Sara Jacovino is a trombonist, composer, and arranger who resides in New York City. Since moving to the city in November 2008, Sara has quickly established herself as an active jazz and commercial trombonist and as an ambitious writer. In addition to her work as a sideman, Sara can be heard leading her original quintet as well as her 17 piece big band.
Most recently, Sara co-founded along with fellow BMI composer Caitlin Smith, a 50 piece jazz philharmonic consisting of many of NYC's top jazz and broadway musicians. The Orchestral Reeducation performs the modern jazz music of Smith and Jacovino in the orchestral setting.
In 2009, Sara was named "winner" of Downbeat Magazine's Student Music Awards in the category of best jazz arrangement. She was also named a finalist in the ASCAP young jazz composers awards. Similarly, in 2008, Sara’s composition skills earned her two Downbeat Awards. She was named "winner" in both the Original Song (an original composition under six minutes) and Extended Composition (an original composition over six minutes) categories. Also in 2008, her performance/composition abilities earned her a spot in the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Music Residency Program. It is here where she had the opportunity to work with the legendary Curtis Fuller and Dr. Billy Taylor, amongst others. Later that year, Sara was sought out by David Baker and invited to the be in residency at Steans Institute at the Ravinia festival. Sara was also selected as one of three finalists in the International Trombone Association’s J.J. Johnson solo jazz trombone competition. She is a current member of the BMI jazz composer's workshop led by Jim McNeely.
In 2008, Sara completed her MM Degree in Jazz performance at the University of North Texas while studying trombone with the great Steve Wiest (formerly of Maynard Ferguson) and a composition with Neil Slater and Paris Rutherford. For three years, she performed as a member, composer, and a featured soloist of the famed UNT One O’Clock Lab Band. Sara also performed and wrote extensively for the Utubes jazz trombone ensemble, which, under the direction of Steve Wiest, garnered international acclaim by winning two international competitions in 2008: the International Trombone Association’s Kai Winding jazz trombone Ensemble Competition and the Eastern Trombone Workshop’s Capitol Bones competition.
Sara has shared the stage with jazz greats such as: Steve Davis, Slide Hampton, Rufus Reid, Wayne Bergeron, John Abercrombie, Pete Christlieb, Bill Holman, Rich Perry, Lou Marini, Steve Wiest, Adonis Rose, Jim Pugh, Ejiro Nakagawa, Phil Woods, Carmen Bradford, Bernard Wright, Robert "Sput" Searight, Lynn Seaton, Stefan Karlsson, Marlena Shaw, Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra, and the Artie Shaw Orchestra to name a few.
She can be heard on the albums "Lab 2008," "Lab 2007," "Lab 2006" and "Live at Blues Alley" by the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band; "The Best of the Big O" by the University of North Texas Two O'Clock Lab Band; and "Bring Us the Bright," "The Only Constant," "The World is Getting Smaller" and "Real to Reel" by the Jazz/World/Fusion Ensemble Snarky Puppy.
"Ordinary Deviation (S.Jacovino)," "Lacuna (S.Jacovino)" and "Three Blind Mice (arr. S.Jacovino) are rough mixes that will appear on the One O'Clock Lab Band Cd "Lab 2008". These tracks were recorded and mixed by Phil Bulla of Platinum Productions.
"A Near Miss (S.Jacovino)" and "Noctilucent Shift (S.Jacovino)" are rough mixes of tracks that will appear on the Utubes debut recording.
"Beautiful Friendship" was recorded live at the fall concert (2006) with the One O'Clock Lab Band.
