Sarah Jarosz grew up in Texas, learned mandolin and guitar, going on to study at the New England Conservatory. She plays banjo as well, earning immense respect in the world of acoustic music.
Jarosz plays bluegrass-tinged Americana and contemporary folk. She lives in New York City. She’s appeared on public radio’s “Prairie Home Companion,” toured with artists like the Milk Carton Kids and has taken to a lot of collaborative songwriting. “Early Morning Light,” the opening song on her 2016 record “Undercurrent,” can bring to mind Paul Simon in the Bach-inspired arc of the melody, while her voice can suggest singers like Gillian Welch, who know how to push their singing voices to just the right point, suggesting an appealing strain or a break without actually losing control. Elsewhere, like on the more elaborately produced “Green Lights,” Jarosz sings with an affectless pure tone that’s more emotional for its lack of ornament.
“Undercurrent” is maybe Jarosz’s most stripped-down record, and the material lends itself to the concert setting, showcasing her songwriting, her playing and her strong singing. The record has certain lyrical and melodic threads that link many of the songs, with depth and fluidity, the tug of love and a sense of place all woven together.
Sarah Jarosz performs at Infinity Hall, 20 Greenwoods Road W., Norfolk, on Saturday, March 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $34 to $49. 866-666-6306 and infinityhall.com.
