American singer-songwriter Sachal Vasandani was born in 1978 in Chicago and initially studied economics while also earning degrees in jazz and classical music. He sang with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis and released his debut album "Eyes Wide Open" in 2007, followed by "We Move" in 2009 and "Hi-Fly" in 2011, where he collaborated with Jon Hendricks among others. In 2010, he won the critics' poll of the American Down Beat magazine in the Rising Star category as "Singer of the Year".
With his debut album on Okeh, "Slow Motion Miracles", Sachal is now taking a completely new direction. The ten touching songs on this album tell personal stories of love and loss; they are snapshots of moods and feelings, dreamy fantasies in the flowing ups and downs of love's pain and the joy of discovery.
Sachal presents multifaceted song treasures in various styles on "Slow Motion Miracles", including indie pop, hip hop, electronica, Brazilian jazz, Afro-beat, and jazz of old and new schools. "I don't set any limits for myself," says Sachal. "I experiment with my voice across a lot of music that I listen to. It's still me, and it's just a part of my journey." Sachal names some important influences – Paul Simon, Seu Jorge, Frank Ocean, popular hip hop, Fleetwood Mac, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and 19th-century German art song. Above all, he aims to present his songs in a new way so that they leave a lasting impression. "Experiences I've gone through that have condensed into fantasies over time inspired me to create this new album," says Sachal. "The songs originate from personal moments that mixed with daydreams and then developed into something completely new – a transcendence. When the feelings and ideas arose, I experienced them even more intensely than in the original moment."
For the production of "Slow Motion Miracles", Sachal enlisted multi-instrumentalist Michael Leonhart, who also contributed to the composition of two songs. A mutual friend introduced Sachal to Leonhart and provided him with demos of soundscapes, orchestrations, and lyrics he had created on the computer. "In the work as a lyricist and composer, one is often alone; here I could share these moments with Michael, making him a fantastic partner, a true colleague for me," says Sachal. "He has an impeccable ear, plays a lot of instruments, is well-versed in technology, and made the sounds sparkle. And despite all his great qualities and talents, he has retained a sense of humanity. Michael took my original ideas and elevated them to a higher level."
Sachal invited seven other musicians to contribute to some tracks – including Taylor Eigsti on keyboards and synthesizers, Gerald Clayton on piano, Ryan Scott on guitars, Buster Hemphill on electric bass, David Wong on acoustic bass, Nate Smith on drums, and Mark Guiliana on drums and drum machine. They all enrich the multifaceted songs with brief accents, subtle colors, and unobtrusive grooves. "These guys are all fantastic musicians," says Sachal, who also contributed to the keyboard parts, programming, and electronics. "The editing was a real challenge, but also the most beautiful part of the creation process of this album. It was about storytelling and setting the various layers in harmony so that the songs have a place in today's sound while also remaining connected to the past. In mixing all these fantastic components, we aimed to support the songs and bring them to life."
"Slow Motion Miracles" is about escaping, retracing a path, and love. The title track, with its exuberant beginning and almost mischievous sensitivity, is short but very meaningful. "It's about the desire to escape, but also about being captured by an overwhelming, sensual force," says Sachal. Correspondingly, the catchy "No More Tears", which begins with a poignant reflective vocal part and is later underpinned by organ sounds, is a dreamy search for new, fresh feelings. "Everything is cleared away, then it's off to new shores."
The sweet, loving "Marie" is a compositional collaboration with David Brophy, a songwriter from Boston who helped Sachal develop the song. It has a celebratory character but also carries thoughtful undertones. "Sometimes I need my escapes," comments Sachal. "When I wrote this piece, this image kept coming to mind – a beautiful day, a joyride with friends, a dazzling mood – a great, sunny moment." With Leonhart, Sachal wrote "Cover the Water", a hopeful, optimistic piece. It is based on an image that came to Sachal on a night beach and the feeling of youthful affection. "You set out, full of confidence that the universe will take care of you." With "Waiting on the Roof", it’s back home from the beach: it’s a daydream, falling asleep on the roof of the house under the starlight. "It's a love song, with the wonder of a child," says Sachal. "I’m waiting to fall in love, but I’m also captivated by the majesty of the stars."
In addition to the new pieces on Sachal's "Slow Motion Miracles", there are also two cover versions that fit the overall mood of the album. Sachal has written his own longing-filled lyrics to "Afternoon Sun", a piece by Brazilian songwriter Flavio Venturini, which is about the dreamy gaze towards the distant horizon. The album closes with a lush, soulful version of Jim Weatherly's "Neither One of Us" (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye), a song that Gladys Knight made a hit in 1973 with the Pips. "For this song, I came back down to earth – it resonates with my gut feeling," says Sachal.
"Slow Motion Miracles" is Sachal's most ambitious project to date, his fourth album (after three jazz CDs for Mack Avenue as Sachal Vasandani), in which his unique voice and captivating storytelling come to the fore. He looks forward to touring with a band that includes some of the studio musicians. "We had a lot of fun recording," he says. "We share our creativity. Now that I’m going on tour, I have the opportunity to breathe new life into these songs."
http://www.sachalsings.com
https://www.facebook.com/sachalsings
Tracklist:
01. No More Tears (Sachal Vasandani)
02. Denim Lights (Sachal Vasandani / Michael Leonhart)
03. Marie (Sachal Vasandani / David Brophy)
04. Slow Motion Miracles (Sachal Vasandani)
05. Haystacks (Sachal Vasandani)
06. Can't Talk (Sachal Vasandani / Erik Privert)
07. Cover the Water (Sachal Vasandani / Michael Leonhart)
08. Afternoon Sun (Composed by: Flavio Venturini / English lyrics & arrangement: Sachal Vasandani)
09. Waiting on the Roof (Sachal Vasandani)
10. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) (Jim Weatherly)
With his debut album on Okeh, "Slow Motion Miracles", Sachal is now taking a completely new direction. The ten touching songs on this album tell personal stories of love and loss; they are snapshots of moods and feelings, dreamy fantasies in the flowing ups and downs of love's pain and the joy of discovery.
