I was honoured to have this opportunity to record this conversation with the phenomenal violinist Sara Caswell, who is a GRAMMY Nominee for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo. We focused on the recent 9 Horses album, Strum with mandolinist and composer Joseph Brent, and she also spoke to me about some of her other collaborators including esperanza spalding, Chuck Owen, Nadje Noordhuis, and mentors including David Baker, Mimi Zweig and Josef Gingold. She shared how she started playing the 10 stringed Hardanger d’amore, her rich early musical life in Bloomington, and how she is grounded and inspired from her family and friends.

You can read the transcript or watch the video, both linked here on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/sara-caswell

https://9horses.bandcamp.com/album/strum

https://saracaswell.com/

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photo: Shervin Lainez

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:19) 9 Horses album Strum, Joe Brent

(07:12) clip from The House that Ate Myself, 9 horses album Strum

(08:30) 9 horses trio and different recording projects

(11:50) clip from Americannia from 9 horses ablum Strum

(13:09) acoustic versus electric violin

(15:06) about Sara’s Hardanger d’amore fiddle

(23:00) clip from Long Time Away

(25:27) Sara’s approach to teaching jazz

(28:33) GRAMMY nomination, Chuck Owen the Jazz Surge

(32:59) Sara Caswell quartet The Way to You, Nadje Noorduis

(34:26) excerpt from South Shore Sara Caswell quartet The Way to You by Nadje Noorduis

(37:30) early musical life in Bloomington, David Baker, supportive parents, Mimi Zweig

(40:55) Josef Gingold

(48:14) related episodes and ways to support this project

(48:57) Bloomington years with David Baker, Jamey Abersold, Janis Stockhouse, Stanley Ritchie

(53:32) New York early years, John Blake, Sylvia Rosenberg

(56:47) clip from Jennie Pop Nettle-Eater

(57:22) meeting Joe Brent

(59:18) esperanza spalding

(01:02:54) the joy of collaboration

(01:04:31) clip from Strum

(01:05:19) work-life balance and self-care