Return to You was created by the same talented team that put together Yours (including Grammy-award nominated bass master John Clayton as producer, and her equally youthful, all-star LA based band, Josh Nelson (p), Erik Kertes (b), and Matt Slocum (d)). Return to You features well-planned arrangements of more contemporary standards by songwriters Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Harry Connick Jr., and Gillian Welch. Some of the best material, however, comes from Gazarek’s acclaimed pianist, Josh Nelson, as he displays his considerable gifts as a composer and lyricist with four new songs.
In choosing the material for Return to You, Gazarek explains, “our live performances are very different from the record. We do a lot more up-tempo and swinging material. But we felt secure in the base we’d created with Yours and wanted to explore some of our other influences. We wanted this album to have a flow, and a sense of purpose, and we feel the listener will be able to pick up on the part of our souls we gave to this album.” Among the album’s stand out tracks are a playful version of Mitchell’s “Carey,” and a haunting rendition of Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” with an obscure final chorus that has rarely been recorded. Gazarek’s knack for spotting first-rate material shines brightest on “Northern Lights,” a ravishing song written by the brilliant tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake – a collaboration so poignant and engaging that no one should be surprised if the tune ends up spearheading a Norah Jones-like breakthrough.
“Return to You” also introduces a number of new textures and sounds, not explored before on the bands prior release. Strings, guitar, horns, and duet vocals are, as Gazarek puts it “a way to get a message across that we couldn’t express as a quartet.” And while the singer could have had her pick of all-star instrumentalists to feature on her sophomore album, Gazarek, who possesses an easy-going charisma that quietly commands attention, refuses to hog the limelight. “In this band we prefer to keep it in the family, and featured some of our most talented friends,” Gazarek says, humbly, always referring to “we” rather than “I” when speaking of her music, highlighting the indispensability of her band mates. “We truly are a family now, and they are an integral part of the way our sound has progressed.” The quartet works together in shaping arrangements, and each piece is the result of extended collaboration. She notes the importance of this collaboration, “we are constantly learning from one another.”
Born and raised in Seattle, Gazarek grew up without much exposure to jazz. She denotes any and all preliminary jazz education to her high school big band and choir director, Scott Brown. “He afforded us a lot of educational opportunities at festivals and competitions,” Gazarek remembers. As a senior in high school, she was awarded the first ever Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation Outstanding Jazz Vocalist Award at the Essentially Ellington Festival in NYC. “I guess you could say my first gig was at Avery Fisher Hall with Wynton Marsalis,” Gazarek chuckles.
Sara made her way south to Los Angeles in 2000 and found herself at the prestigious Thornton School of Music at USC, studying under the tutelage of John Clayton, Shelly Berg, Tierney Sutton, and Carmen Bradford. While there, Sara helped develop the JazzReach program and, as a result, was able to spend 2 years working with inner city elementary school children as a jazz choir director. “I’ll never forget that experience. It is so important to me to be out there, educating young people.” Sara continues to educate young people today as the sole ambassador for the non-profit music and arts education organization, Music For All. Sara and her band give clinics at local schools while on tour, because, as Gazarek puts it, “education is such an important part of our lives, and the band and I know we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that one teacher who showed us the way. It is our duty to give back.”
In 2003, Sara was awarded the 2003 Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Collegiate Vocalist. Shortly after the publication hit the press, Sara was asked to perform with Oleta Adams, Karrin Allyson, and Diane Schuur as the "as yet undiscovered talent" on the Concord Jazz Festival tour. Simultaneously, Gazarek joined a number of a-list clientele (including Barry Manilow and Allyson) as a Stiletto Entertainment (management) client and was soon being booked by the industrious William Morris Agency. “I remember feeling very nervous about it all,” Sara recalls. “I’d had it drilled into me that a strong career at a young age was a fast track to obscurity.”
Luckily, at a time when it would have been easy for Gazarek to lose track of her artistic goals, John Clayton, a mentor and teacher at USC, provided a grounding influence. When record labels first came knocking and she started to question her place, it was Clayton who set her straight. “He said, ‘Sara, everyone has his or her own path, and there’s no path that’s any more respectable than any other,’” she recalls. “‘As long as you do your homework and keep striving to be a better musician, you’ll have a lasting career.’”
