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Wake EP

Produced by Phoebe Hunt. Recorded by Evan Felts & Isaac Strycker at the Magnolia Motel, Brooklyn, NY
Vocals recorded by Andrea Perry at Cicada Studios, Austin, TX
Mixed by Andrew Hernandez at Arroyo Audio
Mastered by Dave McNair

1.      What To Do With This Love - written by Sarah Sharp / Mitch Watkins. 
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Oliver Steck - Wurlitzer

2.      Easy -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos
Wilson Marks – guitar & piano, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums

3.      Right Through Me -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos / Masumi Jones / Daniel Durham
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Sam Reider - Wurlitzer

4.      For Your Love -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos
Wilson Marks – guitar & vocals, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums

5.      Kidding-  written by Sarah Sharp /  Buffalo Speedway
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Sam Reider – Wurlitzer

Dream EP

Sarah Sharp - Vocals
Mitch Watkins - guitar
Pat Harris - Bass
Masumi Jones - Drums
Oliver Steck - Organ

Sway EP

Down Beat Magazine - September, 2013 issue

No Musical act embodies the "Keep Austin Weird" civic mantra with more style and class than the "swingadelic" quartet Jitterbug Vipers.  The band's witty updating of classic 1930s reefer jive music, featuring septuagenarian guitar genius Slim Rich front and center, is sly, sophisticated and more than a little habit-forming. The inherent humor of the material disguises serious musicianship from not only Richey- who sparkles on the disc's denouement, the closing "Django's Birthday"-but also from bassist Francie Meaux Jeaux and drummer Masumi Jones. Sarah Sharp, who serves as the primary songwriter, sweetly sails through a selection of originals in the tradition with seductive nonchalance but also digs down deep for an exquisite rendition of "Billie's Blues."


Phoebe's Dream - With Slim Richey & Sarah Sharp - Jitterbug Vipers

Pieces by Kaliyo (Andrea Perry & Sarah Sharp)

Actually, This is the song that was used in a promo for the ABC television show "Revenge". I put the wrong one up earlier. 
http://www.kaliyo.com/revenge-promo-for-abc/

Deep Girl by Kaliyo (Andrea Perry & Sarah Sharp)

Song 1 of 4 for the 11:59 Songwriting project.

Weather - Sarah Sharp and Shannon Brackett

I lost a dear friend and mentor on May 31, 2015.  This recording means the world to me. R.I.P. Slim Richey a.k.a. "Most Dangerous Guitar Player in Texas".  I've never known another man who can play with this much soul, grace, restraint, passion, coolness.  He was the most mature player I've ever experienced and no one compares.

Crazy with Slim Richey

This is another song from my duo with Andrea Perry called Kaliyo. (Kah-LEE-yo). This song has been used in a Dell commercial in China, in a TV promo for the TV show Smash in Finland, in Dish Networks Playboy channel commercial in the USA, in a Top Model TV Promo in Poland and others... 

Take What You Can Get - Kaliyo

Mitch Watkins - Guitar, Sarah Sharp - Vocals
Written by Randy Newman

I Think It's Gonna Rain Today

Sarah Sharp - vocals
Mitch Watkins -guitar
Oliver Steck - accordion 
John Fremgen - bass
Gerry Gibbs - drums

written by Sarah Sharp and Hannah Johnson


Shake me up, shake me up something strong
Cold, numb like you want me
Stone cold as you drug me all along

You know that you could hardly wait until the dawn
Certain you should serve me
With a splash of you don’t deserve me after all

So scared you might run out of time
Searching for some meaning
With love so demeaning
You use others to carry your pain
You’re determined to 
Live your life on your own
Just know that when you drank me
I was yours for the taking
I was home

Were you scared you might burn in the light
Knowing true meaning
Of two souls careening
There’s such pain that you carry 
You’re only determined
To live your life all alone
But know that when you drank me
I was yours for the taking 
That was home


Morning -Live at Elephant Room

Find Your Way by Kaliyo

Siren Song by Kaliyo

A City For Me

Guitar vocal duet, inspired by Peggy Lee's version.  This was a quick demo this morning, just sitting next to Mitch in the control room of his studio.  We slapped down a take so that Mitch could write us a chart to play it next week at Continental Club.  I'm quite fond of this!  I'm honored to play with Mitch. We wrote a song together this morning as well. :)

Oh What a Beautiful Morning - with Mitch Watkins

Recorded 11-7-17 
Mitch Watkins - Guitar
Sarah Sharp - Vocals

Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most - with Mitch Watkins

You Don't Dare

Morning

Just Go

Pieces

Unconditional

Produced by Phoebe Hunt. Recorded by Evan Felts & Isaac Strycker at the Magnolia Motel, Brooklyn, NY
Vocals recorded by Andrea Perry at Cicada Studios, Austin, TX

