Sisters combine tradition and creativity for jazz

Emma Epstein Guest Writer

When it comes to jazz, certain instruments are expected: a drum set, a bass, a piano, a saxophone or trumpet. Every once in a while a guitar or a singer will surface. Thus, jazz duo sisters Sara and Rachel Caswell, jazz violinist and vocal improvisationist respectively, are often viewed as somewhat of an oddity.

However, as Rachel pointed out in between songs at the sisters’ concert at the Martel Recital Hall at Skinner on Sept. 18, both jazz vocal improvisation and jazz violin have histories dating back to the beginnings of jazz music. The Skinner performance proved a solid one, as both sisters created classic jazz sounds out of non-conventional instruments.

The younger of the two sisters, Sara, began playing violin at the age of ive. At age eight, she incorporated jazz and baroque styles into her playing. When she began studies at the University of Illinois, she decided to focus on classical and jazz, receiving Bachelor of Music degrees and an Artist Diploma in violin performance and jazz studies. She then took two years off to play gigs and develop her style before beginning graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music.

Rachel began as a cellist, receiving a Bachelors of Music degree in classical cello and jazz studies from Indiana University. However, in her junior year of college Rachel discovered that her voice was the instrument better suited to jazz. “Things I would hear in my head, in terms of jazz soloing, worked with my voice better than with my cello,” Rachel said. She then took a year off to “get my chops together” before pursuing a graduate degree at the New England Conservatory of Music.

From an early age, the two sisters have played together informally. They began official performances in 1998.

This performance featured a variety of jazz pieces, alternating between worded and wordless, frenzied and lyrical. Ranging from Broadway ballads to songs with distinct Spanish flare, each piece showcased both of the sisters’ unique talents. During the second half, each played a solo to showcase her strengths.

Sara finds solo pieces an interesting challenge. “We’re used to having piano, base, a drum set: [providing] a rhythmic foundation. You just have to put a crazy melodic line on top of it. Now all of a sudden you can decide what you want the piece to be. You can use [a solo piece] as an open palette.”

Rachel’s voice is reminiscent of old-time jazz singers, with a raspy quality more fit for a smoky jazz club than the sonorous auditorium. Her improvisational sequences were especially impressive. A huge range of notes and lack of excessive stress on consonant syllables created a very pure sound.

According to Rachel, multi-tasking lies at the heart of jazz singing. “When you sing a jazz song you have a lot of jobs to do,” she said, “You have to tell a story, you have to reveal it in your body, in the way you act. And you have to nail all the notes and the tune, too.”

Sara provided a contrasting tone, clear and piercing, perfect for the echoing acoustics of the hall. While most jazz violin is either blended with new age, blues, or fiddle music, the sounds that came out of her violin were purely jazz. During fast passages, her impeccable intonation and melodic ability reminded me of a saxophone soloist. And during lyrical passages, such as the solo piece she performed, “First Song,” she resembled a singer in her crystal-clear tone and use of different types of vibrato.

Rachel notes her sister’s versatility in finding ways to innovate classical jazz style using an unusual instrument. “For example, there’s pieces where she plays double stops,” Rachel says. “A saxophone or a trumpet can’t do that, unless they have four instruments coming out of their mouth. You have to remember what your instrument can do. Take advantage of it.”

Though their solo skills were impeccable, most interesting was when the two sisters performed at the same time. The difference in their tone contrasted greatly, even when they were conveying the same melodic line. The same note, in the whispy voice of Rachel or the clear tone of Sara, almost seemed to create a harmony.

The back-up band was also very strong. The piano, drums, and bass provided a nice backdrop for the two sisters. Drum and bass solos were especially impressive.

What I found most refreshing, however, was that, although the instruments used were unusual, the music they played was for the most part traditional jazz. Instead of adapting a genre to their instruments, the Caswell sisters adapted their instruments to the genre. As Sarah reminded students at the master class on Sept. 19, “That’s part of our job, to take a standard and change it. But you have to go back as far as you can, get the authentic tone to start with, and then go from there.”