“Jazz really helped make me the person I am today,” says singer and alto saxophonist Sadé as she reflects on her time at Oaktown Jazz Workshops. “I feel like it wasn’t a huge, huge time commitment in itself but it inspired me to go home and practice, it taught me a work ethic and I met Maureen who is one of my really good friends. My favorite thing about OJW is getting to know different people who I probably wouldn’t have known otherwise.”
Born in Philadelphia, PA and raised by her parents in Oakland, CA, Sadé’s earliest musical influences were her grandmother and aunt singing traditional Yoruba songs around the house. “I love music, it brings out a lot of feelings, it’s expressive and it’s creative and I feel like it’s a great way for me to take a step back, when I’m feeling sad there’s nothing better than listening to ‘Moanin’ by Charles Mingus, nothing better!”
After taking a piano class at age 6, Sadé started playing saxophone in 2nd grade with beloved Oakland music teacher, Marlo Green. “It was cool because it wasn’t just sitting down playing songs people had written and songs everyone has played over and over but the ability to change stuff and make it your own was really, really cool for me.”
It was Mr. Green that suggested she check out OJW’s after school music program and he put her parents in touch with OJW’s Founding Director, Khalil Shaheed. “I believe a big part of jazz for me was Khalil and that for me is just to be happy about what you are doing and enjoy it. He was always really passionate about what he was doing when I was around him and he passed that on, I think that’s a really great thing about Khalil and Ravi is seeing people that are really, really good at their craft not just take the time to use it for themselves but give it to the next generation.”
Sade’ started vocal lessons in the 6th grade and went on to sing in school and church choirs and musicals. Her vocal debut with OJW was at Oakland’s Art & Soul Festival where she amazed the crowd by putting down her alto saxophone to sing “Route 66” with the band for the first time ever.
Sadé is now attending Yale University as a freshman where she is planning to pursue a double major in molecular biophysics/bio chemistry and political science. “I did not expect to come to Yale and sing, but coming here and seeing all the people made me want to get involved.” Sadé is now proud to be a member of The New Blue, Yale’s oldest female a cappella group and Yale University’s very first women’s organization of any kind being founded in 1969, when the university first admitted undergraduate women.
“Jazz has been such a great part of me, I don’t want to let it go.”