Sachal presents multifaceted song treasures in various styles on "Slow Motion Miracles", including indie pop, hip hop, electronica, Brazilian jazz, Afro-beat, and jazz of old and new schools. "I don't set any limits for myself," says Sachal. "I experiment with my voice across a lot of music that I listen to. It's still me, and it's just a part of my journey." Sachal names some important influences – Paul Simon, Seu Jorge, Frank Ocean, popular hip hop, Fleetwood Mac, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and 19th-century German art song. Above all, he aims to present his songs in a new way so that they leave a lasting impression. "Experiences I've gone through that have condensed into fantasies over time inspired me to create this new album," says Sachal. "The songs originate from personal moments that mixed with daydreams and then developed into something completely new – a transcendence. When the feelings and ideas arose, I experienced them even more intensely than in the original moment."
For the production of "Slow Motion Miracles", Sachal enlisted multi-instrumentalist Michael Leonhart, who also contributed to the composition of two songs. A mutual friend introduced Sachal to Leonhart and provided him with demos of soundscapes, orchestrations, and lyrics he had created on the computer. "In the work as a lyricist and composer, one is often alone; here I could share these moments with Michael, making him a fantastic partner, a true colleague for me," says Sachal. "He has an impeccable ear, plays a lot of instruments, is well-versed in technology, and made the sounds sparkle. And despite all his great qualities and talents, he has retained a sense of humanity. Michael took my original ideas and elevated them to a higher level."
Sachal invited seven other musicians to contribute to some tracks – including Taylor Eigsti on keyboards and synthesizers, Gerald Clayton on piano, Ryan Scott on guitars, Buster Hemphill on electric bass, David Wong on acoustic bass, Nate Smith on drums, and Mark Guiliana on drums and drum machine. They all enrich the multifaceted songs with brief accents, subtle colors, and unobtrusive grooves. "These guys are all fantastic musicians," says Sachal, who also contributed to the keyboard parts, programming, and electronics. "The editing was a real challenge, but also the most beautiful part of the creation process of this album. It was about storytelling and setting the various layers in harmony so that the songs have a place in today's sound while also remaining connected to the past. In mixing all these fantastic components, we aimed to support the songs and bring them to life."
"Slow Motion Miracles" is about escaping, retracing a path, and love. The title track, with its exuberant beginning and almost mischievous sensitivity, is short but very meaningful. "It's about the desire to escape, but also about being captured by an overwhelming, sensual force," says Sachal. Correspondingly, the catchy "No More Tears", which begins with a poignant reflective vocal part and is later underpinned by organ sounds, is a dreamy search for new, fresh feelings. "Everything is cleared away, then it's off to new shores."
The sweet, loving "Marie" is a compositional collaboration with David Brophy, a songwriter from Boston who helped Sachal develop the song. It has a celebratory character but also carries thoughtful undertones. "Sometimes I need my escapes," comments Sachal. "When I wrote this piece, this image kept coming to mind – a beautiful day, a joyride with friends, a dazzling mood – a great, sunny moment." With Leonhart, Sachal wrote "Cover the Water", a hopeful, optimistic piece. It is based on an image that came to Sachal on a night beach and the feeling of youthful affection. "You set out, full of confidence that the universe will take care of you." With "Waiting on the Roof", it’s back home from the beach: it’s a daydream, falling asleep on the roof of the house under the starlight. "It's a love song, with the wonder of a child," says Sachal. "I’m waiting to fall in love, but I’m also captivated by the majesty of the stars."
In addition to the new pieces on Sachal's "Slow Motion Miracles", there are also two cover versions that fit the overall mood of the album. Sachal has written his own longing-filled lyrics to "Afternoon Sun", a piece by Brazilian songwriter Flavio Venturini, which is about the dreamy gaze towards the distant horizon. The album closes with a lush, soulful version of Jim Weatherly's "Neither One of Us" (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye), a song that Gladys Knight made a hit in 1973 with the Pips. "For this song, I came back down to earth – it resonates with my gut feeling," says Sachal.
"Slow Motion Miracles" is Sachal's most ambitious project to date, his fourth album (after three jazz CDs for Mack Avenue as Sachal Vasandani), in which his unique voice and captivating storytelling come to the fore. He looks forward to touring with a band that includes some of the studio musicians. "We had a lot of fun recording," he says. "We share our creativity. Now that I’m going on tour, I have the opportunity to breathe new life into these songs."
http://www.sachalsings.com
https://www.facebook.com/sachalsings
Tracklist:
01. No More Tears (Sachal Vasandani)
02. Denim Lights (Sachal Vasandani / Michael Leonhart)
03. Marie (Sachal Vasandani / David Brophy)
04. Slow Motion Miracles (Sachal Vasandani)
05. Haystacks (Sachal Vasandani)
06. Can't Talk (Sachal Vasandani / Erik Privert)
07. Cover the Water (Sachal Vasandani / Michael Leonhart)
08. Afternoon Sun (Composed by: Flavio Venturini / English lyrics & arrangement: Sachal Vasandani)
09. Waiting on the Roof (Sachal Vasandani)
10. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) (Jim Weatherly)
