Saxophonist Sarah Hanahan plays with an intense and driving conviction. Her statements contain memorable themes that remain with the listener well after a song's ending. Her sound is both melodic and muscular.
For many who witnessed her trio sets this spring at the Walk with the Wind series presented by Giant Step Arts at Summit Rock in Central Park, Hanahan revealed a skill set and musical wisdom well beyond her years — and without chordal accompaniment.
The series was the talk of the New York musical community, in that it issued successive weekends of improvisational wizardry from notable artists like Mark Turner, Chris Potter, James Brandon Lewis, Abraham Burton and Darius Jones. With nearly all of New York's venues closed during the pandemic, Walk with the Wind gave listeners a concentrated dose of master improvisers creating bright moments in real time. As the series also gave many gifted rising stars a chance to present their music, Hanahan and her group were consistently surprising as they opened the series with energetic interplay.
While she's comfortable building phrases within the language of Charlie Parker, Hanahan is also confident exploring along the outer edges of the music. A similar cry of urgency can be felt and heard in the playing of master musicians and fellow altoists such as Jackie McLean, Gary Bartz and Kenny Garrett.
Hanahan is a 2019 graduate of the Hartt School of Music, where McLean shaped and molded many of today's leading improvisers. Along those lines, two of Hanahan's key mentors and professors at Hartt — saxophonist and Jackie's son Rene McLean, along with bassist Nat Reeves — received tutelage directly from the elder McLean. At school, Hanahan took immediately to their lessons and instruction.
She was also invited by Reeves to join his group. With the professor and bassist most recently announcing his retirement from the Hartt School, the Reeves/Hanahan association is continuing on bandstands this summer concurrently with the young saxophonist's performances for Brooklyn's Seeds, NYC Pops Up, Smalls Jazz Club and Walk With The Wind.
In our conversation, Hanahan says she's looking forward to the release of her first live recording as a leader, scheduled for release later in 2021 on Giant Step Arts. The album will give listeners not in attendance during the Central Park series a glimpse of her in-the-moment artistry. She's also looking forward to more performances as a leader and sideperson this summer and fall, with Reeves' quintet and NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater's big band while finishing her graduate studies at Juilliard.
