Sage and Zaza

press kit

bio > 100 words

Sage Harrington and Ukulelezaza (Remco Houtman-Janssen) are a ukulele duo that swings. Their set features co-writes of their original songs in which they channel both the jazz that Sage grew up loving, and the Hawaiian music that permeated Remco’s childhood. With Sage’s vocals soaring above the duo’s sweetly plucked ukuleles, they create a fun atmosphere as if inviting a refreshing musical breeze to waft through.

Going by the moniker Ukulelezaza, Remco is well-known in the ukulele world for his delicate and virtuosic playing style. It has been said that he is “truly one of the greatest players of our era. That assessment takes in not only [his] playing/musicianship, but [his] arrangements and showmanship as well. [He is] the real deal.” Having published 5 volumes of tablature books for solo ukulele, people all over the world play both Ukulelezaza’s original compositions and arrangements of Hawaiian and jazz classics.

Sage Harrington is an inventive, playful singer and songwriter in love with swing music. Hailing from the USA, you can hear her deep love and appreciation of both jazz and American folk genres in her ukulele playing and singing. With a voice informed by the smooth vocal precision of Alison Krauss and the passionate swing of the great Ella Fitzgerald, Sage will have you singing along not only with the catchy gems of the 1920s, but also to the sweepingly beautiful melodies of her own compositions. Sage currently resides in Germany.

Both musicians are proud to play in the vintage swing band Moon Berries along with friend Charlotte Pelgen.

video

Follow this link to watch us play in this Instagram reel:

Sage and Zaza teach ukulele workshops

Sage offers:

Songwriting Playshop: Writing Singable Songs with Sage Harrington

Spice up your songwriting! In this all levels workshop, we’ll explore strategies for composing melodies, writing chord progressions, marrying lyrical content to the music, and building an emotional arc into a song—in a fun, straightforward, and hands-on way. You’ll leave the workshop as a proud writer of a complete, brand-spanking new song, armed with tips and tricks to continue writing singable songs in the future. Bring your ukulele along.

Swingin’ Singin’: a Vocal Jazz Workshop with Sage Harrington

Let’s sing some of those lesser-known favorites from the golden jazz era. In this all-levels-welcome workshop, we’ll approach fun swing tune repertoire from around the 1920’s-40’s with a graduated approach, so you can tackle even the most challenging vocal passages with ease. Along with new-to-you repertoire, you’ll leave the workshop with valuable vocal conditioning exercises that you can use as an ongoing part of your vocal practice, and go on swinging. Bring your ukulele along.

Jam in Any Key: Moveable Uke Shapes with Sage Harrington

The ukulele fretboard contains countless constellations of chord shapes that can be demystified with a little practice. Sage will help orient you to commonly used chord patterns that, when you get them under your fingers, will serve you time and time again, no matter what key a song is in. With a dash of music theory, a sprinkle of the circle of fifths, and a little left-hand flexibility, you can get to know your ukulele better and have more fun jamming!

downloadable photos

Click here to download our promo photo packet.

all photos courtesy of Sage and Zaza

what people are saying

“That was so together you guys – excellent.” —Peter Moss

“It’s a great show!” —Alessandro P.

“Oh yeah!!!” —Bulu

Sage “is blessed with an antique sort of onstage personality which is charming and unselfconscious.” —Weekly Alibi

“Sage Harrington: She’s weirdly wonderful. Her music…seems a luxurious, curious oddity… Her voice is pure, full of formality and tight tonalities.” —Sonic Reducer

Ukulelezaza is “one of the most complete ukulele players in the world today.” —KamUke magazine

sound reqs

For shows that require a PA system, Sage and Remco need one vocal mic and one instrument mic each. They use monitors as needed.

Please provide two armless chairs.

social

Sage’s instagram @sageharrington

Remco’s youtube /ukulelezaza

contact

Sage Harrington

Ukulelezaza