FROM NEW YORK: SARA HANNAHAN and HER QUARTET

Sarah Hanahan is a dynamic, soulful alto saxophonist swiftly emerging as one of the most

compelling new voices in jazz. A graduate of both the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and The

Juilliard School, she blends deep-rooted swing and bebop traditions with a bold, modern

intensity—an approach shaped by her rigorous training and fearless artistic vision.

Since stepping onto the scene, Hanahan has performed with an extraordinary range of jazz

luminaries, including Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nicholas Payton, Peter

Washington, and Joe Farnsworth. Her commanding tone, technical mastery, and melodic

imagination have taken her to major stages across the U.S. and abroad, with regular appearances

at premier New York venues such as Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, and Smoke Jazz & Supper

Club.

Her debut album, Among Giants (2024)—featuring Marc Cary, Nat Reeves, and Jeff “Tain”

Watts—earned critical acclaim, including a 5-star review in DownBeat magazine and placement

in their Top Albums of the Year list in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, Hanahan was named DownBeat’s

#1 Rising Star Alto Saxophonist and ranked #9 overall alto saxophonist in the DownBeat

Readers Poll—placing her alongside legends such as Kenny Garrett and Gary Bartz and further

cementing her status as one of the leading voices of her generation.

Whether fronting her own quartet or collaborating with some of the music’s most revered artists,

Sarah Hanahan plays with passion, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the ever-

evolving art of jazz.