Clayton agreed to produce her first album, Yours, and insisted she develop the arrangements herself with the band she’d been performing with. She found musical soul mates in her group, and the resulting record was a debut that was released to national and international rave reviews. It ranked in the Top 10 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts, Top 10 on the iTunes top Jazz Album Downloads (US, UK, Switzerland, and Belgium), #1 on the iTunes Top Jazz Album Downloads (Germany, France), #5 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts, #4 on the HMV (Japan) chart. In addition, Sara was voted the #3 Best New Artist in the JazzTimes Readers Poll.
With her strong sense of gratitude, this talented, graceful, constantly evolving, emotionally direct, label-pushing vocalist will continue to “do her homework.” And judging by her second album, Sara Gazarek is going to have a lot to offer the music scene for many years to come.
Makes Me Feel This Way
Sara Gazarek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be near you
Believe me when I say
That you are the one who
Makes me feel this way
I just wanna play
Music all night long
The way that you move me
The way that you touch me
Your lips and your kisses
I want them cause they always
Make me feel this way
I just wanna play
Music all night long
I'm singing you my song
Feeling good everyday now
I'm on top of the world now
Got a spring in my step babe
Just knowing that you're mine babe
Everybody's looking
Because you're so good-looking
Believe me when I say
That you are the one who
Makes me feel this way
I just wanna play
Music all night long
I'm singing you my song
Music all night long
I'm singing you my song
Music all night long
I'm singing you my song
The way that you move me
The way that you grove me
The way that you reach me
The way that you teach me
Believe me when I say
It's you that makes me wanna play
The lyrics of Sara Gazarek's song "Makes Me Feel This Way" speak to a feeling of infatuation and attraction towards someone. The singer is drawn to the person's physical and emotional presence, and feels inspired by their influence to create music. The chorus repeats the phrase "Makes me feel this way," emphasizing the intensity of the singer's feelings. The second verse expands on this desire, with lyrics such as "Feeling good everyday now / I'm on top of the world now / Got a spring in my step babe / Just knowing that you're mine babe."
The bridge of the song includes the lines "Everybody's looking / Because you're so good-looking," indicating that the person the singer is singing to is highly desirable and attracts attention. However, the chorus brings the focus back to the singer's own experience, with the repetition of "I just wanna play / Music all night long / I'm singing you my song." The desire to create and share music with the object of their affection is central to the singer's experience of this feeling.
Overall, the lyrics of "Makes Me Feel This Way" convey a sense of joy, attraction, and inspiration, capturing the exhilaration of being swept up in a new romance.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something about you
The person being addressed has a certain quality or attribute that catches the attention of the singer.
I want to be near you
The singer desires to be in close proximity to the person being addressed.
Believe me when I say
The statement that follows is true and sincere.
That you are the one who
The singer believes that the person being addressed is responsible for a certain feeling or emotion they are experiencing.
Makes me feel this way
The person being addressed is responsible for a positive feeling or emotion the singer is experiencing.
I just wanna play
The singer wants to simply enjoy themselves without any barriers or stress.
Music all night long
The singer wants to be surrounded by music for an extended period of time.
I'm singing you my song
The singer is expressing their feelings and emotions towards the person being addressed through music.
The way that you move me
The person being addressed has the ability to emotionally impact the singer through their actions.
The way that you touch me
Physical contact with the person being addressed elicits strong emotions from the singer.
Your lips and your kisses
The physical aspect of the person being addressed, specifically their mouth, has a strong impact on the singer.
I want them cause they always
The singer desires physical contact with the person being addressed because it consistently elicits strong emotions.
Feeling good everyday now
The singer consistently experiences positive emotions on a daily basis.
I'm on top of the world now
The singer feels as though they can accomplish anything and have a positive outlook on their life.
Got a spring in my step babe
The singer feels energized and excited as a result of the positive emotions they are experiencing.
Just knowing that you're mine babe
The relationship that the singer has with the person being addressed brings them a sense of security and satisfaction.
Everybody's looking
Others are taking notice of the person being addressed and the impact they have on the singer.
Because you're so good-looking
The physical appearance of the person being addressed is a notable factor in the singer's attraction to them.
It's you that makes me wanna play
The person being addressed is the source of the inspiration and motivation that drives the singer to make music and express themselves.
Contributed by Jack L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.