Vocalist-composer-bandleader Sara Serpa is “the magical voice” according to pianist Ran Blake, who knows a thing or two about singers. Her natural, unadorned vibratoless delivery is described as “smooth like glass”, and her ability to sing complex vocalese lines while being on equal footing with instrumentalists makes her one of the most innovative singers in recent years. All About Jazz has called Serpa “the most exciting vocalist currently on the scene,” and she rose quickly from her native Lisbon’s Hot Clube Jazz to New York City’s Village Vanguard in a surprisingly short time. Serpa began classical singing lessons and piano lessons at the Conservatory of Music, Lisbon in her teens. She says that it helped to expand my musical vocabulary as well as my outlook on life. “I had to be disciplined and focused.” She says that her only choice to continue studying classical music in Portugal was to do so in college. “But at some point, I felt like I wasn’t a part of that world.” She earned a degree as a social worker in college. However, her passion for music was still strong. The vibrant jazz scene at Lisbon’s Hot Clube Jazz and its associated school attracted her most. She says that she was feeling discouraged about her musical experiences when she went there. “I didn’t know what my role was in music,” she said. “I began going to the club’s sessions every week. It changed my life. I found a new way of approaching music. Danilo Perez and Ran, pianists, as well as vocalists Dominique Eade, Theo Bleckmann and trombonist Hal Crook were among her Boston teachers. Serpa graduated from NEC and moved to New York City where her unique style attracted the attention of many of New York’s top musicians. Greg Osby, a saxophonist, was one of the first to hear her through streaming audio after a chance encounter on her MySpace page. He invited her to his band based on what he had heard. Serpa states that Greg supported my vision, and working with him provided so many opportunities and amazing musical experiences. “It was an amazing experience to sing at Village Vanguard my first year in New York. I will never forget it.” Serpa’s contributions to Osby’s 2008 album 9 Levels (Inner Circle Music), were highly praised. “Serpa’s vocals are especially impressive,” noted Peter Margasak of the Chicago Reader. “Her wordless vocals were perfectly tuned to Osby sax lines.” Replica Rolex Omega replica 2008 saw the release her first American album, Praia (Inner Circle Music). It features compositions that she wrote while living in Boston with her Boston band, Vardan Ovsepian and guitarist Andre Matos. John Lockwood and Nick Falk also feature. Critics praised her innovative approach in jazz singing once again. Philip DiPietro, All About Jazz said that Serpa sings “as an instrumentalist” and “as a part of an ensemble with bold conceptions, moving seamlessly as a saxophonist (from melodists to soloists or from a front-line horn to an ensemble vocal–not as the star of any show). In 2010, Serpa once again drew on her Boston experiences to create Camera Obscura, a duet record with Ran Blake, who was her former NEC teacher. Alan Young, who wrote the album’s introduction in Lucid Culture, said that Serpa approaches the songs with “deadly clarity and vulnerability.” They have both raised the standard for jazz singing and accompanying to an absurdly high degree. Serpa says that Blake’s standards taught her that it was all about the melody. “I must know the melody very well and be strong when singing it.” Serpa’s swift rise to the top of jazz singers includes a appearance on Danilo Perez, her NEC professor’s 2010 Grammy-nominated Providencia (Mack Avenue Records). Blake says Perez and Blake “have really shaped me as a musician” and are a constant source for inspiration and friendship. Now, she is also a member of her own New York quintet, which includes guitarist Matos and pianist Kris Davis, as well as drummer Ted Poor. Their debut album is expected to be released in 2011. Their debut album is due out in 2011. In Point of Departure, Bill Shoemaker says that Serpa could soon be a top-tier singer. She seems on track to fulfill that prediction, with so many achievements in such a short period. from http://www.saraserpa.com
