Tribute to the Blues: A Review of Sarah Levecque

If you’re looking for the perfect music to accompany you on your next spontaneous road trip, look no further. Sarah Levecque’s unique brand of country and blues is the kind of music that makes you feel like chasing your dreams might actually work out in the end. The kind that tells you to hit the road and never look back — everything will be okay. This message was immediately established by the hook of her opening song: “Don’t backtrack now if you miss something this time,” she advises, “Cause it’s all gonna circle back around.” Levecque simultaneously infuses the audience with a sense of adventure and the reassurance that the risk will be worthwhile. In her second song of the night, the self-affirming “Good for Nothin’, Good for Now,” she proclaims, “I might be good for nothin’, but I’m good for now.” Again, she promises the crowd that they are right where they need to be.

Although Levecque is a solo artist, she always plays with a band. In nearly every song, her husband, Peter Zarkadas, embarks on an epic guitar solo and leads the audience on an adventure just like the ones Levecque sings about. In addition to Zarkadas, Friday night’s band was composed of Jeffrey Song on the bass, Scott Sherman on the drums, and Adam Sherman on acoustic guitar and backup vocals, but Levecque’s lineup is frequently changing. She actually likes having this variability, as she takes inspiration from how different musicians interpret and play her songs. “It can get stale after a while, so I like to keep things interesting,” she explains. No matter who she is playing with, though, Levecque has a great time. “The fun part is just getting to play with your friends and musicians that you look up to,” she told us. Undoubtedly, the rest of her band looks up to her as well.

In addition to drawing inspiration from her bandmates, Levecque’s primary influences are the great blues artists. Her introduction to the world of musical performance was going to open blues jams, where she met other artists and made many important connections. The host would often make mixtapes of artists he thought she should hear, such as John Lee Hooker and Albert King. Her roots certainly came through in her last song of the night, a cover of Jessie Mae Hemphill’s “Jump, Baby, Jump.” In addition to blues, she draws from country artists, such as Townes van Zandt and John Prine. In “Dead Center, Head On,” a country song with a blues guitar part, these dual influences are exemplified. “It all sort of blends together and becomes one thing,” she says of the different genres that make up her sound. She describes her music as “a tribute” to those who have influenced her, but more than that, it is a tribute to the importance of live music, connection, and understanding.

The Burren, 5/17/24