Making music is a spiritual thing for Sarah Morrow — throughout her career it has carried her around the world, fed her need for creative expressionism and seen her on stage with Ray Charles.

The critically acclaimed jazz artist, composer and songwriter was the first female instrumentalist to ever be a member of Ray Charles’ orchestra.

“I was hired to play with a symphony orchestra where he was the guest artist — and he was in need of a trombone player, which I didn’t know at the time,” Morrow says. “He asked his manager who the guy was that was playing trombone, and his manager didn’t know. After our last concert, I actually approached him about auditioning for Mr. Charles’ band, and was initially turned away.”

“While he was walking away from me, I shouted, ‘But I played lead trombone tonight!’ and he stopped and turned around and said, ‘That was you?'” she says.

Shortly after that, Morrow got an audition and was hired as the new trombonist.

“Touring with Ray was one of the best experiences of my life,” Morrow says.

She toured the world with him for two years and became known as a musician. Since then, she has toured with a number of acclaimed musicians — including the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Gary Kleptach, assistant professor of music, says getting Morrow to come to Iowa State has been a long process.

“Since she lives in Europe and tours all the time, it was very hard to find a time that was open in both of our schedules to get her here,” he says.

This will be the second time Kleptach has performed with Morrow. He had previously performed with her when Morrow was a student in Ohio.

“She was exceptional then, but she’s even more exceptional now,” he says.

A career as a jazz musician keeps Morrow busy with many things, she says.

“The profession of being a jazz musician entails … primary playing lots of concerts, but you have to travel a lot,” Morrow says.

“If you’re good enough to get into the festival circuit, that’s great — but festivals are limited in each country, so I travel all over the world,” she says.

Morrow is currently taking on several corners of the music world.

“I do lots of clinics and master classes all the way from middle school through university level,” she says. “I also do composition. I write almost all the music I record, and I also compose for other artists.”

After spending a good deal of her life playing and composing music, she has recently dipped her feet into some more experimental endeavors.

“Don’t laugh at this,” Morrow says, “but I enjoy writing lyrics too. I’ve started songwriting for the R&B and hip-hop world under an alias.”

She also recently started singing and is learning how to play percussion instruments so she can better help students when she teaches.

Being a top-notch musician also means staying in peak playing condition. Before Morrow started playing with Ray, she practiced six to eight hours a day.

“I don’t get to practice as much as I would like because I’m on the road so much, but when I get a break — which I love — I will practice a minimum of four hours a day,” she says.

When she was touring Europe with big-name artists, Morrow earned quite a bit of recognition. She says she even has record labels that wanted her to start doing her own projects, so she moved to Paris to pursue her career.

“A record company wanted me to move to Paris to work and record, so I’ve been there for five years, but I really love it. The food is great,” she says.

How did she go from casual musician to the big time? Morrow says it wasn’t always easy. She gives these words of wisdom to aspiring musicians:

“First of all, believe in yourself — there will be plenty of people who will turn you away,” she says. “Find your own voice, find what moves you — and don’t be afraid to fail at first.”

Who: Sarah Morrow

Where: Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall, Music Hall

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Cost: $2 students, $3 adults