1.      What To Do With This Love - written by Sarah Sharp / Mitch Watkins. 
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Oliver Steck - Wurlitzer

2.      Easy -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos
Wilson Marks – guitar & piano, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums

3.      Right Through Me -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos / Masumi Jones / Daniel Durham
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Sam Reider - Wurlitzer

4.      For Your Love -  written by Sarah Sharp /  Yaniel Matos
Wilson Marks – guitar & vocals, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums

5.      Kidding-  written by Sarah Sharp /  Buffalo Speedway
Wilson Marks – guitar, Jared Engel – bass, Nicholas Falk – drums, Sam Reider – Wurlitzer

05 Kidding

04 For Your Love

03 Right Through Me

02 Easy

01 What To Do With This Love

Little Green Bag

Written by Sarah Sharp, Slim Richey, & Kristopher Lee Wade

Sarah Sharp - Vocals
Mitch Watkins - guitar
Pat Harris - Bass
Masumi Jones - Drums
Oliver Steck - Organ

Let's Make Up

Written by Sarah Sharp and Hannah Johnson, with help from Sophia Johnson and Buffalo Speedway. 

Sarah Sharp - Vocals
Mitch Watkins - guitar
Pat Harris - Bass
Masumi Jones - Drums
Oliver Steck - Organ

Your Girlfriend Hates Me

Everytime We Say Goodbye

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Always On My Mind

Our friend RR recorded on 1 track off the board last week. You can hear us there every Tuesday, 6-8pm.  We didn't have our dear drummer this night. 

Mitch Watkins - guitar
Pat Harris - Bass
Sarah Sharp - Vocals

Blame It On The Night

Flow

Sweet Lotus Blossom

The Nearness Of You

For No One

by Kaliyo - Sarah Sharp & Andrea Perry
Vocals: Sarah Sharp, all other vocals and instruments, production, mixing: Andrea Perry

To Be With You - Kaliyo

By Kaliyo - Andrea Perry & Sarah Sharp
Vocals: Sarah Sharp, all other vocals and instruments, production, mixing: Andrea Perry

Come On (Surely We Can Work it Out) - Kaliyo

for the #1159SongwritingGroup

A co-write with Andrea Perry. All I did was write the melody, lyrics, and sing lead. Andrea did evvvvvverything else.

Giant Baby Steps 2.11.20 - Sarah Sharp Andrea Perry

From the upcoming Jitterbug Vipers album - Phoebe's Dream
I wrote this with Kristopher Lee Wade
Slim Richey – Guitar 
And his Hidy Hidy Hos:
Sarah Sharp – Vocals
Francie Meaux Jeaux – Bass
Masumi Jones – Drums


When You're High

From the upcoming Jitterbug Vipers album "Phoebe's Dream"
I wrote this with Elizabeth McQueen & She is singing harmony. 

STUFF IT
Well if you’re feeling low & you don’t know why
Having trouble just getting by 
Check your pipe, is it cashed? oh my!
Stuff it

Now if that don’t work, you’re still feeling small
The boys don’t whistle & they never call
Don’t waste your time, honey check your bra
Girl, you need to stuff it

Oh, just stuff it, you can just stuff it, 
Oh stuff it
Baby, it’s all about stickin it in 

You’re looking hungry, have you been on a diet
I just a 12 course meal, you should try it
Put it all in that gate mouth, even the pie
And stuff it

Oh, just stuff it, you can just stuff it, 
Oh stuff it
Baby, it’s all about stickin it in 

Awww..., you’re kitty died? 
You can stuff your cat
It’s your red wagon if you’re into that
I’m just trying to help, with what works for me
You can stuff  it’s empty

Now you can stuff your turkey, you can stuff your pet
You can stuff your mattress, stuff your wallet 
I think I’m all out of stuff to stuff
I’m just trying to help with your depression
And if that don’t work, I have one last suggestion
You can stuff it


Stuff It - Jitterbug Vipers

Jitterbug Vipers - Slim Richey - Guitar & His Hidy Hidy Hos: Francie Meaux Jeaux - Bass, Masumi Jone - Drums, me singing.

I wrote this with Kristopher Lee Wade from Ghosts Along the Brazos. 

A Viper Just The Same

I wrote this with Kristopher Lee Wade. We were trying to think of what the girl's name should be... something from the 1930s, 40s, like Maude, but I wanted it to be 2 syllables.  The night we tried to play this song live for the first time at Lambert's, our dear friend Phoebe Hunt showed up, so I put her name in, just for the night. It stuck and we ended up naming the album after this track. 

