson – viola; Talia Schiff - cello. The majority of the nine songs were arranged by E. Shawn Qaissaunee and the album was recorded at Morningstar Studios under two-time Grammy award winning engineer Glenn Barratt. Photography by Spencer Ostrander. Album design by Bonnie Briant.

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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 One: 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

 

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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

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