Sara Gazarek - Vanity (Amber Navran Remixes) '2022

Tracks list

       “With the release of ‘Vanity’, Gazarek has once again
demonstrated the she is without doubt one of the most creative vocalists
currently on the scene.” – JazzinEurope

With the announcement of her highly-anticipated collection of new songs, 3x
GRAMMY® nominated vocalist Sara Gazarek also sends a sort of postcard from
the journey she has traveled over the past few years. On her new EP, Vanity, we
witness a rebirth and a revelation since the release of her previously
critically-acclaimed and widely celebrated Thirsty Ghost; a journey of growth,
exploration and lessons. Vanity gives us a Sara Gazarek with fear taken off the
table; replaced by truth, compassion, and an acknowledgement of the artist she
has become over the last three years. An artist that values expression over
beauty, communication and freedom over safety and consistency. “Through
the pandemic, I pushed myself to explore deeper parts of myself, a deeper
relationship with my instrument (through rigorous weekly voice lessons),
fundamentally and forever changing my perspective and approach as a jazz
musician and vocalist,” said Gazarek.

On Vanity, we hear Gazarek exploring more depth of sound in not only her
instrument, but in the repertoire she continues to traverse. Sara’s first
original composition, “We Have Not Long To Love” (words by Tennessee
Williams) “is meant to amplify the importance of taking every moment for
the miracle that is,” said Gazarek. “I pushed myself to compose,
thinking about colors and shapes, emotional textures and storytelling, much in
the way that I do when I write a lyric. I wanted to capture the yin and yang of
every day love and life, and the movement, modulations, and meditative
repetition that can become more of an undercurrent than a miracle if we let it.
And, while what resulted is by no means perfect, it is the truth – for
me.” The fairly obscure title track, “Vanity” (arranged by
Alan Ferber, and originally covered by the great Sarah Vaughan), is a statement
of what people likely view Gazarek’s persona to be, based on her past, vs
the person and artist she has now become. Gazarek explains, “I’ve
wanted to put a song to the shift that I’ve experienced over the last ten
years, the space I’ve finally stepped into, and the need to document that
in a way that showcases the unexpected and the unconventional.” Fiona
Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine” arranged by Geoff Keezer,
with horn orchestrations by Alan Ferber, is utilized by Gazarek as a statement
on women’s rights and how, “in the jazz community, fighting for
equality has been an important journey for me and for my students,” states
Gazarek. “Something Good” (from The Sound of Music), arranged by Stu
Mindeman, is a deeply personal love letter to Gazarek’s mother. The
artist explains, “I’ve wanted to sing a love song to my mother
since her almost catastrophic car accident a few years ago (and I penned an
extra verse just for her).” We also hear Gazarek surrounded by a wider
spectrum of instrumentation in the music of Thirsty Ghost. With horns arranged
by master composer Alan Ferber, Gazarek is joined by 5 horns and expanded rhythm
section — with pianist Miro Sprague, bassist Alex Boneham, drummer
Christian Euman, guitarist Brad Alen Williams, trumpeter Michael Stever, the
aforementioned trombonist/arranger/orchestrator Alan Ferber, alto saxophonist
Lenard Simpson, tenor saxophonist Daniel Rotem, and baritone saxophonist Adam
Schroeder. “They all have such command over their craft, and having Alan
orchestrate for a larger ensemble brought things to another level. The
experiences I wanted to capture are on a wider spectrum than Thirsty Ghost, so
it only made sense to encapsulate that with a broader instrumentation. The band
is comprised of deeply beloved, long-time friends and master musicians; but at
the end of the day, I am grateful to have had their contributions in movement
and air, and gifting me the space and opportunity to fly free, in return,”
said Gazarek.

The vinyl only printed version of the highly acclaimed Vanity EP will be
released in the Summer of 2023 (and digitally on December 2, 2022), and will
feature two contrasting sides. Side A is set to include the acoustic 4-song EP
recorded by Gazarek, her star rhythm section, and 5 part horn section; Side B is
set to include remixes for each song, crafted by neo-soul creative
tour-de-force, Amber Navran, of the 2023 GRAMMY® Nominated band, Moonchild.
This special collection will only be available digitally, and in limited edition
and small batch vinyl pressings. Navran said of collaborating with Sara Gazarek
on this project, “I LOVE doing remixes. It’s so fun to reimagine
what someone else has created. There’s so much beauty and inspiration in
a finished song, so to get the opportunity to play around in that space is
always a treat. I was obsessed with the horn parts on these songs, they played a
major role in the remixes. As a horn player, I’ve always loved beats that
sample horn lines. Having such beautiful lines to work with made it so much fun!
I feel so lucky to have found such a supportive and loving community of badass
women!”

Tracklist:
1 01. Sara Gazarek - Vanity (Amber Navran Remix) (03:48)
1 02. Sara Gazarek - We Have Not Long to Love (Amber Navran Remix) (03:09)
1 03. Sara Gazarek - Something Good (Amber Navran Remix) (02:20)
1 04. Sara Gazarek - Extraordinary Machine (Amber Navran Remix) (02:00) 

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