Säje Wins GRAMMY Award In Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals Category

Yesterday, vocal supergroup säje won their first GRAMMY Award in the Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals category for their rendition of “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning” featuring Jacob Collier.

The track comes from their self-titled, self-funded, self-produced and self-released debut full-length, which has earned acclaim from Billboard, WRTI, Jazziz, KNKX, Grimy Goods, Downbeat, Forbes, and more. säje is made up of Los Angeles-based Sara Gazarek and Erin Bentlage and Seattle-situated Johnaye Kendrick and Amanda Taylor. 

The group first generated buzz in 2020 when their debut single “Desert Song” was nominated for a GRAMMY Award. säje's debut full-length features finely wrought originals, reimagined jazz standards and inventive interpretations of contemporary tunes such as Stevie Wonder's “I Can't Help It.”

In addition to Collier, guests on the album include vocalist Michael Mayo, pianist Dawn Clement, drummer Christian Euman, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, drummer and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington, tenor saxophonist Daniel Rotem and bassist Ben Williams.

When a jazz ensemble earns a GRAMMY nomination with its very first song and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize for its second composition, something unusual is in the works. Magic is a word that comes up often when the women of säje talk about the group's founding and evolution, and the story of their first single, "Desert Song," has attained near legendary status.

Early in the group's journey, the women took a retreat in Palm Springs where they formed closer bonds and experienced a creative breakthrough. This energy resurfaced when they had the opportunity to perform at the Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans, which then led the women to quickly create an entire set of new material, much of which makes up the debut album. 

When you look at the accomplishments of the women in säje, their individual virtuosity and singular chemistry starts to make sense. Erin Bentlage has been featured on albums by Jacob Collier (Djesse Vol. 3), Kiefer (When There's Love Around), Kate McGarry (What To Wear In The Dark) and Amber Navran (their collaboration Golden Light). Amanda Taylor is a GRAMMY-winning arranger known for her work with leading vocal ensembles, including Groove for Thought, The Manhattan Transfer, Chanticleer and Kings Return.

Johnaye Kendrick has honed a deep repertoire of originals and inventively arranged standards, jazz tunes and contemporary pop songs, having released two albums on her record label johnygirl, 2014's Here and 2018's acclaimed Flying. Sara Gazarek is a GRAMMY-winning artist (and two-time GRAMMY nominee for her solo albums) who is widely considered one of her generation's definitive jazz vocalists. 

Photo Credit: Lauren Desberg

 

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