Sarah MK

Sarah Makonnen, the artist who goes by the stage name Sarah MK, is a woman of many talents. She claims writing and arranger credits on eight of the nine song on her new recording, Worth It. The Canadian also takes a citation as executive producer.

Sarah MK sings and spits a few rhymes on Worth It. That’s not a bad days work. Still, after listening to Worth It, it becomes clear some of those hats fit more naturally than others. The artist’s skills as a lyricist measure up. The soul/hip-hop fusion cut “Think Dat” shows that Sarah MK is an imaginative artist who can spin the dysfunctions of modern life into funky little polemics. This number addresses people who operate under the mistaken notion that bad things will never happen to them. The mid-tempo cut “Just Friends” finds Sarah MK wondering if it’s worth the risk to take a friendship to the next level. The artist gives listeners a sample of her MC skills on this song. Ironically, her rapping is the one part of Sarah MK’s skill set that is not as refined her singing and songwriting – although you wouldn’t know it by listening to this cut. The rap on “Just Friends” works because Sarah MK’s rhyming has a melodic feel that allows her to move smoothly from singing to rapping. Conversely, her rap on the “Ain’t Hearin’ It.” - a tune where she disses the phonies she comes across in the music industry – sounds robotic rather than conversational.

Her still-developing rap talent is not a deal breaker because Sarah MK’s song writing and singing are the album’s real stars. She sports a mature and vocal instrument that will distinguish her from many of her peers who often feel the need to sound like a bunch of 13 years olds when they’re not trying to channel their inner Patti LaBelles. The twin numbers “Should’ve Part I” and “Should’ve Part II” reveal Sarah MK as an artist who understands the power of understatement and clarity. This jazzy ballad tells the story of a woman who tells her ex-lover that his apologies came too late. Both the sparse arrangement and Sarah MK’s restrained yet intense vocals pack a serious emotional punch that allows the listener to hear and understand every word.

Worth It shows that Sarah MK is a serious artist who is willing to push topical and stylistic envelopes. In fact, if this project reveals one weakness, it’s that this artist’s ambition might lead her to do too much. But then too, that could be a nice problem to have. Her weaknesses can easily be transformed into strengths by spending a little time woodshedding. And Sarah MK does not seem to be one who is allergic to doing a little more work. Recommended

By Howard Dukes - SoulTracks

La jeune artiste MC et slammeuse montréalaise Sarah MK chante aussi un univers métissé de soul, hip hop et de R&B contemporain. Très active sur la scène locale, l'auteure-compositrice-interprète qu'on a pu entendre avec les formations Kalmunity (collectif d'une cinquantaine de danseurs, poètes, chanteurs, musiciens également présent au Festival de jazz 2012) et Nomadic Massive nous proposera au Savoy du Métropolis les deux prochains jours le matériel de Worth It, un album sensuel et riche en groove. Première visite pour elle au Festival de Jazz pour sa carrière solo. Discussion avec ce talent d'ici à voir absolument.

On avait pu la découvrir en 2007, période durant laquelle elle évoluait avec le Vanier College Band. Depuis, elle a fait de nombreuses prestations dans la métropole aux renommés Jello Martini Lounge, Upstairs et Piano Rouge Lounge. Cela dit, c'est à la sortie de son premier opus paru à l'automne 2011 que Sarah MK fait vraiment sa marque, mettant le doigt avec justesse sur le fragile équilibre entre le message et la musique.

« Laurent Saulnier, du Festival, m'a vu jouer à l'hiver au Upstairs et m'a proposé une participation cet été dans la programmation, » raconte la chanteuse. « Je suis ravie de jouer dans une salle intérieure. C'est un honneur, considérant que des artistes de renoms joue sur scène extérieure. Pour ma part, je préfère être au Savoy. Les gens ont choisi de venir m'écouter, ils seront plus attentifs. Le son aussi sera plus facile à maîtriser. Je pourrai donc offrir un meilleur résultat. »

Celle qui s'inspire des Esperanza Spalding, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gretchen Parlato et Erykah Badu avoue avoir passé presque toute sa vie dans la musique : « J'ai grandi dans le hip hop, mais j'ai plus tard étudié le jazz à l'Université de Montréal. Aujourd'hui, je crois avoir trouvé mon son, sorte de R&B intimiste, mélangé à la soul et aux couleurs rap et jazz. Pour le spectacle, je vais interpréter la majorité de mon disque en plus d'un ou deux standards, question de pousser un peu les limites du jazz. »

« Le show est posé (pensons à la jolie « Worth It - Intro ») et énergique (« Think Dat », « Ain't Hearing It » ou encore « Should've - Part 2 ») à la fois. Je pense entre autres aux nombreux solos de musique que les spectateurs pourront entendre », souligne-t-elle. « Ils auront aussi droit à beaucoup d'harmonies vocales. »