Adder on a Ladder (Phoebe’s Dream)

Did you ever hear the story of dear Phoebe?
She thought she found her way up off the ground
She tried to smoke her way up into heaven
But they turned her back around

She was bitten by an adder on a ladder to the sky
She was trying to get higher, didn't need no reason why
The vipers loved to watch her move
Up, up, up she climbed
Man, that girl was smokin’, my oh my, so high, high so high

Well, I guess she never figured that she’d ever come back down
But she must have met her maker and her turned her back around
He said, “Darlin’, don’t you get me wrong, a viper knows no bounds
But sometimes, the only way back up is down, down, down”
Down, down, down

She dreamed about a ladder 18 stories high
That’s where she met an adder, he said
“Come with me, Grab a stick of tea, You’re going right up to the sky”

When dear Phoebe woke from her dream, she was lying on the ground
With a hazy, lazy feeling and a viper hanging ‘round
He handed her a light, got a sparkle in his eye
And before you know it, She was high so high, high so high



Phoebe's Dream

The Jitterbug Vipers give their own take on "Undecided", a song which hit the pop charts in a version by the Ames Brothers in the early 1950s but actually dates back decades earlier.

Undecided

Written by Sarah Sharp & Buffalo Speedway. I wrote the lyrics & melody on our set break, when we played at Kerrville Folk Festival in 2012. Friends were out on stage, trying to raise money for someone's medical bills & I sang this into my phone. Buffalo helped with the lovely chords.  I wish Willie Nelson would cover this. 

Trouble

The Jitterbug Vipers transform the swinging sounds of 1930s and 40s "viper" jazz into 21st Century music that enchants and delights listeners of all ages and brings out the dancer in folks from most every walk of life. The “swingadelic” quartet is one of Austin, Texas’ most popular and pervasive live acts, enlivening and entertaining audiences on an almost nightly basis, everywhere from folk festivals to jazz bars, not to mention a residency at the classic Continental Club. 

Whenever they strike up the band, this foursome summons up the spirit of The Vipers’ namesakes, the pot tokers of the jazz era who personified cool, both on the stage and in the back alley, flashing knowing smiles while pumping out party music with glee and expertise. Think Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway brought to contemporary times with relentless, red-hot combo musicality.

Phoebe's Dream, the group's second studio album, offers up a sampler of the band’s signature style of combining hot licks and cool tunes. A bounty of alluring melodies, witty wordplay and enticing grooves move in sexy syncopated rhythms on nine original songs that emerge as instant classics. There are two additional tunes, one at the core of musical Americana and the other an overlooked gem with an intriguing heritage. Billie Holiday's evocative masterpiece "Billie's Blues" is joined by "Undecided", a song which hit the pop charts in a version by the Ames Brothers in the early 1950s but actually dates back decades earlier. The riffs and rhythms of all the tunes creatively channel 1930s and '40s jazz and swing styles, centered on the jitterbug or lindy hop dance music that was all the rage back then. The themes draw directly from that original reefer sensibility and the laughter and good times that run rampant within the Vipers’ camp.

From the slink syncopation of the opening title track to master guitarist Slim Richey's spritely gypsy jazz six-string workout that closes the disc, "Django's Birthday," Phoebe's Dream is a totally legal buzz that packs a mighty kick. Richey’s legend gets a cool-as-an-ice cube reading on "Dangerous," while the smoke of "the devil's cabbage" wafts through the sultry swing of "A Viper Just The Same," the cheeky "Stuff It" (co-written by Vipers singer Sarah Sharp and Elizabeth McQueen of Western swingers Asleep at the Wheel), the haunting ballad "When You're High" and romantic slow dance of "Viper Moon." Add to that the boozy ramble of "That Was Just The Sauce Talking" and bluesy rumination of "Trouble" and you've got a collection of tunes that provide delicious mood music for just about any and every occasion.

The tentpole of the group is jazz/swing guitar legend Richey, known as "The Most Dangerous Guitar Player in Texas," a title his playing lives up to and more throughout Phoebe's Dream. Hailing from the small town of Atlanta in the northeast corner of the Lone Star State, near where such guitar giants as Leadbelly and T-Bone Walker also grew up, his love of music and dance rhythms began in his childhood on hearing R&B and jazz on the radio at the home of a neighboring African American family. That was followed by bluegrass on Shreveport's KWKH, which also broadcast the famed Louisiana Hayride, where Richey later saw Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and other legends perform. Dixieland from New Orleans on WWL rounded out the mix. So it was no surprise that after taking up guitar and mandolin, Richey was playing a local daily radio show with The Black Bayou Buckaroos by his teens, as well as gigging on a frequent basis, something he’s still doing more than a half century later.

