Sara So Far
“A heart, heart may be given, given
And ripped, ripped to pieces
But a soul burns on
Like a torch in the night
Like a torch in the night”
From: ‘Soul’ – featured on the album ‘Earth’
(continue reading under the LYRICS menu)
Latest news
October 2024:
A new EP is in the making! The slow-brewing kind, with warm piano/vocals partly recorded on my own upright piano at home. Subscribe to the artist newsletter to stay up to date.
17th December 2023:
Curious what ‘What You Is’ sounds like live? This song is made by vocal stacking: building little loops with the voice, recorded and stacked with a loop station. The loop station is operated with the feet, there’s a lot of stomping involved. Here is the newly released live video of ‘What You Is’, performed at the 3 Women 3 Voices concert last March. Enjoy!
March 2023:
I am more aware than ever that music REALLY happens when it is happening together with other people. Community and music are deeply intertwined. Out of a growing collaboration with the two artists Ezryah and HAVAN, a project has been born: 3 Women, 3 Voices. We have merged our sounds, stories and songwriting to become one big concert, which will take place on Thursday the 9th of March, just outside of Brussels, Belgium. Head over to the ‘concerts’ menu to find out the details and to book your tickets. All welcome!
30th December 2022:
The old year 2022 is coming to an end. Time to ‘ring in the new year’ 2023 with the wise poem ‘Ring Out, Wild Bells’. This poem was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson in the 19th century. Today it was released as a single, with a brandnew arrangement of pure vocal layers. My thanks goes out to my brother Benjamin Jesse for lending his deep voice to carry my harmonies. Listen here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sarasofar/ring-out-wild-bells
22nd April 2022:
Today the music video for ‘Keep On’ was released! A stomping, rhythmic song about community, courage and GRIT. Does life throw a lot at you lately? Do you feel as if you’re taking one hit after another? Keep walking, eyes on the horizon. Don’t. Give. Up. And oh, don’t you walk alone. Life is about COMMUNITY. Even if you feel completely alone, you are not. Sometimes it takes a bit of stepping out (or stomping loudly) to find your band. Keep on!
April 2022:
Today, the 8th of April, is the release of the new single ‘Keep On’! A song about courage, grit and community. Listen on the streaming platform of your choice, find the links right HERE.
—Music video coming soon!—
March 2022:
New short video series! To get a peek behind the curtain, watch the new ‘Song Scoop’ videos: the making of the song, the story behind it, the process that went into it… Exciting little details, put together in short video format by yours truly. Two Song Scoops have been released So Far, with many more to come. Available to watch on Instagram and on Facebook. Enjoy!
November 2021:
The music video for ‘Earth’ is out! This video was shot in Cyprus, around the beautiful Akámas Peninsula, by Alejandro Villacis.
Watch it right here, don’t forget to hit that subscribe button:
October 2021:
At last, the album ‘Earth’ is ready for release! It will be released on all online platforms on the 15th October (CD’s will be available on Bandcamp). Watch the album trailer right here:
June 2021:
Coming out of the restrictions, it is time to release stacks and stacks of vocals out of the little room to which I’ve been confined for most of the time this year. On July 2nd, I will release a single that is pure vocals, born out of many improv sessions with the loopstation. Sometimes, fencing in one’s creativity by choosing one single instrument (the voice) can release new and surprising repertoire. I’ll be presenting the new single with a livestream concert featuring lots of live looping. The concert will go live on July 3rd (8PM CEST) and would love for you to join me. Get your tickets RIGHT HERE.
February 2021:
Never could I have imagined how a pandemic would impact our lives at this time. The recording of the album has of course been greatly slowed down due to the circumstances that surround us all. But after many postponements, all recordings are now done. Last month, I invited the string quartet ‘In Praise of Folly’ over to Jetstudio Brussels to record with me. They did an amazing job. Within the same session, I recorded all leftover vocals (and a little bit of ukulele) while musicians over in Cyprus recorded their parts on their own. We all miss playing together, but at the same time we’re grateful for the digital age we live in, making it possible to breach any distance. At this moment, the album is being finalized and the first results will be out soon!
July 2020:
Summer is here and it is time to rest and recover after recording the album, shooting the video, and in the same month move abroad with the family, in the midst of all the Covid craziness. While settling in Brussels, Belgium and also doing some summer traveling, it is good to reflect and look back on 4,5 wonderful years in Cyprus. Many friendships made, many projects done, a lot of teaching as well. All valuable experiences. Now it is time to look ahead as well and map out the coming year, to plan the production of the album and to create time to write some last arrangements, which will be recorded with musicians both in Belgium and Cyprus.
June 2020:
It’s the month of hard, hard work. But very rewarding work indeed thanks to some great collaborations. Recording the best part of the new album at Studio eleven63 in Nicosia has been a like a roller coaster, working together with talented cypriot musicians and with the best sound engineer one could wish for. Check Instagram (#sarasofarsinger) for some recording studio impressions.
The rest of the recordings will have to be postponed as they involve musicians from North Cyprus and the border has been closed since March. Another interesting collaboration happened with a gifted visual artist. Together we braved some rough nature on the other side of the island to shoot a music video for ‘Earth’. Adventurous and thrilling, it was an experience that left us feeling humbled by nature.
May 2020:
It has been tough working on projects throughout the lockdown, but when inspiration hits we must seize it! That is why Friday 29th May will see the release of the new single “To You”. It is a poem written on a usually vibrant island where suddenly all life came to a screeching halt. It’s about deserted streets, empty cafes, love and longing for loved ones near yet so far away. Stay tuned!