Sarak MK, qui a composé les textes, mélodies et harmonies de Worth It, s'est associée au talentueux Jordan Peters (guitare et arrangements) non seulement pour la réalisation de l'album, mais également pour la direction musicale du concert : « Je lui fait entièrement confiance. Je ne pouvais trouvé meilleur allié pour faire le pont entre le disque et le spectacle. En plus, c'est mon amoureux. »
Les autres musiciens qui entoureront la chanteuse pour les deux prestations au Festival de Jazz seront Mark Haynes à la basse, Kurt Skjaevestad aux claviers et chœurs ainsi que Jahsun à la battrie. Elle a par ailleurs invité Anh Phung à se joindre à la performance avec sa flûte traversière, en plus des deux choristes Ruben Brutus et Nadia Theobert.

Sarah MK, les 6 et 7 juillet au Savoy. À 19 h. - The Huffington Post

2012 is just beginning, and we've already had to say goodbye to some important figures in music. Luckily, as we mark the passing of some, we also mark the arrival of others. Canadian songstress Sarah MK is one of those new arrivals. Having spent some time bubbling under in her native Montreal, the release of her debut EP, Worth It, shows that she is ready to share her gift with the world. Her music is an interesting blend of R&B, hip-hop and jazz that would've fit right in the neo-soul of the late '90s but somehow still sounds fresh today. Perhaps it's her attention to lyrical detail, as each song feels deeply personal though their themes are quite universal. It could also be the hypnotic musical production provided mostly by Jordan Peters. It varies from jazzy R&B on tracks like "Forces" and "Should've" to the more J. Dilla-esque sounds of "Think Dat" and "Ain't Hearin' It." Speaking of "Ain't Hearin' It," Sarah, flips the script and shows that while she may have pipes, she also has decent rhymes to go with them. You can listen to Worth It below and then go purchase it, in digital or physical form, from her Bandcamp page. And, while you're listening, stay after the bounce to see the video for single "Think Dat" as well as an acoustic showing of "Just Friends." - SoulBounce

I discovered Montreal soul singer Sarah MK purely by accident while wandering past Le Piano Rouge in Old Montreal where she was performing. It was a steamy hot summer night, so I just popped in for a cold beer. And there was Sarah singing a dynamite version of Roberta Flack’s Killing me Softly.

This weekend Sarah MK makes the jump from local clubs to the Montreal International Jazz Festival when she headlines the intimate Savoy inside the historic Metropolis concert venue. It’s a much-deserved slot and Sarah, as you can imagine, is pretty excited.

“This is my first time performing at the Montreal jazz festival and I’m going through a range of emotions as the big day approaches,” Sarah told POP TART this week. “I’m really nervous but mostly I’m excited and honoured.”

Sarah says she will perform her new Jordan Peters-produced neo-soul album Worth It (“It’s a long EP at nine songs!”) at the Savoy shows. Her quintet will welcome guest musicians each night – and who knows who’ll show up, because she’s been a member of Montreal’s renowned Kalmunity Vibe Collective since 2009, and she’s worked with and for many of Montreal’s great R’n’B talents, like Alan Prater, Slim Williams, Kim Richardson, Dessy DiLauro and Rickey Pageot.

(I saw Sarah sing back-up for Dessy at Jello Martini Lounge after I discovered that Dessy herself sang back-up vocals in an L.A. recording studio for one of my all-time fave performers, roots-reggae star Rocky Dawuni from Ghana. But I digress…)

Sarah’s own idols growing up were Beyonce and Bilal (“I’m of a newer generation but people still expect me to say Aretha Franklin!”). But she also adores Sarah Vaughan and Eryka badu, and she is very much aware that she is the latest in a long and historic line of great black peformers to come out of Montreal.

“I remember feeling intimidated performing in front of Oliver Jones once, and I’ve seen so many great musicians pass through Jello bar – which is like a second home to me – and I remember going there just three years ago and telling myself, ‘Wow, these people are so amazing.’ I never even thought I’d get to chill out with them or anything like that. So I feel blessed to be a part of their music scene today.”

Sarah – who hosted last weekend’s popular Sunday Jam Sessions at Jello – is currently studying jazz vocals and theory at the University of Montreal. But she is putting her money where her mouth is, also teaching young kids music at a community centre in Cote des Nieges.

“They range in age from four to 12, and I’m teaching them how to sing and play piano,” Sarah says. “I can get my way around a chart and it feels good to be able to teach these kids how to play. I think music is crucial to all our lives, the one language that connects everybody.”

Sarak MK headlines The Savoy at Metropolis (59 Ste. Catherine St. E.) on July 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. nightly. Click here for more details and tickets ($27.37).

Click here for the official Sarah MK website

The Kalmunity Vibe Collective also headline The Savoy during the jazz festival July 5-6-7 at midnight (free admission). Click here for more details.

- The Montreal Gazette