DownBeat’s #1 Rising Star altoist brings her quartet to The Side Door for an electrifying night of modern jazz.

Sarah Hanahan is one of the most exciting young voices in jazz today. Raised in Marlborough, Massachusetts, she picked up the alto saxophone at age eight, introduced to music by her father, a drummer who passed down his love of the music early on. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School, studying under Abraham Burton, Rene McLean, Nat Reeves, and Javon Jackson, and went on to complete her master’s at The Juilliard School.

Hanahan was featured in the first-ever class of NPR’s Jazz Night in America Youngbloods series, hosted by Christian McBride, and has worked with Jeff “Tain” Watts, Nat Reeves, Steve Davis, Billy Hart, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Marc Cary, among many others. She plays regularly at Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Smoke Jazz Club, and Birdland, and has performed with the Grammy-winning Mingus Big Band and the Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Orchestra. Her debut album Among Giants, featuring Marc Cary, Nat Reeves, and Jeff “Tain” Watts, earned five stars in DownBeat and was named one of their Top Albums of the Year in 2024. The following year, she was named DownBeat’s #1 Rising Star Alto Saxophonist, an honor she has now claimed in consecutive years.

With a sound that blends lyrical nuance and an ebullient, joyful stage presence, Hanahan represents the very best of jazz’s next generation. This is a rare opportunity to experience one of the most acclaimed young musicians in jazz today in an intimate setting.

The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.