Sachal Vasandani

Last updated
Sachal Vasandani
Born1978
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Vocal jazz, pop
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, composer
Years active2000s–present
Labels Okeh, Mack Avenue
Website www.sachalsings.com

Sachal Vasandani, known professionally as Sachal, is an American jazz singer. Vasandani released Slow Motion Miracles on the Okeh label in 2015. He previously released three albums on Mack Avenue Records, Eyes Wide Open in 2007, We Move in 2009, and Hi-Fly in 2011. He is known for his unique interpretations of jazz standards and instrumental music, and is also a songwriter, composer and improvisor.

Contents

A native of Chicago, Vasandani attracted attention in 1999 when he was named Down Beat magazine's Collegiate Jazz Vocalist of the Year. He has worked with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. His debut album was Eyes Wide Open. He has performed consistently worldwide since his first release on Mack Avenue Records in 2007. His second album, We Move (2009), was a New York Times Critics' Pick. He has collaborated with many of the prominent jazz artists of his generation and those of earlier generations, including: Jon Hendricks, Wynton Marsalis, Bill Charlap, Bobby McFerrin, John Clayton, Stefon Harris, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, Gretchen Parlato, Becca Stevens, Camila Meza, and others.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he studied jazz and classical music.

Reception

2015's "Slow Motion Miracles" was described as "Profoundly beautiful.. wide-eyed wonder that subtly threads its sway through much of the album" in a 4-star review by Jazzwise magazine.

In 2010, Vasandani received the Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll for "Rising Star Jazz Vocalist"

In a September 20, 2009, review in The New York Times , Nate Chinen called Vasandani "a jazz singer with good ideas, including some about what a jazz singer can be." [1]

In a review of Eyes Wide Open, The Boston Globe suggested that Vasandani is "mature in sound and rich in texture but also possesses enough youthful angst in its lyrical themes to ward off the fogeyism that male vocalists so easily slip into before their time." [2]

In an NPR interview that aired in 2011, anchor Michele Norris said, "Every now and again you hear a special voice that makes you sit up and take notice. Sachal Vasandani has that voice".

Slow Motion Miracles (2015) features original compositions, incorporating "an almost undefinable fusion of the best of pop, electronic, and jazz." [3] The album was produced by Michael Leonhart.

Discography

Albums

TitlesYearLabel
Eyes Wide Open2007 Mack Avenue
We Move2009 Mack Avenue
Hi-Fly2011 Mack Avenue
Slow Motion Miracles2015 Okeh
Shadow train2018GSI
Midnight Shelter2021 Edition Records

Singles

Compilations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian McBride</span> American jazz bassist, composer, and arranger

Christian McBride is an American jazz bassist, composer and arranger. He has appeared on more than 300 recordings as a sideman, and is an eight-time Grammy Award winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Marsalis</span> American drummer

Jason Marsalis is an American jazz drummer, vibraphone player, composer, producer, band leader, and member of the Marsalis family of musicians. He is the youngest son of Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and the late Ellis Marsalis, Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael White (clarinetist)</span> American jazz clarinetist and educator

Michael White is a jazz clarinetist, bandleader, composer, jazz historian and musical educator. Jazz critic Scott Yanow said in a review that White "displays the feel and spirit of the best New Orleans clarinetists".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Gilmore</span> American jazz guitarist

David Gilmore is an American jazz guitarist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Temperley</span> Scottish jazz saxophonist

Joe Temperley was a Scottish jazz saxophonist. He performed with various instruments, but was most associated with the baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, and bass clarinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Whitaker</span> American jazz double bass player

Rodney Whitaker is an American jazz double bass player and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Goldberg</span> American jazz pianist

Aaron Goldberg, is an American jazz pianist. Described by The New York Times as a "post-bop pianist of exemplary taste and range," Goldberg has released five albums as a solo artist and has performed and collaborated with Joshua Redman, Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Guillermo Klein, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Malone</span> American jazz guitarist

Russell Malone is an American jazz guitarist. He began working with Jimmy Smith in 1988 and went on to work with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall throughout the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Jones (trumpeter)</span> American trumpeter and composer

Sean Jones is an American trumpeter and composer featured on the 2007 Grammy Award-winning album Turned to Blue by Nancy Wilson. As a bandleader, Jones has released seven albums under the Mack Avenue Records label. He performs with his own groups both nationally and internationally. Jones often plays at music venues and jazz festivals such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, Detroit International Jazz Festival, the Vail Jazz Festival and Montreal International Jazz Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Wamble</span> American songwriter

Doug Wamble is an American jazz guitarist and vocalist from Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Clayton</span> Jazz pianist and composer

Gerald William Clayton is a Dutch-born American jazz pianist and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmar Castañeda</span> Musical artist

Edmar Castañeda is a Colombian harpist. He performs his own compositions as well as tapping into native music of Colombia and Venezuela.

<i>Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles</i> 2011 live album by Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis

Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles is a live tribute album by country singer Willie Nelson and jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. It was recorded during concerts at the Rose Theater in New York City, on February 9 and 10, 2009. The album received mixed reviews, in which the instrumentation of Marsalis' orchestra was praised by the critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cécile McLorin Salvant</span> American jazz vocalist

Cécile McLorin Salvant is an American jazz vocalist. She was the winner of the first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2010, releasing her first album, Cécile, shortly thereafter. Her second album, WomanChild, was released in 2013 on Mack Avenue Records, receiving a 2014 Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Salvant won four categories in the 2014 DownBeat Critics Poll: Jazz Album of the Year, Female Vocalist, Rising Star–Jazz Artist, and Rising Star–Female Vocalist. Her third album, For One to Love, was released on September 5, 2015, to critical acclaim from The New York Times, The Guardian, and Los Angeles Times. It won her the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2016.

<i>Crazy People Music</i> 1990 studio album by Branford Marsalis

Crazy People Music is a jazz album featuring the Branford Marsalis Quartet, led by saxophonist Branford Marsalis and featuring Kenny Kirkland, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Robert Hurst. It was recorded January 10, February 18, and March 1, 1990 at RCA Studios in New York, New York. It peaked at number 3 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyrille Aimée</span> French jazz singer

Cyrille Aimée is a French jazz singer.

Josiah Alexander Sila, known professionally as Joey Alexander, is an Indonesian jazz pianist. He became the first Indonesian musician to chart on Billboard 200 when his album My Favorite Things debuted at number 174 and then peaked at 59.

<i>In for a Penny, In for a Pound</i> 2015 studio album by Henry Threadgill

In for a Penny, In for a Pound is an album composed by Henry Threadgill for his jazz quintet Zooid, featuring Jose Davila, Liberty Ellman, Christopher Hoffman, and Elliot Humberto Kavee. It was released by Pi Recordings and was awarded the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Charenee Wade is an American jazz, soul and R&B singer, composer, arranger, improvisor, and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camila Meza</span> Musical artist

Camila Meza is a Chilean jazz guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

References

  1. Chinen, Nate. "Critics' Choice: New CDs", The New York Times , 2005-10-27. Retrieved on 2009-10-15.
  2. Mitter, Siddhartha. "All-star lineup keeps it classy at Tanglewood Jazz Festival", The Boston Globe , 2007-08-31. Retrieved on 2009-10-15.
  3. AXS.com