In the years to follow, he played in Texas gubernatorial candidate Ralph Yarborough's campaign band and after college at Oklahoma University settled in Fort Worth, where he started a mail order businesses selling musical instruments. Richey founded Ridgerunner Music in 1975, which was at the forefront of the "newgrass" and "jazzgrass" movements, issuing some 30 albums by such acts as Country Gazette and Muleskinner and noted players like Alan Munde, Marty Stuart, Sam Bush, Roland White, Allison Brown & Stuart Duncan, Buck White and others as well as his own Slim Richey's Jazz Grass.

Richey has performed and recorded with Herb Ellis, Marc Johnson, Ricky Skaggs, Ray Price, Buddy Franco and others, led numerous busily-gigging combos, established a regular and popular presence on the bluegrass and acoustic music festival circuit, and has become known internationally for his distinctive Southwestern jazz and swing style. Taking his cues from such guitar giants as Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel and Charlie Christian, he has been a key player in the Austin jazz scene since arriving in the city in the early 1990s, leading various groups like the Vipers, Slim Richey's Dream Band and others. "Slim Richey is the plenipotentate of jazz guitar," says noted Austin singer, songwriter and guitarist Jon Dee Graham of the True Believers "Watching his hands to try and understand what he’s doing is like watching a waterfall to try and understand water.”

He's surrounded in the Jitterbug Vipers by three women affectionately known as his Hidy Hidy Hos. Singer and songsmith Sarah Sharp attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music. While digging deeply into the school’s extensive music library to become expert and adept in singing the great American popular music catalog, she became enamored, if not obsessed, with the sound and stylings of Billie Holiday, her major inspiration both then and now.

After leaving Berklee, Sharp did a stint in London playing clubs like Ain't Nothin' But the Blues Bar in SoHo, before settling back in her home state of Texas. In addition to being the sultry singer for the Vipers, Sharp collaborates with Andrea Perry as Kaliyo, whose songs are used internationally in movies, TV shows and commercials (most recently in ABC's Revenge and a Channel's 2012 spring/summer campaign). She began working with Richey as a substitute singer for such gifted vocalists as Kat Edmonson, Emily Gimble and Katie Holmes in his various groups.  In due time she earned full membership in the Vipers and is now not only the voice of the group, but also its primary songwriter.

Bassist Francie Meaux Jeaux may not have been a dedicated music fan while growing up in Dallas even though she did witness The Beatles play live in Houston at age 13. Visual art was her passion until she saw Leon Russell and Freddie King perform at a college concert and right after moved to to study at the University of Texas. Her friend Stephen Trued, who played banjo in the Dallas "bluethrash" band Killbilly not only turned Francie onto bluegrass music, but also introduced her to Richey at a Christmas party. After the two united as a couple, "he put a bass in my hands," Meaux Jeaux explains, and showed her the basics. "It was like the walls sang and I just wanted the walls to keep singing." She honed her chops on the upright bass at festival campfire picking sessions and playing with Dan Hicks, Michelle Shocked, Bruce Robison and others before becoming Slim's bass mainstay.

The Jitterbug Vipers lineup is anchored by Masumi Jones, a drummer of unusual grace and power. Jones, who leads her own jazz combo when time away from the Vipers permits, was born outside of the Japanese capital, hence her nickname of “The Tokyo Tsunami”, although Richey prefers the more colorful “Geisha Girl Gone Wild”. Growing up in Hiroshima, she started on piano at age three but by her early teens she took up the drums after becoming enthralled with big-band music. Like singer Sharp, Jones is a graduate of Berklee and she counts legendary jazz drummers such as Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Art Taylor and Butch Miles as inspiration. She played in Japanese all-woman piano trios and a female big band before landing in Austin and meeting Richey at a jam, after which he hired her without even hearing her sticks meet the skins. Possessing similarly skewed sensibilities she was a perfect fit, both musically and personally, to be the ideal beat keeper for the Vipers.



Django's Birthday

Sarah Sharp is a multiple Austin Music Award winning songwriter and Jazz singer. As a former member of Jitterbug Vipers, the DIY release of her album of Viper inspired originals “Phoebe’s Dream” earned her top 5 placements in the 2014 Austin music awards for Best Female Vocalist, Producer, Songwriter, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Band of the Year, Best Jazz Band and was Featured on NPR’s Song Travels with Michael Feinstein. Feinstein suggested that her original songs were destined to become part of the Great American Songbook.

Sarah’s songs have been featured worldwide in ad campaigns for Chanel, Dell, Kia, ABC’s “Revenge”, E.L.F. cosmetics, among many others and on TV shows such as “The Good Wife”, “Grandfathered” and more.

Sarah recently recorded her 1st solo album in over a decade in Brooklyn and Austin. Expected release in 2018.

SarahSharp

Pinned to spotlight

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