"Sara Decker masters the challenging discipline of setting German poetry to music with elegance and grace, accompanied by excellent instrumentalists. She is considered a rising star of the vocal jazz scene." - Heidi Eichenberg, MDR Kultur (09.05.2020)
Sara Decker, jazz singer and composer, is renowned for seamlessly blending classical pop elements with the art of improvised jazz. Her music is characterized by a subtle tone, an impressive vocal range, and sensitive storytelling.
Sara's talent has been recognized with numerous awards and scholarships, including 2nd place at the prestigious Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition (2017) and the European Jazz Award in Italy (2015). In 2018, she opened the Montreux Jazz Festival performing with the Chick Corea Trio and the Academy Band under the direction of Bugge Wesseltoft. Additional awards include the Music Fund "invisible loss" Project Grant (2021), Initiative Musik Project Funding for her second album "poetryfied" (2020-21), YET (Young European Talent) Award 2019, and Individual NRW Artist Scholarship 2019 (New York & Paris).
Funded by the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, Sara honed her skills in jazz singing and performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. There, she studied under luminaries such as Gretchen Parlato, Theo Bleckmann, and Kate McGarry, as well as in masterclasses with jazz icons like Christian McBride, Maria Schneider, and Kurt Elling.
Album ‘expand’ (coming Sept. 2024)
Sara is currently working on her third album „expand" which is an international collaboration project by the jazz singer and composer.
The program features a wide range of intimate duo and explosive quartet/quintet compositions by up-and-coming female jazz musicians from the German-American jazz scene. Melodious themes mingle with rhythmically complex layers.
expand features Sara Decker on vocals/composition, Heidi Bayer (Cologne) on trumpet/flugelhorn, Yuhan Su (Taiwan/ New York) on vibraphone, Kaisa Mäensivu (Finland/ New York) on bass/ compostion and Mareike Wiening (Cologne) on drums/ compostion.
"expand" is supported by Initiative Musik gGmbH with project funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.
Album 'Poetryfied' (2020)
In the fall of 2019, Sara collaborated with her Cologne quartet to create 'Poetryfied'. The album presents Sara's original compositions set to the verses of R. M. Rilke, Mascha Kaléko, Jane Tyson Clement, and Emily Dickinson. Alongside Sara are emerging talents of the European jazz scene, including pianist Billy Test, bassist Nicolai Amrehn, and drummer Jeroen Truyen. Guest contributions from renowned musicians such as trumpeter Heidi Bayer, tenor saxophonist Stefan Karl Schmid, and flutist Julia Kriegsmann enrich the album. 'Poetryfied' was released on AMC Records on September 4, 2020.
Debut Album 'Long Distance' (2017)
In 2017, Sara released her debut album "Long Distance," recorded at Systems Two Studio in Brooklyn, NYC. The album reflects her time in New York and features young pianist Julius Rodrigues. Solos from Swedish trumpeter Oskar Stenmark and vocals from soul/jazz singer Schadrack Pierre enrich the tracks.
Debbie Burke of 'Glissando' in NYC praised Sara's voice: "It radiates clarity and shines from within."
Other Projects:
In addition to her solo career, Sara is a sought-after collaborator and lead/backing vocalist in various musical projects. She regularly performs with her experimental vocal band FRIDA, in the bass/vocal duo project with New York jazz prodigy Daryl Johns, and the soul/jazz band 'Oneword'. Furthermore, her Latin jazz trio 'Yo Toco' consists of David Mingullion on guitar and Jeroen Truyen on percussion.
As a composer, Sara has arranged for her own projects and other ensembles, including the MSM Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra.