In the past few years singer Sarah Moule has established a rapidly growing reputation as one of Britain’s most exciting new jazz talents. Her highly acclaimed debut CD ‘It’s A Nice Thought’ (Linn Records AKD192, Sept. 2002) showed that in lyricist Fran Landesman and composer Simon Wallace (“one of the finest songwriting partnerships alive” The Observer) she has found a source of contemporary, literate and often funny songs which are ruthlessly honest about human foibles, strengths and frailties, and which lend themselves to Moule’s emotionally direct vocal style.

Her 2nd album ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ (Linn Records AKD239, 1th November 2004) marries a new collection of Landesman/Wallace material with classic songs by one of the greatest of the American Songbook lyricists, Johnny Mercer. Mercer and Landesman first met in the late 1950s when Landesman and composer Tommy Wolf were enjoying great success with songs such as “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” and “The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men”. In her live set and on record she digs deep to find the meaning of a lyric, revealing a subtly earthy and compelling take on Mercer classics and exuberant, sharp and witty commentaries on modern life by Landesman and Wallace. Simon Wallace’s fresh and swinging arrangements highlight the range of musical talent.

In the last few years Sarah has performed with many stalwarts of British jazz including: Ian Shaw, Iain Ballamy, Tim Whitehead, Tim Garland, Steve Waterman and John Critchinson with whom she toured the Mediterranean with ‘A Tribute To Ronnie Scott’, performing opposite the legendary bebop duo Jackie & Roy. She is also currently featured vocalist with bandleader John Williams’ Rocking In Rhythm septet, specialising in the songs of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and performed with them at St. David’s Hall, Cardiff in July 2002 for the Welsh Proms. Last year she and the band also premiered a suite of newly commissioned pieces by John Mayer, Barbara Thompson, Nikki Iles, Simon Wallace and Dick Walters at Leasowes Bank Arts Festival in Shropshire.in July 2002.

Sarah Moule grew up in Bexhill-on-Sea on the East Sussex coast singing English folk songs with her large musical family. She spent the 1980s working and travelling in South America, Asia, China, Australia, Europe and the USA. On returning to London in the early 1990s she met jazz singers Ian Shaw and Claire Martin who introduced her to the song-writing team of veteran American lyricist Fran Landesman and Welsh pianist and composer Simon Wallace. She began to explore the music of Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington along with the late-night lifestyle of the London jazz musician while continuing her vocal studies with English National Opera soloist Kenneth Woollam.

She soon established a solid reputation for herself on the London jazz scene singing regularly at the 606 Club, The Vortex, Pizza Express Jazz Club and The Pizza On The Park in the company of some of Britain’s foremost jazz musicians including Don Weller, Dave Green, Tim Garland, Jim Mullen, Dave Newton, Phil Lee and Mick Hutton.

Sarah’s repertoire has grown from the classic American Song Book through her close collaboration with Landesman and Wallace to include many of their new songs as well as material by a diverse range of songwriters from Johnny Mandel to 50s R&B legends Buddy Johnson and Shel Silverstein.

Her highly acclaimed CD, 'It’s A Nice Thought', on Linn Records (Oct. 2002) introduced 14 new Landesman/Wallace songs played by a band featuring soloists Iain Ballamy, Tim Whitehead, Steve Waterman and Fayyaz Virji with her regular rhythm section of Simon Wallace - piano, Mick Hutton - bass, Paul Robinson (longtime member of Nina Simone’s band) - drums, and Gary Hammond (of The Beautiful South) - percussion, augmented by the great Jim Mullen on guitar.

www.saramoule.net