Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 8/24/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Vocalist and Springfield native Sarah Elizabeth Charles and pianist Jarrett Cherner performed their album “Tone” at the Community Music School of Springfield on Aug 19. The tour marks the first live performances of “Tone” after releasing the project during the coronavirus pandemic.
Background
For Charles and Cherner, their tour through New York, Massachusetts and Maine on Aug. 17 through Aug. 20 marked the culmination of a four-year effort. The trip to Springfield represents additional meaning for Charles, who performed at the music school she once learned her craft at during her youth.
Charles originates from the Hungry Hill neighborhood and grew up with music as an instant passion. She recalls her initial experiences with music from singing in the choir of the now-defunct Our Lady of Hope parish.
“I was singing in the choir their and my grandma was teaching me piano. My parents noticed how much I was really enjoying it and really loved music. … [They] were really responsive to what I needed musically in a way that I can appreciate as an adult more than I ever could as a child,” said Charles in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
Charles’s experiences with the Community Music School began by studying the intricacies of the piano, undergoing solo voice lessons and participating in the school’s choir at the age of 6. As her confidence as a solo artist increased, Charles gained an appreciation for jazz music from various local instructors.
Charles noted that the school provided her with a variety of musical experiences, including participating in an jazz ensemble and performing in local music gigs at the age of 11.
“That was a really cool thing to be doing as a teenager and has been huge for my education,” said Charles.
Reflecting on her experiences, Charles expressed gratitude for her education from the Community Music School.
“It’s had a huge impact and laid the foundation for basically everything that I do creatively now,” said Charles.
‘Tone’
Charles described the album’s creation as a collaborative experience for her and Cherner over the years as they combined their distinctive styles.
“It took about four years to compose this material together. We wrote everything from the ground up together from scratch,” said Charles.
For Cherner, the album exhibits a unique collaboration between the duo as they meshed jazz music with a singer-songwriter edge.
“We both come from a jazz tradition, but I feel the record has a lot more of a singer-songwriter vibe to it … and yet, you still hear our influences throughout it,” said Cherner.
The pair underwent an original recording session in 2017 before scrapping their content and restarting in 2019. Once the coronavirus pandemic reached the United States in 2020, Charles and Cherner worked steadfastly to complete their initial material from home.
The at-home experience brought a few unique challenges. Charles had to purchase a professional microphone to finalize some of the album’s vocals, while Cherner pivoted from his pianist role to shaping the record as a producer and engineer. The final product was then mixed and mastered via Zoom with the help of a music producer.
“We spent a good chunk of the spring of 2020 tracking vocals. … It was a real light during a really dark time,” said Charles.
Cherner said the nationwide pause caused by the coronavirus pandemic allowed he and Charles to focus on the album after juggling other ventures.
“We spent four years on this album, but it wasn’t until the [coronavirus] pandemic hit that we concentrated on it,” said Cherner.
With “Tone,” Charles and Cherner underwent a lengthy process that featured several personal milestones along the way, including the birth of their child and getting married in 2020. Charles expressed pride in their ability to establish a healthy work and life relationship along the way.
“The nature of working with your partner, you kind of have to choose when you’re going to work and when you’re going to live. As a musician, you can work 24/7 … sometimes we asked ourselves ‘do we want to work together or have a quiet dinner,’” said Charles.
Reflecting upon their “Tone” tour, Charles and Cherner shared their excitement for bringing the album to a live audience. Charles described her homecoming Springfield performance as an especially meaningful endeavor. The artist has performed locally over the years at events, including being a fixture at past Springfield Jazz and Roots Festivals.
“It’s been really cool to have that, that circling back [moment]. … That always means a lot,” said Charles.
The musician also recently collaborated with students on the Charles Neville Legacy Project at John J. Duggan Academy. The project highlighted the significance of local jazz musician Charles Neville, who passed away in 2018. Charles noted her experiences collaborating with youth from her hometown community as another positive milestone.
“I’ve been doing a lot of teaching work outside of New York, but I haven’t done that as much in my hometown. It meant the world to be able to do that and connect with them,” said Charles.
Readers can learn more about “Tone” and Charles at http://www.sarahelizabethcharles.com/.