The Michelle Sarah Band

A strong message over some deep grooves is powerful, no doubt; it can take control of the listener and move the body and the mind too. The Michelle Sarah Band clearly puts this goal at the forefront of their music. With irresistible, dance-inducing performances, this buzz worthy five-piece band has been leaving their funkin soul footprint on listeners since their inception in 2011.

At a late night impromptu jam session that included Michelle Sarah and bassist John Ryan, the vibe was hot; so much so, that they saw some great potential, and with that, a few calls were made, some choice musicians were brought on board, and shortly after, the Michelle Sarah Band was born. We all have a love and respect for the various forms of modern and vintage funk, r&b and soul. We saw a good avenue for putting all of this together in our own way, that sounded both classic and very fresh, says John.

They quickly enlisted keyboardist Ira Friedman, whose style and use of classic sounds such as the Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes and Clavinet, was a perfect fit to the MSB vibe. Michelle and Ira formed a solid connection in writing collaborations early on. It came so easily to us, writing together; it was a clear sign of the longevity that could ensue - excitement quickly took over and the rest is history, here we are, says Michelle. Before too long Seth Eames was drafted on guitar, and long-time Northeast drummer, Phil Carr, who is well known for his role in the Jazz-funk band Viperhouse, a popular band in the late 1990s. These musicians, the final pieces to a puzzle that would solidify the Michelle Sarah Bands sound and their future as a soul staple on the scene.

The band touches upon many styles, from classic organ-driven Jimmy Smith-esque grooves, heavy deep funk danceable numbers that delve into hip-hop, contemporary neo-soul and even venture occasionally into a disco, bedroom soul, and Brazilian groove, all centered around Michelles dynamic vocal stylings.

Her soulful range drew to mind Susan Tedeschi and Grace Potter but her dance moves and connection with the audience made her more accessible Music Marauders Website

At the heart of the bands sound is the Canadian-born singer/songwriter, Michelle Sarah. She grew up in Guyana, South America and began her heart-song there as a child. As a teen, she was moved to the States and after high school quickly learned the ropes, playing with top musicians in the New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia area, finding herself on stage with funk legends in George Clinton and the P-funk All-stars and doing back-ups for pop stars were all milestones that stoked her fire to press on. Of this time, Michelle says, Im a lucky girl, my life has been one advantageous journey after another. That said, a lot of my personal journey through it all has really been about finding my inner voice, what I can offer through my music. Its been a rewarding time of finding out exactly what I have to say as an artist.

The Michelle Sarah Band has seen a fruitful beginning, including breakout performances on the festival scene, their most recent run at Nectars in Burlington had them open for funk legend Bernie Worrell, who joined them on stage for part of their performance. Moving into 2014, Michelle Sarah Band is gearing up for the release of their first studio album, new music, new shows, more festival appearances.