LUCIA SARMIENTO

ESCAPE

Independent label

Lucia Sarmiento, saxophones/flute/composer/vox/arranger; Ry Bill, bass/guitar/producer/ arranger; Russ King, Will Kjeer, Kevin Gastonguay, & Kavyesh Kaviraj, keyboards; Dave Orr, Mark Lettieri, & David Feily, guitar; Marshall Kummer, Austin Lee, Peter Janjic, Dan May, & Pete Hennig, drums; Jemma Heigis, vocals; Liz Lister, strings; Jose Perez & Daryl Boudreaux, percussion; Adam Meckler, trumpet/horn arranger.  

On this debut album, Peruvian American tenor saxophonist Lucia Sarmiento emerges as a rising star on the contemporary jazz scene.

“When I play the saxophone, I love that feeling of danger. I’m drawn to music filled with intensity and risk that captures every fiber of your being in the moment. That’s why I love jazz,” explains the 5’3” petite lady who weighs no more than 125 pounds.

She says her initial influencers were Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, the old-school masters.  She listened to them in her native Lima, Peru.  In 2013, attending the McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul, Minnesota on a scholarship, she discovered more modern woodwind players like Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer and Chris Potter.  It wasn’t long before the talented lady was performing with Prince’s long-time collaborators and Weather Report’s legendary drummer Eric Gravatt.  She was right out of college and eager to work the jazz scene in Saint Paul. The community welcomed her with open arms.

“I explored every genre from Minneapolis funk to brass band, and from Motown to free jazz.  What was really important was that I came to develop my own sound,” Lucia Sarmiento wrote in her press package.

Her “Escape” album features eleven stunning contemporary tracks, most composed by Sarmiento and bass guitarist, Ry Dill. There is a certain magic present when I listen to her contemporary jazz music that echoes of inspired creativity and her individuality.  This young talent enters my listening room with a tune called “Signal Flow.”  It’s full of dreamy textures and programmed electronic effects that snatch my attention. This is followed by “Morning Delight” that’s quite melodic, with Sarmiento’s tenor saxophone skipping over the notes, like stones splashing across a serene lake.  She grabs my attention and holds it with her tone and the happiness that exudes from the bell of her horn.

On “Look Up” you can hear her traditional jazz roots shining through.

In the past, Lucia Sarmiento was hired as the only female member in the Pitbull band.  She toured for a year, as part of a 60-person crew, playing both saxophone and guitar.

Lucia begam playing classical guitar at age seven and saxophone at age twelve. In fact, she was so intoxicated with the idea of playing a guitar, she sold her toys at a flea market to buy her first electric guitar instrument.  This was when she was captivated by Rock music, Metallica and AC/DC.  But in high school, Sarmiento discovered jazz and the rest is history.

After the completion of her Pitbull tour, she joined Colombian reggaeton star, Karol G. to play saxophone and flute on a United States tour in 2023.  All the while, she was saving up for her own music release and eagerly awaiting to headline her own band.

This is a delightful album by Lucia Sarmiento.  She left her country at an early age, chasing  musical dreams. With this project, her dreams have come to fruition.  I expect huge accomplishments and wonderful music from this talented woman.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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