“You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me,” a track off of my new CD I’m in Heaven Tonight, is currently available as a free download on All About Jazz.com
Please follow this link to the site to download the song:
On March 24, 2009 Eric Cohen featured I’m in Heaven Tonight on his afternoon radio program on WAER-Syracuse. He played “I Feel Pretty”, “Rockin’ Robin”, and “Sometimes I’m Happy”. Thanks Eric!!
I would like to extend an official welcome to my newly redesigned web
site. This redesign went live a few weeks ago, but I’ve been so busy
at home and with the promotion of my new CD that I didn’t get an opportunity to post a
message about it. I think I was also just relieved to have something
off my list!!
Over the years, we received many compliments about
the old version of this site, and even received some while we were in
the redesigning process!! We carried over the successful
elements of the old design – clean appearance and user-friendly format
– while incorporating a new, more contemporary color scheme and adding
increased “functionality,” as web designers call it. This is a web
site I will be able to grow into going forward. We’re happy with it,
and hope you like it, too!!
I have been featured in the April 2009 “Vocal Lovers’ Celebration” Issue of Jazz Improv (PDF). My profile appears on page 36 (of 98) in the .pdf file.
See text below:
Sarah DeLeo
By Gary Heimbauer
On balance and fulfillment in life
Early on, I learned that if I put all of my eggs in one basket, that basket being singing, I would drive myself insane. I found that to sustain myself through the ups and downs of being an artist I needed consistency in other areas of my life. My husband and I have been together for a long time, and I am very lucky to be in a long term relationship with a partner who supports my career, although I’m sure he really didn’t know what he was getting himself into when we started dating!! This personal stability provides me a lot of emotional and financial security. I never had to worry about dating or where I was going to live. I could just focus on singing. Prior to having a child, I always worked a day job. I know that many people didn’t understand my choice, but working in an office provided me invaluable financial and emotional security. There were disadvantages, but to me the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. Given the expense associated with being a self-producing artist, it was always important for me to have money. While working during the day, I was never short of money and funded both my CD projects from savings from my day job. Now that I am a full-time caregiver, the tables have turned somewhat and music now provides the balance in my life. Nowadays when I am practicing, or gigging, or at someone else’s gig, it’s “me” time. I am very excited about the release of my second CD, I’m in Heaven Tonight. It is a wonderful feeling to realize all the ideas in my head, to work with great people, and to see the project through to completion. When I started singing standards as a child, I had a feeling deep in my gut that this was who I was. You just know it. The only other time I had this feeling in my life was when I went out on my first date with my husband. Being a singer is who I am and what I do, and luckily I was blessed with God-given talent.
It was such a pleasure to sing at SoNo Caffeine in South Norwalk, CT last night. First, I had heard from the booking manager that the coffeehouse had new owners, but I did not expect to find such a positive change in the venue. The new owners took out a lot of clutter – the various antiques and other pieces of furniture and art – and keep it much cleaner. They also painted. I felt like I had walked into a reveal on one of those home design shows. It was so much more pleasant to be there than it had been previously. It’s just amazing how much an improvement in the physical environment positively effects your experience.
I had a great time at the gig. Thanks to everyone who attended. I was honored that both Phil Bowler and Larry Stoler were there following the radio interview last week. Jim Nichols took some fantastic pictures, and I look forward to having them up on this site soon. This was my first gig of the year, and I had been itching to start performing again. I was pleased with how I sang. The gig provided the perfect kickoff to this portion of the new CD promotion, some nice momentum. David Cook was wonderful on the keys as always. We’ve done a few duo gigs over the past few years, and on these occasions when its just the two of us, I have more an opportunity to listen to him play, which I enjoy very much.
Getting back to the renovated SoNo Caffeine, if you live in Fairfied County, I would recommend stopping by. It’s a nice place to hang out. They have great desserts and drinks. It’s a good, local alternative to the Seattle national coffee chain. I would also recommend this venue to musicians in the area. I live in Manhattan and gig there based on the relationship I have with the booking manager, but its not necessarily the most convenient location for me. if you live close by though, its a great option for a small, nontraditional venue.