April 14, 2021 – On May 7, Sarah Jarosz will release Blue Heron Suite, a song cycle she composed after becoming the recipient of the FreshGrass Composition Commission in 2017. The piece was inspired by frequent trips Jarosz and her parents made to Port Aransas, a small town on the Gulf Coast of Texas a few hours from the family’s home in Wimberley.
Album Track “Morning” is Released Today
The wistful and bright “Morning,” released today, opens and closes with a sonorous bowed bass, its sweetly uplifting melody punctuated by gently strummed guitar and the plaintive refrain “Oooh, she reminds me of you.” Listen to “Morning” HERE.
“2017 was an emotional year for me – my mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer the previous winter and the town of Port Aransas was severely impacted by Hurricane Harvey,” recalls Jarosz. “Those two events caused me to think back to the early morning walks my mom and I would take along Mustang Island beach – we would always spot the Great Blue Herons along the shore. Anyone who’s observed these birds knows that their stoic, calm nature is a treasure to behold. The bird came to be a symbol of hope for my family during a difficult time, and even now, throughout my travels, whenever I spot a Blue Heron, I always think of it as a good omen; a little reminder of the important things in life, especially family.”
Fortunately, as Jarosz notes in a fitting coda, “Thankfully, my mom is now in remission and Port Aransas is slowly on the mend, but Blue Heron Suite still encapsulates so many of the feelings associated with that time – I like to think of the song cycle as a quiet acknowledgement of life’s many uncertainties; you never know what will be thrown your way, but you can always work to try to face the highs and the lows with grace and strength.”
Photo credit: Kaitlyn Raitz
Last week, Jarosz announced a pair of Livestream concert events scheduled for April 29 and May 9.
She promises, “These shows are going to be completely unique from one another with different setlists and songs for each.” Tickets for both shows, which will stream via Mandolin, are available for purchase HERE.
On April 29th, Jarosz will perform her Grammy-winning album World on the Ground with a full band for the first time since its release in June 2020. Multi-instrumentalist and producer John Leventhal will join the band for this performance.
Jarosz will celebrate the release of Blue Heron Suite by performing it in its entirety on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th.
Blue Heron Suite was recorded December 17-21, 2018 at Reservoir Studios in New York City. Jarosz is joined by Jeff Picker on bass and Jefferson Hamer on guitar and harmony vocals.