htot by Andrea Canter

Meet Tresa Sauer

Tresa Sauer’s musical inclinations were revealed early, when she began playing piano by ear at four and enrolled in formal studies at the MacPhail Center for the Arts at age five. She notes that she played cello for a while in grade school, “but tired of carrying it on the bus.” Later she tried the guitar, “but it confused me to no end.” As a teenager, she turned to singing, training herself by copying the vocalists she enjoyed. Then, at 18, she “sang with a disco band comprised mainly of depressed jazz musicians that split up on a sub-zero road trip to Bemidji.” Her interest in music waned until 1991, when she heard Austin, Texas jazz singer, Kellye Gray. “I began listening to all kinds of jazz, studying piano chord structure and theory, and briefly studying voice with the late vocalist/educator, Roberta Davis,” Sauer recalls. “Davis, not known for fluff or suffering fools, armed me with all kinds of useful advice, like ‘This is not a beauty contest, my dear. We sing.’ Her directness was refreshing and strengthened me.”

Phtot by Andrea Canter

Her early vocal influences were Phoebe Snow, Roberta Flack, Flora Purim, and Annie Lennox, while among her jazz muses, “I've listened to everything recorded by the foundational three – Sarah, Ella, and Billie – but hugely admire Dianne Reeves, Etta Jones, and Shirley Horn.” She also cites, among her favorites, McCoy Tyner, Gene Harris, John Scofield, and Joshua Redman. And “while cooking or cleaning,” she prefers Wilco, Lucinda Williams' "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road," Stevie Wonder, or Earth, Wind, and Fire. “There's little music I truly dislike and even enjoy opera if I don't think about it too hard.”

Sauer recalls her first live performance in 1992, in the company of one of the best rhythm section in town—Chris Lomheim, Gordy Johnson, and Phil Hey. “Those were some incredible musicians to work with straight off,” she says. “Luckily they’re really nice guys, because I was in for an education that night!” From that gig on, Sauer has sung at the cream of Twin Cities venues, including a two-year stint at the old Jitters with the late George Tucker on guitar and Chris Bates on bass. Dubbed by guitarist (and frequent accomplice) Clay Moore as “a terrific singer who brings her own style to classic standards associated with Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, and Ella Fitzgerald,” these days Sauer appears around town with her own trio, as well as the Tanner Taylor Trio, and often in the company of Moore, Chris Lomheim, Michael O’Brien, Tony Axtell, Michael Pilhofer and others—many who appear on her recording.

Groovin’ Up Slowly

As Pat Courtemanche notes in the press release, “Tresa’s evocative vocal style favors tastefully-intelligent restraint over showy flash, a kind of cool, but undeniable passion that can tease, caress, warm, and question.” Notes Sauer herself, “the concept for my CD…was to ‘jazz-ify’ a few non-jazz standards. While I do love old standards, my statement is that jazz is not an era, but an approach.” Thus drawing from an eclectic songbook, Sauer covers the Beatles, Bacharach and David, Bob Marley, James Taylor, and jazz classics from Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and more. She also contributes all but one of the arrangements and plays piano on two tracks. And the supporting cast is nothing short of impeccable: Chris Lomheim on keyboards, Gordy Johnson and Jim Chenowith on bass, Clay Moore on drums, Michael Pilhofer on drums, and producer Tony Axtell on percussion; Billy Brown adds accordion on one track. Matthew Zimmerman and Wild Sound provide the clean mix and sound.

This is my first encounter with Tresa Sauer (so where have I been?), and her voice grows on me with each listen. Sauer’s is not a “big” voice in the Ella or Sarah vein, nor a buttercream Monheit perfection, nor sweet chimes a la Stacey Kent. Rather, hers is a pleasingly effective jazz voice rich with interpretative charm-- reminding me a bit of Karrin Allyson’s smoky haze with a touch of grit and a drop of honey. Over the course of these 10 diverse tracks, Sauer reveals a voice of many layers of emotion and nuance.

