sarah dashew bio

...Sarah Dashew has just finished recording her new 12-track album. Two years of songwriting and playing shows in Los Angeles finally paid off. It was one of the greatest moments of her life when her mentor, legendary producer Chuck Plotkin (Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan) looked at her and said, “You’re ready. Let’s make a record.”

... As if that weren’t enough, the musicians who ended up joining her in the studio had played on some of her all-time favorite albums. They include Gary Mallaber on drums (Van Morrison, Steve Miller Band), Jennifer Condos on bass (Bruce Springsteen, Joe Henry), and Mark Goldenberg on lead guitar (Jackson Browne, Peter Frampton). Singer-songwriter Dan Bern added cello to the stark, powerful “Cannot Make the Call”. The album was engineered by Ryan Freeland (Aimee Mann, Natasha Bedingfield). The upbeat track “Hash it Out” has already been heard on the hit TV show “My Name is Earl”. Jealous Girl is an irresistible journey, from the relentlessly honest title track to the final, soul-soothing “Morningtime”.

...Sarah Dashew (pronounced like “cashew” with a “d”) grew up sailing around the world with her family, listening to Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison and Janis Joplin. Out at sea with so much time on their hands, Sarah and her sister spent hours learning how to sing in harmony a la Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Movie. But as compelling as the Muppets were, the life-changing experience that made Sarah want to be a musician didn’t come until years later. She started college and went to a soul-shaking, gospel choir concert that left her knees weak and her heart full. The next day she joined the choir and started singing in 4-part harmony. Then Sarah bought a cheap guitar with a bent neck and rusty strings and started playing, singing and writing. What emerged was a soulful, smoky, rich voice and heartfelt, storied lyrics. She moved to Austin, Texas, put a band together and toured all over the US and Europe. She opened for artists like Suzanne Vega, Michelle Shocked, Steve Earle and the Cowboy Junkies. Longing for the smell of the saltwater air, Sarah left Texas for Los Angeles and started working under Chuck Plotkin’s tutelage.

...Between the gospel choir, touring with the band and all the solo gigs, Sarah has learned how to play a live show. She plays her guitar like she means it. She sings like she has something to say and expects you to listen. She’s not afraid to strap on a harmonica and wail from time to time. Sarah puts it all out there, and you can tell she loves it. When Sarah performs, her last song often includes an interlude where she improvises, rants and raves (rhyming, no less) about everything from the current state of affairs to celebrity gossip to the trials and tribulations of getting her harmonica caught in her hair. We'll call it Sarah Dashew's State of the World Address. No two shows are ever alike... “The frankness is arresting.”

...Some of Sarah's Favorite Stuff...

MUSIC: Wilco, Bruce Springsteen, Dan Bern, Tom Waits, Ray LaMontagne, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Prince, James Taylor, The Beatles, Heavy D, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Jeff Buckley, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Hank Williams, Madonna, Talking Heads, PJ Harvey, Morcheeba, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, The Clash, Nirvana...

MOVIES: Band of Brothers, Pulp Fiction, Moonstruck, Clueless, The Godfather, Cinema Paradiso, Bull Durham, Trading Places, Star Wars, Beverly Hills Cop, Casablanca, Out of Africa, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Run Lola Run, When Harry Met Sally...

BOOKS: The Sun Also Rises, The Razor's Edge, Every Second Counts, D-Day, Band of Brothers, For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Moveable Feast, Heart of Darkness, Johnny Tremain, The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God...

PLACES: Italy, Barcelona, Sevilla, Tonga, Marquesas Islands, Catalina Island, New York City!,Tucson desert, Kalalau Beach, Lipari, Paris, Austin Texas, Big Sur...