Sarah Jarosz at the Lobero

At the Lobero Theatre, Wed., Oct. 18.

Americana singer/songwriter Sarah Jarosz played before a warmly welcoming audience at the Lobero Theatre on Wednesday, October 18, accompanied by Jeff Picker on upright bass and Anthony da Costa on guitars and vocals. Rootsy rocker Brother Roy opened, performing alone with piano and harmonica, bringing Leon Russell to mind.

Jarosz is an accomplished instrumentalist with a strong, clear voice. She played acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo during the set. She performed songs from several of her albums, including the title tracks from Song Up in Her Head and Build Me Up from Bones, as well as selections from her recent Undercurrent, which earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Folk Album. The audience was also treated to a sampling of the upcoming release Blue Heron Suite, which was commissioned by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art for the FreshGrass music festival.

Jarosz is a skilled songwriter. She sang mostly her own compositions, but included moving covers of Tom Petty’s “Time to Move On” and Bob Dylan’s “Ring Them Bells.” One highlight was a virtuoso moment when Picker had his turn in the spotlight on the upright bass. Anthony da Costa was outstanding on acoustic and electric guitar as well as harmonizing vocals. The intimate Lobero Theatre was the perfect venue for Jarosz.