Sarah Morrow, trombonist, holds the distinction....

"Sarah Morrow, trombonist, holds the distinction of having been the first female instrumentalist to tour with Ray Charles, but the emphasis there should really be placed on instrumentalist rather than female, because she's an impressively strong and soulful player, regardless of gender." -  Shaun Dale, Jazz Review.Com

From Pickerington, Ohio, Ms. Morrow began playing trombone at age 12 in her school band. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications at Ohio University and working in arts administration for two years, she decided to return to her first love, music. Specifically, jazz.
 
Since then, Ms. Morrow has received international recognition and critical acclaim performing and touring with her own quintet and as a sideman with many great artists. She has recorded 2 solo albums, on the French label RDC Records distributed by BMG in France, and her newest one, "Sarah Morrow and the American All Stars in Paris" on O+ records distributed worldwide through Harmonia Mundi.
 
Discovered by Ray Charles, Ms. Morrow is the first female instrumentalist to become a member of his orchestra. She toured with the legendary pianist and singer from November 1995 through May 1997 and left the group to join Foley, Miles Davis' lead bass player, in Europe as part of a three horn section playing funk.
 
After this, she returned to Europe to tour with Grammy award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater in her big band, and later with tenor saxophonist David Murray in his Octet's tribute to John Coltrane. Sarah has also toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Quartet of Diana Krall's bassist Pierre Boussaguet, and with the Quartet of award winning French vocalist Anne Ducros.
Sarah Morrow has taken Europe by storm.

With the release of her first album in 1999, Greenlight, (distributed in the USA on Summit Records)-featuring Antoine Roney (tenor sax), Jaz Sawyer (drums), Ugonna Ukegwo (bass), Kazi Oliver (percussion) and James Hurt (piano) - won critical acclaim and launched her career as a prominent soloist, bandleader, and composer / arranger.

Ms. Morrow's quintet has received rave reviews for their performance at numerous jazz festivals, including the Nice Jazz Festival, Paris JVC Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival in Madarao Japan, Marciac Jazz Festival, the Strasbourg Music Festival, Nancy Jazz Pulsations France, Italy for the Brass Group, and the illustrious Caja Espana Otono Jazz in 7 cities in Spain, to name a few. Special guests Jacky Terrasson (piano), Scott Amendola (drums), Ricky Ford (tenor sax), Pierre Boussaguet (bass), Denys Baptiste (saxophone) and John Betsch (drums) have been among the artists to perform in Sarah's band. In addition, the Sarah Morrow Quintet has opened for jazz luminaries Chick Corea, Ray Barretto, Kenny Garrett and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Ms. Morrow was chosen for the prominent "Rising Star Tour" in Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the Fall of 2001. This tour with her own Quintet culminated in the recording of Ms. Morrow's second album for RDC Records, Standards and Other Stories (distributed in the USA by North Country Distributors) featuring guest artists David Murray, Anne Ducros, Clarence Seay, Victor Atkins and Jesse Davis. It was released under BMG France in 2002 and in Europe and Japan, where again, having received amazing reviews, has given Ms. Morrow yet a greater reputation throughout more of the world.

Sarah Morrow and the American All Stars in Paris is Sarah's latest project involving top star Americans living in Paris. The amazing Rhoda Scott on organ and the legendary Hal "Cornbread" Singer on tenor saxophone are amongst others. The collective idea of bringing together different generations of musicians playing old standards with new arrangements worked especially well for this project. With Paris being such a "high point" of the international jazz scene, this CD pays homage to Americans living here and also to the city that has welcomed jazz musicians since the 1930's with such passion and fervor.
 
In between tours, Ms. Morrow is proud to work as a clinician and guest soloist for junior high schools, high schools and universities around the world.