The first track, Lennon and McCartney’s “Come Together,” lends the title to the recording. Sauer’s smoky vibrato gives the tune a sultry lilt, while Clay Moore’s guitar adds a delightfully sinister tone. The first of two Bacharach and David tracks, “Alfie” gives Sauer room to prove she’s truly a jazz interpreter. Here, rather than letting final notes float into the air, she stops the flow just enough, more aching than longing. On piano, Lomheim demonstrates why he is the perfect foil for a vocalist. The other Bachrach and David cover, “Close to You,” is not presented as the familiar admiring love song of the Carpenters, but as more of a sad accusation. Sauer says this is her own favorite: “Instead of the chirpy little number we all know (and didn't necessarily love) as performed by the Carpenters, I present it rather dark and melancholy, with the scent of a possible restraining order somewhere down the line.” Indeed. And Gordy Johnson’s bass solo adds to the somber tone.

The standards are well served by Sauer’s fresh arrangements. “Blue Skies” launches with an appropriately celestial duet from Lomheim and Johnson. Sauer’s phrases never have a truly legato quality, but here she floats her end notes into those of the piano, which is lyrically under Lomheim’s spell. Pilhofer is generally subtle throughout but, particularly, his cymbal work on this track adds to the clarity of those “blue skies,” and Gordy Johnson’s bass solo is exquisitely sublime. “Let’s Get Lost” is perhaps the most charming track of the set. Clay Moore stars in support that adds a swinging, samba-like rhythm, less of a longing a la Chet Baker and more of an invitation to a playful romance. “I Love Paris” starts with some nice mallet work from Pilhofer that gives Cole Porter’s chestnut an undercurrent of anticipation. Flatting the ends of her phrases, Sauer adds a bit of sultriness and blues; Jim Chenowith shines on the bass solo. Sauer’s rendition of “I Only Have Eyes for You”--one of her two turns on the piano as well as vocals-- offers a vastly different interpretation than the usual sweet love ballad, as she infuses a little humor with some upturned phrases and hesitating rhythms (and most deliciously so on the keyboard); Billy Brown’s accordion also adds some welcome silliness to the harmonics. “Old Devil Moon” finds Lomheim on his original instrument, organ (B-3) and Axtell on bass. Sauer’s conversational phrasing is considerably unlike the usual lyrically focused interpretation of this standard. Here the vocalist seems to talk directly to a lover, giving a playful scolding—and she really swings.

Two tracks have much more of a country/blues flavor, for which Sauer’s voice and phrasing seem ideally suited. Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” is certainly not your standard jazz fare; in fact this feels more like a Norah Jones vehicle, but personally I prefer Sauer’s wistful approach. Moore on guitar and Lomheim on Fender Rhodes add to the country blues/folk feel. The final track, James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” finds Sauer accompanying herself solo on piano (recorded on single track). Here her phrasing is more jazz than pop, but I wouldn’t mind hearing her in duet with Taylor.

In sum, this is an outstanding and overdue debut recording from an artist with a very individual style, one that should have wide appeal not only to fans of vocal jazz but to anyone who enjoys great tunes with fresh interpretations.

CD Release Party

Tresa Sauer and her compatriots on this recording will be celebrating Groovin’ Up Slowly at Rossi’s Blue Star Room, Thursday May 26 through Saturday, May 27. This is a great way to kick-off Memorial Day Weekend, and finally we can enjoy Rossi’s free of that smoky haze. Sauer may have been “groovin’ up slowly” for the past decade, but this recording indicates we were not “waiting in vain.” Hopefully the next one will “come together” a lot sooner!

Rossi’s Blue Star Room is located at 80 S. 9^th Street in downtown Minneapolis. Sets start at 8 pm Thursday, 9 pm Friday and Saturday, no cover. Groovin' Up Slowly is available at the Electric Fetus, Down in the Valley, www.cdbaby.com and www.tresasauer.com.

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