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Sara Dowling - Vocals Rob Barron - Piano Jeremy Brown - Double Bass Matt Home - Drums 1. My Ship 2. Take Me To The Sun 3. Social Call 4. You’ve Got My Heart On A String 5. Stars Fell Of Alabama 6. My Favourite Things 7. Lush Life 8. Open The Door 9. Two For The Road “a remarkable one off voice” Jazz views “a vocal with timeless quality” Jazz journal ***** “Sara Dowling is not one to be compared To anyone” Jazz in europe “her voice has all the qualities that you find in the great singers” Guy barker Recorded at Eastcote Studios, engineered by George Murphy Mixed by Andrew Kingslow. Mastered by Jason Mitchell Track 9: featuring: Mike Outram on guitar and Andrew Kingslow on Hammond organ. Photographs: Karen McBride. Artwork: Dario Di Lecce. From Shadows Into Light is my debut album as a jazz singer. The title depicts the very moment i decided to dedicate my life to jazz, after so many years of being a classical musician. This collection of songs pays homage to all the jazz vocalists who have influenced me and will continue to do so. From the heartbreaking delivery of billie holiday to betty carter who was the most adventurous and creative jazz singer of all time, who pushed the limits of melody and harmony as much as any bebop horn player. My intention is to showcase the rich colouration and wide vocal range one needs to perform these jazz standards in my own bittersweet, sentimental and free spirited way. I have an equal passion for writing songs. So i put pen to paper and wrote two compositions for this album. Take me to the sun is a vigorous and sensuous song that allows me to deliver with ferocity, speed and wild abandon. You’ve got my heart on a string is a heart-break song tinged with a sadness of love turned sour. Woven into this colourful stitch-work of songs are a few traditional standards from the great american songbook; my ship, stars fell on alabama, my favourite things and lush life. Billy strayhorn’s haunting composition lush life is the titan of all standards for any singer to deliver. It even gave frank sinatra a hard time when he tried to record it in 1958. It’s a window into someone’s life who has really lived. One must maintain great poise and focus to guide you through such an emotionally and musically complex song. It is at this point on the album i decided to allow my vulnerability to be at the foreground of this performance. I sing this challenging verse a cappella, with only the echo of a spring reverb which seems to plunge me into an even lonelier place. Other song choices are ‘new’ standards such as social call and betty carter’s composition open the door. I decided to close the album with a bonus track, recorded from a separate session with the addition of the hammond organ and guitar, two for the road. A song that henry mancini himself proclaimed to be his favourite love theme of all. So i leave you at the end of this road, for now. Finally i would like to thank rob barron, jeremy brown and matt home for their heart-felt, supportive and impeccable playing on this album.” Sara dowling, liner notes