Recently named by Jazz UK Magazine's Brian Blain as the Best Live Vocal Jazz Gig in the last 15 years, singer Sarah Moule has established a rapidly growing reputation as one of Britain's most exciting jazz vocal talents. Her new one-woman show 'FEMMES FATALES - Songs for the Fallen, Wild & Wicked' has received standing ovations and been described as 'compelling', 'empowering' and 'highly original' and when performing her PORTRAIT OF PEGGY LEE, Bob Sinfield of Jazzfm Radio says that ‘something of the spirit of Peggy Lee seems to come over her. It’s slightly spooky...but in a very good way’.
Sarah’s latest CD, 'A Lazy Kind Of Love' (Red Ram Records RAM001), marks a new direction in her choice of material, including songs from unusual sources such as Julie Burchill, Clive James/Pete Atkin and Madonna's brother-in-law, composer and producer, Joe Henry, as well as continuing her ongoing musical relationship with legendary American Beat lyricist Fran Landesman and British composer and pianist Simon Wallace. Spotlighting Sarah's interpretations it complements them with exceptional playing from her regular trio, Simon Wallace, Mark Hodgson and Paul Robinson, and guests Alec Dankworth, Mike Outram, Alan Barnes, Paul Clarvis and Pete Atkin.
Her previous recordings include two releases for Linn Records. Her highly acclaimed debut CD 'It's A Nice Thought' (AKD192, 2002) is a collection of new songs by Fran Landesman and Simon Wallace, whom The Observer dubbed "one of the finest songwriting partnerships". Full of literate, often witty songs that lend themselves perfectly to Sarah's emotionally direct vocal style.
She followed this
in 2004 with 'Something's Gotta Give' (AKD239, 2004), which married further new material by Landesman/Wallace with classic songs by one of the greatest of the American Songbook lyricists, Johnny Mercer. As always Sarah is surrounded by some of the best British jazz musicians, including Jim Mullen, Pete Wareham, Matt & Steve Fishwick and Steve Waterman.
Born into a large family on the south coast of England, after university Sarah soon traded the refined atmosphere of Bloomsbury publishers Jonathan Cape for extensive travels in steamy, tropical locations. On returning to London in the early 1990s she met jazz singers Ian Shaw and Claire Martin who introduced her to pianist and composer Simon Wallace, also recently returned to London after several years writing for the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and touring with the equally steamy Lindsay Kemp Company.
"As soon as Simon played me the songs he'd been writing with Fran Landesman I knew I wanted to sing them” says Sarah. “They resonated with me, musically and lyrically - great tunes and lyrics that seemed to be about how we live today and the emotional highs and lows we all have to deal with. I immediately started singing them on the gigs I was doing in Soho and haven't stopped yet".
Around this time Sarah began to explore the music of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington along with the late-night lifestyle of the London jazz musician while continuing her vocal studies with ex-English National Opera soloist Kenneth Woollam. She soon established a solid reputation for herself on the London jazz scene singing regularly at the 606 Club, The Vortex, Pizza Express Jazz Club, The Pizza On The Park and guesting at Ronnie Scott's Club. She has performed with many stalwarts of British jazz including Ian Shaw, Claire Martin, Iain Ballamy, Tim Whitehead, Tim Garland, and Steve Waterman to name a few. She toured the Mediterranean with Ronnie Scott’s pianist John Critchinson in 'A Tribute To Ronnie Scott', performing opposite the legendary bebop duo Jackie & Roy. She was also featured vocalist with the John Wilson Orchestra throughout the 1990s, performing extensively with them including a concert for Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal College Of Music and recording their eponymous debut cd, 'This Is The John Wilson Orchestra'.
In 2005 Sarah made her broadcasting debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra for BBC Radio 2's 'Friday Night Is Music Night', performing orchestral arrangements of songs from 'Something's Gotta Give'. Her television credits include The Paul O'Grady Show, Lenny Henry in Pieces and The Ben Elton Show. She has also been featured vocalist with bandleader John C. Williams' Rockin' In Rhythm septet, specialising in the songs of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and performed with them at St David's Hall, Cardiff in 2002 for the Welsh Proms. That year she and the group also premiered a suite of newly commissioned pieces by John Mayer, Barbara Thompson, Nikki Iles, Simon Wallace and Dick Walters at Leasowes Bank Arts Festival in Shropshire.
In 2009 she devised and performed a show with singer/songwriter and Clive James’s musical collaborator Pete Atkin, 'BRIGHT LIGHTS TONIGHT', which premiered at the Dulwich Festival. That same year she premiered the show 'A PORTRAIT OF PEGGY LEE’ for the London Jazz Festival. In 2010 Sarah made her Southbank Centre debut as a featured artist, in A NIGHT OUT WITH FRAN LANDESMAN, together with actors Imelda Staunton and Phil Daniels and jazz musician Bob Dorough, singers Ian Shaw and Gwyneth Herbert, composer Simon Wallace and Fran Landesman herself. The show was reprised with Gwyneth Herbert, Ian Shaw and NIcki Leighton Thomas for the Art Of Song Festival in 2011. In September 2011 Sarah made her Ronnie Scott's Club debut as a featured artist with LADIES SING THE BLUES and premiered her FEMMES FATALES show at The Pheasantry in King's Road. She is currently working on her fourth cd which will be released in 2012.
Sarah's latest CD is "A Lazy Kind Of Love" (Red Ram Records RAM001) |
 |
