Sarah Mckenzie at San Jose Jazz Summer Fest at Plaza De César Chávez

From Perth and Melbourne to Boston and Paris, swinging vocalist / pianist Sarah McKenzie’s geographic journey reflects the international nature of jazz. After graduating from Perth’s West Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor’s degree in jazz, she toured as a backing vocalist on Michael Bublé’s Irresponsible Tour from 2007–2008.

Her sophomore album, Close Your Eyes (ABC Music) won an ARIA Music Award—the Australian equivalent of a Grammy—for Best Jazz Album in 2012. That year, she was also awarded a full scholarship at the Berklee College of Music after participating in the 2012 Umbria Jazz Festival....

read more

From Perth and Melbourne to Boston and Paris, swinging vocalist / pianist Sarah McKenzie’s geographic journey reflects the international nature of jazz. After graduating from Perth’s West Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor’s degree in jazz, she toured as a backing vocalist on Michael Bublé’s Irresponsible Tour from 2007–2008.

Her sophomore album, Close Your Eyes (ABC Music) won an ARIA Music Award—the Australian equivalent of a Grammy—for Best Jazz Album in 2012. That year, she was also awarded a full scholarship at the Berklee College of Music after participating in the 2012 Umbria Jazz Festival.

Before finishing up at Berklee in May 2015 and graduating with a degree in Jazz Performance, Sarah recorded We Could Be Lovers (released stateside by Impulse! in September 2015). She relocated to Paris after graduating and marked her new Continental adventure with last year’s Paris in the Rain.

McKenzie’s latest album continues to showcase her songwriting prowess with four original pieces, including the title track. There are also celebrations of other great cities such as “Tea for Two” (for time she spent London) and “When in Rome.” She arranged all the material on Paris in the Rain, plays piano on 11 of the 13 tracks and brings those many talents and her crisp sense of swing with her to the bandstand this summer.

show less