SARAH GROMKO
(bandleader, composer, arranger, vocals, co-producer)
As a kid, Sarah learned that the only common thread among her many homes was music. (Her family moved every two or three years but always were surrounded by community rich in music resources.) She began her career in professional performance at age thirteen as a singing telegram and, by age fifteen, was professionally cantoring for churches. Her early voice was honed under the instruction of opera stars Carol Wilcox-Jones, Judith Gray, and Mary Burgess, but she eventually dropped that scene and ran away to study at Berklee College of Music.
There, her jazz repertoire and compositional chops increased dramatically, and Sarah sang her way through school in professional a cappella groups and doing television jingles. Gromko graduated with a film scoring degree, immediately moved to New York City, and developed her career as a sound and music editor for television and film. She also was able to hone her musical ideas with her commissioned arrangements and orchestrations, but singing ever again was the farthest from her mind.
Then she met a pianist who encouraged her to dust off the old larynx in order to resume arranging standards to perform with a combo. She formed GromKo. and was received well enough to consider breaking out the original tunes she had hidden under a bushel since her salad years. This newfound courage, combined with a life-changing spiritual decision, spawned "Convert Augustine."
Over her multi-focused career, Sarah has worked and played with such names as Wycliff Gordon, Marcus Printup, Eric Reed, Bob Stoloff, Maggie Stone, James Oliverio, and Wynton Marsalis. (back to top)
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JAVIER ARAU
(flute, clarinet, sax)
Javier Arau made his national debut at age 14, conducting the Florida State University Wind Ensemble in a Washington, D.C. performance of his symphonic composition, Second Wind. Originally from California, Arau received his Masters degree from the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he studied with jazz greats Jerry Bergonzi and Bob Brookmeyer. As a jazz player, Arau has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Chico O'Farrill, Charlie Haden, Maria Schneider, Diana Krall, Steve Lacy, and Louie Bellson, among others. He has played in festivals all over the world, including the main stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals, and venues in Japan and Australia. Recipient of the 2002 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award and a four-time Down Beat Magazine Award winner, including composition and arranging honors for the year 2000, Arau has received commissions and performances of his works from schools and bands throughout the United States and from the legendary Benny Golson and David Garibaldi (Tower of Power). Recently, Arau has begun writing for a Los Angeles film production company, and he has served as a contributor to Yankee Magazine and the Jazz Educators Journal.
Active as an educator, Arau has worked as a guest clinician at schools and jazz camps throughout the United States. Since 1991, he has taught privately to students of all ages, from 3 to 63, on many instruments, including piano, clarinet, saxophone, flute, and in many styles, including classical, jazz, blues, and rock. Arau uses a method that always adapts to the needs and interests of each student. He stresses fundamentals of music, including composition and improvisation, while keeping the focus on fun and positive learning. (back to top)
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ART HIRAHARA
(Rhodes, piano)
Art Hirahara is a jazz pianist/composer, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, now living in Brooklyn, NY. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in jazz piano performance at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA and a Bachelor of Music degree in Electronic and Computer Music from the Oberlin College Conservatory in Oberlin, OH.
In the fall of 1996, he was selected by the Arts America office of the U.S. Information Agency to serve as a "Jazz Ambassador" on a seven week tour in Qatar, Yemen, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, where he performed, lectured, and conducted workshops with local musicians.
Art has performed regularly as a freelance musician at public performances, festivals, private events, and at venues around the United States, including Birdland, The Jazz Standard, and the 55 Bar in New York City. He has performed with notable musicians such as Dave Douglas, Vincent Herring, Stacey Kent, Akira Tana, Rufus Reid, Wadada Leo Smith, Victor Lewis, Jim Black, Bill McHenry, Nate Radley, Jenny Scheinman, Take Toriyama, Sean Nowell, Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra, Scott Amendola, Todd Sickafoose, Hafez Modirzadeh, royal hartigan, Anton Schwartz, Marcus Shelby, Anthony Brown and the Asian American Orchestra, Eric Crystal, Bob Kenmotsu, Chuck Sher, San Jose Taiko, and Helcio Milito.