April 2020:
What we had never expected to happen has happened indeed: we’re all in lockdown due to the Covid-19 virus, staying home and awaiting further instructions. Gigs and sadly also the studio recordings have been cancelled. But plenty can happen at home! Check the menu ‘Concerts’ for the details of an upcoming online concert from home on April 30th, organised by European Jazz Nights. Also, make sure to click ‘like’ on the Sara So Far Facebook page to stay up to date on songs that are now in the making and soon to be published. Let the music go on!
February 2020:
Re-working and re-inventing the solo project now entitled “Jazz Poems in Blue”, there are solo concerts coming up in both Nicosia and in Paphos, as well as a live performance with the band at these guys’ hometown Limassol, right near the seaside. Check the menu ‘concerts’ and Facebook for details. See you here, or there, or way out there!
January 2020:
New year, new projects! With Bass&Voice concerts as well as performances with the band and other collaborations ongoing, an exciting few months lie ahead as in March 2020 Sara So Far will be recording an album at studio Eleven63 in Nicosia. Stay tuned…
October 2019:
The start of the Solo Project. Exploring the endless combinations of voice, poetry, loop station, piano and other objects and instruments. Each artist has a duty to challenge him- or herself and to tease the boundaries of their abilities. Performing at Sarah’s Jazz Club in the old town of Nicosia. This jazz club has been like an artistic home these past years in Cyprus, its owner Sarah Fenwick being a precious friend and role model.
January 2019:
It has been a pleasure collaborating with Cahit Kutrafalı (bass), Charis Ioannou (sax) and others while performing in North Cyprus for the European Jazz Nights. An island divided, but not so when art&music bring people together. Enjoying getting to know both communities while performing in Lefkosa, Deryneia and Famagusta.
March 2019:
The Sara So Far YouTube channel has been updated and refined. Click here to have a look and to subscribe!
December 2018:
A new collaboration “Sara So Far & Band” has resulted in plenty of jazz both in Nicosia and Limassol. These great guys make it happen: Stelios Xydias (dr), Andreas Rodosthenous (b) and Ermis Michail (gt). Good times!
October 2018:
It was an honour to play a “Jazz for Kids” concert with renowned Cypriot jazz pianist Marios Toumbas. Children of the local Montessori community and their friends and family enjoyed music in a romantically lit backyard, listening to the story of “Dindi in search of music”, a tale woven through a colourful choice of songs.
February 2018:
Sara So Far has started a collaboration with the very talented turkish cypriot bass player Cahit Kutrafalı. They have embarked on a series of concerts, performing as a Bass&Voice duo, drawing from many different genres and using loop stations to layer groove upon sound upon groove upon sound… They are performing at several venues and events both in North- and South Cyprus. Here’s a small excerpt, improvising on ‘Dance Me to the End of Love’ (Leonard Cohen):
March 2017:
A successful Cyprus debut thanks to the great musicians this island has to offer: Charis Ioannou (sax), Ioannis Vafeas (dr), Marios Toumbas (p), Cahit Kutrafalı (b). Playing at Central Stage on March 4th with these guys was a great pleasure, and credit goes out to photographer Kerim Belet for his original touch. Looking forward to many more interesting Cyprus collaborations in years to come. Click here to see the concert photo album
August 2016:
Taking some rest after a successful tour of Taiwan with some great musicians: Ho-Pu on guitar, Weichung on drums and Jack on doublebass, and also a guest appearance of trumpet player Josh Aguiar. We had a great time, such a beautiful country and very friendly people. Exploring the local cuisine was a whole new experience, to be much enjoyed! Take a scroll on the newly launched Sara So Far facebook fanpage to see pictures and more. Leave us a note! The videomaterial of the Taiwan concerts will be online soon.
Check back later this month for a solo performance and songwriting workshops at a great new belgian festival.
July 2016:
This month Sara So Far is headed for Taiwan to join hands with her fellow jazz musicians there and do a concert tour. Check back on this website to catch some of the goodness of the exciting taiwanese jazzscene!
Click here to see the Taiwan promo video
June 2016:
The Sara So Far artist page on Facebook is up and running! Click here to view, and don’t forget to like&follow.
March 2016:
We are happy to announce that the EP “Flirting With The Rooftops” is finished and available on CD and in online stores. Click on the buttons top of this page or on the tab “audio” to buy the EP in mp3 format from iTunes or on Amazon.
Check the tab “concerts” for info on the release concert on April 23rd in Brussels! Also, Sara So Far will reunite with musician friends at the other end of the globe in July for a tour in Taiwan.
February 2014:
On February 13th at 20h there will be a pre-release solo concert at the Chapel for Europe in Brussels. Click on ‘concerts’ for more info, don’t miss it and bring your friends for an intimate acoustic jazz evening.
November 2014:
The new EP ‘Flirting With The Rooftops’ is almost ready to see the world. As of February 2015, Sara So Far & band will start a new series of concerts to promote the new EP. It will soon be available in online stores, a few clicks away from this website. Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter, to stay up to date on these exciting events!
March/April 2014:
Sara So Far and band are currently busy in a recording studio in Brussels, putting together an EP with a fresh new sound, So Far unheard. They’ve invited additional musicians, who have added some great color to the music. Very soon available for purchase in iTunes Store. Stay up to date!
8th December 2013:
Christmas is early this year, and Sara So Far will be celebrating it together with the bigband SWEET JAZZ ORCHESTRA & guests. Jazz Carols at Holy Trinity Brussels, 19h on Sunday 8th December. Bring your friends!
November 2013:
Currently Sara So Far is working on solo projects. Back to the piano. She has been singing and playing a sweet mixture of her own compositions and good ol’ jazz standards, on locations in Brussels and in Munich, Germany. Getting ready for similar occasions in the new year.
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