Songs From the Sag Harbor Diaries at The Church

The Church in Sag Harbor will welcome back Arta Jēkabsone on Thursday, November 7, for the premiere performance of her original work, composed at The Church. The singer-songwriter will be joined by her duo pianist partner Krists Saržants for an evening of jazz music infused with Latvian folk and other traditions. The Church’s former May artist-in-residence has since completed several of the works she began during her time there and the two will present them as “Songs From the Sag Harbor Diaries.”

Jēkabsone’s ethereal voice takes audiences on a musical journey through light, warmth and sound. As composer and pianist Edgards Cīrulis says, “Arta Jēkabsone is a voice that will soothe any pain or suffering. She is the guardian and ambassador of light, love, and peace. Yet, she still can bedazzle you with complex, but not overwhelming lines and melodies, and she freely takes command of harmony and rhythm.”

A rising star, Arta Jēkabsone has won the prestigious Montreux Shure Jazz Voice Competition and has finished in the top three in multiple internationally renowned competitions. In 2021 she added third prize at the Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Voice Competition to her long list of achievements. A New York City-based vocalist, her compositions are infused with the folk melodies of her homeland, Latvia. A vocal artist of the highest order, Jēkabsone regularly presents new works at the Jazz Gallery, one of New York City’s premier venues. In 2023, Jēkabsone received the highest form of state recognition in the field of music, the Latvian Music Award “New Artist of the Year 2022.” ASCAP Foundation recently recognized her with an honorable mention in the 2024 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and in May 2024 she concluded her artist residency at The Church in Sag Harbor.

Krists Saržants is a Latvian jazz, contemporary, and crossover music composer-pianist. Performing in Latvia, Estonia, Denmark, the U.S. and other countries, he’s collaborated with various artists and collectives such as the Latvian Radio Big Band, Symphonic Wind Orchestra “Riga” and many others. Saržants’s quintet recordings were presented at the “jazzahead! 2017” annual fair and festival, as well as included in the compilation albums “Jazz in Latvia 2018” and “Jazz in Latvia 2020.” In 2019 Krists opened the TEDx conference with his quintet in Riga, and in 2020 released his debut album “Then and Now,” which was nominated for the Annual Latvian Music Recording Award, Zelta Mikrofons” (“Golden Microphone” — dubbed the Latvian Grammy”)in the category “Best Jazz or Funk music album.”

Tickets for the concert are $20 (members $15) at thechurchsagharbor.org. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.