Biography
When not crafting Mexico’s most delightful strain of indie pop—as heard on her Suzanne Vega-flavored 2005 solo debut Lado Este, which features contributions from Marc Ribot (Elvis Costello, Tom Waits) and Melvin Gibbs (Rollins Band, Marisa Monte)—Guadalajara-based singer/songwriter Sara Valenzuela serves as host of the hometown radio program Jazz Solo. She launched the weekly broadcast in 1991, and although many performers treat such DJ responsibilities as secondary, Valenzuela regards them as an avenue toward deeper creative insight.
Born in Mexico City in 1968 and relocated to Guadalajara soon afterward, Valenzuela admitted in a phone interview following Lado Este’s U.S. release on independent label Nacional Records, “I didn’t know I liked jazz when I started the show. But when I started to dig in I realized I liked the music a lot. And all different kinds, from ragtime to avant-garde. I used to be influenced by the Who, by Peter Gabriel, but also by soul singers like Marvin Gaye. Now I’m influenced by Billie Holiday and other jazz singers, because I try to be more open. It’s easier to find your voice that way.”
Listeners who secured La Dosis a Sony contract during the pop-punk band’s 1994–2001 existence expressed clear enthusiasm for the vocal approach Valenzuela employed across that trio of widely praised albums. Eventually, however, the urge to work apart from the group took hold, resulting in Lado Este and the unhurried, lived-in phrasing that defines tracks such as “Para Continuar” and “Si Me Voy.” Like many successful Spanish-language artists, Valenzuela conveys emotion without linguistic mediation, provided listeners are prepared to meet her reflective mood. She nevertheless intends to resume bandleading duties, fronting Guadalajara’s Soul Tonic for soul covers and Cheek Freak for experimental jazz-rock explorations.
Born in Mexico City in 1968 and relocated to Guadalajara soon afterward, Valenzuela admitted in a phone interview following Lado Este’s U.S. release on independent label Nacional Records, “I didn’t know I liked jazz when I started the show. But when I started to dig in I realized I liked the music a lot. And all different kinds, from ragtime to avant-garde. I used to be influenced by the Who, by Peter Gabriel, but also by soul singers like Marvin Gaye. Now I’m influenced by Billie Holiday and other jazz singers, because I try to be more open. It’s easier to find your voice that way.”
Listeners who secured La Dosis a Sony contract during the pop-punk band’s 1994–2001 existence expressed clear enthusiasm for the vocal approach Valenzuela employed across that trio of widely praised albums. Eventually, however, the urge to work apart from the group took hold, resulting in Lado Este and the unhurried, lived-in phrasing that defines tracks such as “Para Continuar” and “Si Me Voy.” Like many successful Spanish-language artists, Valenzuela conveys emotion without linguistic mediation, provided listeners are prepared to meet her reflective mood. She nevertheless intends to resume bandleading duties, fronting Guadalajara’s Soul Tonic for soul covers and Cheek Freak for experimental jazz-rock explorations.
Albums