Art has performed at major festivals including the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle and the Jazz Ost-West Festival in Nuremburg, Germany. He performed with his sextet at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September 2001. Art has also played at venues extensively in Asia including in Kyoto, Yokohama, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.
He has composed music for the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, a San Francisco-based comedy/theater group, as well as for the Asian American Theater Company. He is a founding member and co-artistic director of the pan-Asian percussion group, Asian Crisis.
Art has studied performance and composition with Dave Douglas, Charlie Haden, Joe La Barbera, Neal Creque, Jimmy Owens, Wadada Leo Smith, and David Roitstein. (back to top)
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JON PRICE
(electric bass)
Since moving to NYC in 2001, Jon has performed as a bassist and singer with
a variety of local bands and solo artists. Specializing in funk, jazz,
and soul, he has recorded with Jive artists Eamon, Labba, and UGK, and
toured with Epic artist Sara Bareilles. Recent contributions have been
highlighted in such bands as Van Davis (funk/jazz guitar trio) and the
Undisputed Heavyweights (Vaudevillian acoustic/jazz/rock/blues).
(back to top)
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Chris's range of projects is considerably varied. He plays regularly with Jann Klose, is a regular contributor to cross-cultural collaborations with the Non-Aligned Movement, and freelances with various jazz ensembles. Recently, Chris has also recorded for a Celtic crossover project, performed in a Chinese folk duo with erhu, and performed with the Middle Eastern ensemble The Howling Makams. Before moving to New York, he held a permanent position with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and an artist residency for the Wichita Jazz Festival. (back to top)
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DANIEL SANCHEZ
(drums, percussion)
Daniel Sanchez began playing drums at the age of 10. His first gig was at the age of 15. And the audition for that gig consisted of him sitting in on "Oleo" with the tenor saxophone band leader about 20 years his senior. Thanks Hector. Since then he has been drumming anywhere and everywhere he can. While cutting his teeth in Texas, he had the opportunity to perform and learn from a number of great musicians while traveling the states. For him, this meant lots of players, lots of styles, lots of gigs, and lots to learn...still. Utilizing his various experiences, Daniel Sanchez has become an in demand live and session musician now based in New York City. (back to top)
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TRACY SHIELDS
(background vocals)
Tracy Shields (formerly Morris) has been singing in her shower for most of her 31 years. Always the perfectionist, not singing off-key is her priority. Her Barbadian roots must account for this. Adding her vocal stylistics to "Season the Host," she proves yet again that musical prowess can only be gained through perseverance and Ivory soap. (back to top)
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MARK JOHNSON
(co-producer, background vocals)
Mark Johnson is a singer, producer, arranger, ensemble coach, piano tuner, music copyist, and editor, known for his work with a cappella ensembles, The Western Wind and Toby Twining Music. He sings at Marble Collegiate Church in NYC and will appear later this year on a new album of choral music with Bobby McFerrin, arranged and produced by Roger Treece. (back to top)
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JAY LIFTON
(co-producer, melodica)
New York native Jay Lifton loves a good glass of iced-tea and can often be seen composing beside one. Recently, he scored both the theme music and underscore for the IFC cult hit "Greg the Bunny" and the critically acclaimed documentary series "EGG The Arts Show." In 2005 he composed music to Jenny Bicks's (Sex and the City, Men in Trees) short film "Gnome," a finalist in the Berlin International Film Festival, and winner of the Rosebud award. His music can also be heard in countless commercials for American Express, Chevy, Visa, and MTV in which he has collaborated with L.L. Cool J, Usher, and "Little" Steven Van Zandt (of Sopranos/E. Street Band). He has also worked with UK artist Jamie Hartman (Ben's Brother's Band). In 2006, he orchestrated the string arrangements on Clay Aiken's remake of "Here You Come Again," which has since gone gold. Currently, he is scoring a short film directed by Rita Wilson (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Beautiful Ohio). Jay is a graduate of Tufts University and New England Conservatory of Music. (back to top)
Sarah Gromko (bandleader…)
Javier Arau (flute…)
Art HIrahara (Rhodes…)
Jon Price (electric bass)
Chris Marolf (double bass)
Daniel Sanchez (drums…)
Tracy Shields (bg. vocals)
Mark Johnson (co-producer…)
Jay Lifton (co-producer…