Cynthia Sayer

American jazz banjoist and singer

Musical artist

Cynthia Nan Sayer (born May 20, 1962) is an American jazz banjoist, singer and a founding member of Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band.

Career

A native of Waltham, Massachusetts, Sayer spent her early childhood in Wayland, Massachusetts and the remainder of her youth in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.^[1] She played piano from the age of six through her college years and also studied viola, drums, guitar, and banjo.^[2] She graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School and was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2016.^[3] She sang in school and community theater and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ithaca College with a degree in English.^[2] Sayer has worked with Woody Allen, Milt Hinton, Dick Hyman, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Segal, Dick Wellstood, the New York Philharmonic, and The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.^[2]

Award and honors

• National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame, 2006
• Steve Martin Banjo Prize, 2023

Discography

• The Jazz Banjo of Cynthia Sayer Vol. 1 (New York Jazz, 1987)
• More Jazz Banjo Vol. 2 (New York Jazz, 1989)
• Forward Moves (Yerba Buena, 1992)
• Jazz at Home (Jazzology, 1997)
• String Swing (Jazzology, 2000)
• Souvenirs (Plunk, 2002)
• Attractions with Bucky Pizzarelli (Plunk, 2007)
• Joyride (Plunk, 2013)

With the New York Banjo Ensemble

• Plays Gershwin (Kicking Mule, 1982)

As guest

• Woody Allen, Wild Man Blues (RCA Victor, 1998)
• Peter Ecklund, Strings Attached (Arbors, 1996)
• Tony Trischka, World Turning (Rounder, 1995)
• Terry Waldo, Let It Shine (Stomp Off, 2003)

Books

• You're IN The Band' (Cynthia Sayer Music, 2016)
• The Swinging Solos Of Elmer Snowden' (Cynthia Sayer Music, 2021)

See also

• Banjo Hall of Fame Members
• List of banjo players

References

1. Kanzler, George. "Cynthia Sayer brings friends and banjo to Zinno.", The Star-Ledger, April 24, 1998, p. 32. "When she was growing up in Scotch Plains in the '60s and '70s, Cynthia Sayer wanted to be a big- band drummer."
2. Yanow, Scott (2008). The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide. Backbeat. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-87930-825-4.
3. Conklin, Sean. "Scenes from 2016 Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS Hall of Fame Induction", TAPinto.net, November 16, 2016. Accessed August 12, 2019. "Cynthia Sayer, Class of 1974, an international jazz banjoist, vocalist, concert and recording artist and entertainer who performed at the White House."

Sources

• The Mississippi Rag, "Cynthia Sayer, Banjoist from the Big Apple", by George A. Borgman, June 1994.

External links

• Official site
• Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band