Sara Caswell, Jazz Violinist, on February 11 with Special Guest, Poet Bill Zavatsky

Sara Caswell is fast becoming one of today’s foremost jazz violinists through her technical facility and gift for lyricism. Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, and now living in New York City, she began playing violin at age 5, made her orchestral debut at 15, earned degrees from Indiana University and Manhattan School of Music, and amassed over 100 awards in the jazz and classical competition worlds. Currently she gives concerts nationwide with her two groups, the Sara Caswell Quartet and the Caswell Sisters Quintet, and has soloed numerous times in Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops Orchestra. Sara has released two highly-acclaimed CDs ~ First Song and But Beautiful ~ and is working on a new CD project with her sister, jazz vocalist Rachel Caswell, and jazz pianist Fred Hersch.

Currently, Sara tours with vocalist Roseanna Vitro as part of Vitro’s 2012 Grammy- nominated album The Music of Randy Newman. During 2010-11, she toured internationally with bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding (2011 Grammy winner for “Best New Artist”) in support of Spalding’s CD Chamber Music Society. Sara has also toured with violinist Mark O’Connor‘s American String Celebration and violinist Darol Anger’s Four Generations of Jazz Violin, and performed and/or recorded with such artists as Gene Bertoncini, Charlie Byrd, Skitch Henderson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Lynne Arriale, and John Clayton, as well as Jon Gordon, Ike Sturm, and the Alan Ferber Nonet and Strings.

Sara’s formidable teaching experience includes the Mark O’Connor String Camps, the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, the Indiana University String Academy, the Manhattan School of Music College and Precollege Divisions, and a private studio. In addition, she has given numerous jazz string improvisation workshops and masterclasses and is involved with MENC (National Association of Music Education), JEN (Jazz Education Network), and ASTA (American String Teachers Association).

The Sara will perform at the Jenkins House Concert Series on February 11 Her quartet consists of Sara:violin, Ike Sturm:bass, Jesse Lewis:guitar and Ziv Ravitz:percussion.

Poet Bill Zavatsky, will be reading poems from his collection, "X Marks the Spot" preceding each musical set.

For reserved seats and information please contact Sandy at; Sandilion49@gmail.com. If this is your first visit to our blog, the concert location is in Manhattan.

This concert is sold out as of 2/6/12. See you next time