Sara Dowling – Full Bio

Sara Dowling is a Palestinian-Irish jazz vocalist, named Best Vocalist at the 2019 British Jazz Awards and recognized as one of Europe’s leading jazz singers. Because of her mixed heritage, her first musical encounters were with the voices of Fairuz and Umm Kalthoum, whom her mother adored, and, in stark contrast, the piano of Erroll Garner, her father’s favorite. Initially trained as a classical cellist at Chetham’s and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, she performed with the Hallé Orchestra and for Yo-Yo Ma at the age of 18. All of these musical experiences eventually led her to discover her voice and her passion for improvisation, and she emerged as a powerful, expressive jazz vocalist as well as a composer. Her most important influences are Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan.
Rooted in African American jazz and enriched by her Arab heritage and classical training, Dowling moves between standards, Brazilian repertoire and her own compositions. In her performances, these influences come together in a vibrant, personal expression that makes every concert a unique experience.
Sara’s exceptional artistic development as a performer, composer and bandleader is reflected in her appearances at jazz festivals in France, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Mexico, Spain and Hungary, and in her collaborations with many outstanding artists, including Michael Kanan, Bruce Barth, Albert Sanz, Andrea Pozza, Terrell Stafford, Jason Rebello, Steve Brown, Ross Stanley and Mátyás Gayer.
Her move to Europe marked a new chapter in her career. During her first year in Valencia, she headlined two of Spain’s most prestigious festivals: San Javier and San Sebastián Jazzaldia. She has also performed at festivals and concert series including The British Jazz Festival in France, Jazz Tardor, Valladolid Jazz, Cangas Jazz, Fundación Juan March, Jazz Alhaurín, Terrassa Jazz Festival and many more.
The newspaper El País International recently published a feature on Sara in which journalist Ferran Bono wrote: “Sara Dowling, the jazz singer of Palestinian roots, shines in Valencia […] showcasing her powerful vocal range and commanding stage presence in Spain.”
A sought-after educator, Sara has taught at jazz seminars across Spain, including Berklee Valencia, the Leon International Jazz Seminar, Tenerife Jazz Camp, Jorge Rossy’s Jazz Camp Begues, Jazz Alhaurín Málaga and the International Jazz Seminar Fuengirola.
With two albums released under her own name, her recent recording work includes several collaborations: At Sundown Time, with Bruce Barth, and Latin Connections, released by Chandos Records with the Aquarela Guitar Quartet, on which she appears as vocalist, cellist, pianist and composer. She has also collaborated on Roneando by Perico Sambeat and Algú Que Em Vullga Cuidar by the Albert Sanz Big Band.
In 2024, Sara launched Samā, a duo project with Albert Sanz. Together, they released The Music of Tom Jobim, a live recording of their concert at the Fundación Juan March in Madrid.