Album Notes

"Yervand's a skillful jazz chanteuse. The former Sara Erzinkian has plenty of club experience, and that shows in her ability to express a strong sense of personality on this CD's 10 selections.
Yervand was born in Armenia and had extensive stage experience there and very occasionally you catch a hint of an accent in her appealing, Sarah Vaughan-influenced treatment of "Moon Ray." But that's not a flaw; it actually sets her apart from the parade of singers trying to become the next Diana Krall. Speaking of personality, there's nothing on Introducing Sara Yervand quite as bold as her exploration of "Mahna de Carnaval," which finds her acting the bittersweet part of a yearning lover with real intelligence. No glossy sentimentality here, just palpable emotions modulated along a very believable dramatic arc.
Yervand's accompanists include many of the region's most accomplished players(trumpeter Dave Cooper, drummer Dane Richeson, etc.), some of whom flirt unexpectedly with dissonance on a raucous run-through of "Love for Sale." But Yervand's voice offer most of the excitement and the surprises here in winning, often very playful performances that at times seem drawn from an intimate club gig."
Tom Laskin
Isthmus Magazine

"Sara Yervand (former Erzinkian) was born in Armenia, and began to sing jazz, pop and Armenian folk music at the age of 15. She made many stage performances in Armenia, European countries, including Paris (live appearance on a TV show "Sacree Soiree") Vienna (where she lived for 3 years), Montreal, Zagreb (Yugoslavia) and others. Her recordings with National Pop-Symphonic Orchestra of TV and Radio of Armenia under direction of conductor and composer Yervand Yerznkyan are outstanding.
In 1995, Sara and her son David, upon winning a "green card" in lottery relocated to USA, where she started a life anew. She has a Masters in Musicology and recently earned an MBA degree at Cardinal Stritch University. She lives, works and sings jazz professionally in Madison, WI. She teaches at Madison School of Music and sings at Jazz
Festivals and regional events. "