Sarah Hanahan: A rising star on the alto saxophone

Sarah Hanahan is a young alto saxophonist who has always been sure of her connection to the instrument. “I remember playing it for the first time,” she says. “I never squeaked and squawked on it. I always had a sound; I always had a tone. I was a kid, but I found it right away.”

Hanahan developed that sound with some help from her dad, a drummer who passed down his passion for music. She’d tag along to his gigs and practice sessions, quietly absorbing the richness of the pit orchestra. Weekends were for leisure and hours of live music via DVD — Buddy Rich, Live at the 1982 Montreal Jazz Festival was on heavy rotation in the Hanahan household, but it was the legendary drummer’s saxophone section that Hanahan noticed above all else, inspiring her to pick up the instrument at 7 years old. It’s been a union ever since.

Hanahan honed her skills at the Jackie McLean Institute at the University of Hartford. While there Hanahan devoured McLean’s recordings, emulating his sound and experimenting with making them her own. “I feel Jackie every day,” she says.

This episode, we’ll hear highlights from Hanahan’s burning set at the 2022 Caramoor Jazz Festival in Katonah, N.Y., and music from her newly released debut album, Among Giants.

Set List:

Recorded live at the 2022 Caramoor Jazz Festival:

• “I Want to Talk About You” (Billy Eckstine) 
• “Appointment in Ghana” (Jackie McLean)
• “We Bop!” (Sarah Hanahan)

Musicians: Sarah Hanahan, alto saxophone; Miki Yamanaka, piano; Barry Stephenson, bass; Jonathan Barber, drums.

From the album Among Giants (Blue Engine Records):

• “Resonance” (Sarah Hanahan)
• “NATO” (Sarah Hanahan)*
• “Stardust” (Hoagy Carmichael)

Musicians: Sarah Hanahan, alto saxophone; Marc Cary, piano; Nat Reeves, bass; Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums; *Bobby Allende, percussion.

Credits: 

Writer and Producers: Alex Ariff, Sarah Geledi; Assistant Producers: Camilo Garzón, Donelle Wedderburn and Scout Opatut; Host: Christian McBride; Producer: Trevor Smith; Recording Engineer: Corey Goldberg, assisted by Anthony Nieves; Episode mix: Ron Scalzo; Project Manager: Suraya Mohamed; Vice President of Visuals and Strategy at NPR Music: Keith Jenkins; Executive Producers: Anya Grundmann and Gabrielle Armand.

Special thanks to Timothy Coffey and Valerie Whitney.

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