Sugar Hill Records
Four Albums, several Grammy nominations, and a recent Honours Degree from a Music Conservatory… All that and more by your twenty-fifth year. Not bad going.
I first heard Sarah Jarosz a number of years back playing blinding fiddle on the ‘Trans Atlantic’ television programme. She has played live in Belfast, on at least one occasion, as one-third of the “I’m With Her” group. (the other thirds being Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan).
‘Undercurrent’ marks not so much a change of direction but more a natural progression and development by a real and rare talent. Eleven original songs, either written or co-written by Sarah.
Sarah sings plays, guitar, mandolin, banjo and electric guitar.
This is a very strong album, wonderfully sung, played, produced and packaged. It is really an example of how to produce a top rank acoustic modern art work in this form. There is a mix of styles on here with four of the songs featuring just singer and guitar. The songs seem mostly to be inspired by the writer’s own life experiences such as ‘Lost Dog’ and ‘Back Of My Mind’.
The final track, ‘Jacqueline’, was inspired the life and death of Jacqueline Kennedy and the memorial to her in Central Park New York.
The album was produced over a four month period in Nashville. It features lovely playing by some of the finest young players in this genre of music, including Luke Reynolds on pedal steel, Mark Schatz on bass and Sarah’s other two thirds from “I’m With Her”, Sara Watkins and Aoife O Donovan.
Nice packaging, full song lyrics and photographs all in all a top class production from a wonderful young talent.
Sarah Jarosz plays the Out to Lunch Festival on Thursday 26th January 2017 in the First Belfast Presbyterian Church.
Book your ticket early you will not be disappointed.