SARAH HANAHAN / SATURDAY, MAY 16
The Story
The New York-based alto saxophonist, named #1 Rising Star on her instrument in the 2025 Downbeat Critics Poll, has garnered raves for her 2024 debut album, Among Giants (on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s in-house label, Blue Engine Records), including a rare 5-star review from Downbeat. A Massachusetts native, Hanrahan began playing the alto saxophone at the age of eight. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School (University of Hartford), where she studied with saxophonists Abraham Burton and René McLean as well as trombonist Steve Davis and bassist Nat Reeves. “They not only taught me how to play and the dedication it takes to be a real musician, but they taught me what music really is about,” she recalled. “They taught me what music means and the heaviness every note carries. They stressed the importance of culture, spirituality, and knowing the tradition.”
Hanahan went on to complete her master’s at the prestigious Juilliard School. Now an active presence on the NYC scene, she regularly leads her own band at venues like Small’s in the heart of Greenwich Village and Aman’s new The Jazz Club in Midtown Manhattan while also frequently appearing with the Grammy-award winning Mingus Big Band and guesting with such artists as tenor sax great George Coleman, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, drummer Joe Farnsworth and pianist Peter Martin.
The Sound
The intensity of her alto blowing is undeniable while her blues feel is deep. Hanahan plays with a fierceness and driving conviction that immediately separates her from the pack. Expect her to unleash on invigorating originals like “We Bop!” and “NATO” from Among Giants, along with standards like “Stardust” and “A House Is Not a Home.” And her incandescent take on John Coltrane’s heightened “Welcome” from his 1965 album Transitions will take the Exit Zero audience on a journey.
Where & When: Carney’s Other Room, Saturday, May 16
is a dynamic and soulful alto saxophonist rapidly emerging as one of the most compelling new voices in jazz. A graduate of both the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and The Juilliard School, Hanahan fuses the deep-rooted swing and bebop traditions with a bold, modern intensity—an approach that reflects her rigorous training and fearless artistic vision.
Since her arrival on the scene, Hanahan has performed alongside an extraordinary range of jazz luminaries, including Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nicholas Payton, Peter Washington, and Joe Farnsworth. Her commanding tone, technical mastery, and melodic imagination have brought her to major stages across the U.S. and abroad, with regular appearances at premier New York venues such as Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, and Smoke Jazz & Supper Club.
Her debut album, Among Giants (2024)—featuring Marc Cary, Nat Reeves, and Jeff “Tain” Watts—garnered widespread acclaim, earning a 5-star review and a place among DownBeat’s Top Albums of 2024. In 2025, Hanahan was named DownBeat’s #1 Rising Star Alto Saxophonist, affirming her status as one of the leading voices of her generation.
Whether leading her own quartet or collaborating with some of the music’s most revered artists, Sarah Hanahan plays with passion, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the evolution of jazz.