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Sarah Dwyer
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Based in:
Ballarat VIC
Line up(s) available: 2 piece (duo) Sarah Dwyer is a jazz vocalist whose choice of music and penchant for period costume effortlessly transports her audience back to the clubs and dancehalls of the 1920’s to the 1940’s. Sarah’s voice simmers, as she toys with the well known melodies of traditional jazz standards. She is accompanied by Michael Brown, an accomplished guitarist who effortlessly infuses their timeless repertoire with a fresh and colourful sound. Spending a night with Sarah Dwyer is a rare opportunity to experience music infused with romance, elegance and passion.
An Interview with Sarah Dwyer Sarah Dwyer is unusual among classically trained singers; how many can claim to have fronted a punk band in their youth? A founding member of Melbourne based a cappella group Vox Populi, Sarah continues an eclectic musical journey with the release of a new CD which marks her return to one of her first loves – the jazz standards of the 30s and 40s. When did you have your first encounter with the jazz style? When I was young, my Mum and I would sit on the couch in our dressing gowns and watch the Bill Collins Saturday Night movie while my Dad was out playing in his band. A lot of the time they’d show musicals, often old Fred Astaire movies, which featured many of the jazz standards that are the backbone of my repertoire today. Those musicals were really important; although there was always music in the house, my parents didn’t play a lot of the jazz greats at home back then. Did you get straight into jazz singing when you had the chance? No, not at all… my main musical outlet during my adolescence was as a lead singer in a punk band, though I was also being classically trained and performed in musicals, choirs and eisteddfods along the way. It’s strange though, when I was around sixteen I remember saying I’d like to be a jazz singer. I don’t think I knew what I was talking about, I just had this image of myself singing in this smoky club… Sprawled on piano? …yeah, and I just thought it was kind of cool. But I hadn’t listened to much jazz at that point, certainly none of the greats. There was just something bubbling away at the back of my mind I guess. So when did you first encounter one of those greats? When I was around eighteen, I heard a recording of Billie Holiday. That was the first time I’d heard those songs done in a more improvisational jazz style. I was really excited by the way she interpreted those melodies, and the rawness in her delivery – so different to the glammed up Hollywood style I was familiar with. I started seeking out more jazz, and really fell in love with the music properly. When did you shift from listening to jazz to singing it yourself? I was in my third year of studying classical singing at Melbourne University and was feeling somewhat uninspired by the training I’d received so far. I shifted my focus and with the help of some fantastic teachers was able to get a really solid foundation in both world music and jazz. That was a very significant year – I learnt a lot about jazz rhythms and improvisation. It was that year that inspired me to start up an a capella group, Vox Populi, an experience that ultimately gave me the confidence to get out there by myself singing jazz, which I’ve been doing for almost three years. So Vox Populi was an important stepping stone for you developing the confidence to perform solo? Yeah. Even so, I was really scared when I started out by myself, just hearing my voice on it’s own without three other voices around it was strange, as it had been a long time since I had sung solo. So I began working a lot harder, harder than I had ever worked on my voice before – practicing every day and really getting my voice strong. And it’s paid off, I think.
To be honest at first I felt like a bit of a phoney! I think that’s because what I hear in my head are all the other incredible singers I’ve heard perform these songs. But I’ve relaxed a little about that, and realised that they are just such well crafted, beautiful pieces of music that the vibrancy is in the song, and all I have to do is bring that out.
Again, the old Hollywood musicals – the women just seemed so glamorous, and I always loved the clothing that they wore. Really the band just gave me an excuse to buy these clothes that I’ve always coveted, so it’s been really fun doing the shopping… and dressing Brownie up as well? …and dressing Brownie up as well! And working out how to do my hair in vintage style, getting online and finding out there is a whole community of people out there who love to wear vintage clothes. And the feedback from crowds has been great, people seem to really appreciate that extra detail.
I’ve aimed for variety in tempo and energy, which is easy, and to some extent in theme, which is more difficult, because they are all pretty much about love…
…I think so (laughter). But there are different angles on it of course – like there is longing, there is broken heartedness, there is nostalgia, there is just plain falling in love. As you can tell it is really quite diverse. But seriously, I just chose the ones that I enjoy and feel the closest connection to.
It really pares them back. The story that’s being told becomes really important, and the song craft take centre stage. The album works in this minimalist vein because the melodies are so well written and they are such beautiful lyrics. A Fine Romance
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