On Monday, September 25th, Yoshi's at Jack London Square in Oakland will play host to a very special engagement as alto saxophonist Sarah Manning takes the stage with her quartet. This one-night only performance will be celebrating the release of her second full-length album, which was recorded on the very stage she is set to return to. The album, Live at Yoshi's: Two Rooms, Same Door (ArtistShare 2006), was recorded in late November of last year before a live audience and features seven original cuts. Since then, Sarah Manning has been the talk of the Bay Area jazz scene with features in Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, and the San Jose Mercury News. Backing up Manning will be the very same rhythm section featured on the album: Randy Porter on piano, John Wiiltala on bass, and Bay Area jazz veteran Akira Tana on drums. This album is a follow up to her critically acclaimed debut, House on Eddy Street (Elflion 2004).
The album can only be obtained through ArtistShare, an innovative new service for musicians to sell their work exclusively over the internet without any assistance from the mainstream recording industry. This allows the artist to retain full ownership of their music and keep 85% of the sales, making her a truly independent artist. Not only do fans get to contribute to the artist directly, but ArtistShare allows them to take a unique look into the creative process by accessing exclusive interviews, essays, sheet music, photo galleries, and other bonus material. Sarah has also launched a grassroots campaign to promote her music through the direct help of her fans. Participants can get access to additional downloads and a chance to win special prizes.
Sarah Manning hails from New England and is a graduate of Smith College in Massachusetts. She has been taught by some of the best the jazz world has to offer, including Rufus Reid and Yusef Lateef. Throughout her education, she was taught the value of finding her own voice in both her playing and composing. Critics and fans alike have called her music deeply unique and original. In April 2005's Jazz Times, David Franklin said, “Sounding like no one but herself, she possesses a well-focused, slightly edgy tone that suits equally her firmly swinging, uptempo postbop excursions and her highly melodic slow-tempo explorations."
This month, Sarah Manning not only marks the biggest milestone of her career, but also her 30th birthday. Sarah has also just done something that every musician dreams of...she has quit her day job to devote herself to her music fulltime. September 25th will be a night of celebration and everyone is invited.--Andrew Posen
Tickets are $12 for the 8 PM show and just $6 for the 10 PM show. They can be purchased through Yoshi's website or by calling their box office at (510) 238-9200. To find out more about Sarah Manning, and to join her Grassroots Campaign, visit her website below.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
