Sara Swenson’s new release “All Things Big and Small” (September 18, 2010) proves Swenson deserves her quick climb to the top of Kansas City’s singer-songwriting community. The polished and insightful album comes on the heels of Swenson’s performance at the Kansas City Lilith Fair this summer, and plants her firmly among the big-name talent she shared the stage with. Just three years ago, a guitar-store employee suggested she try her hand at songwriting. Turns out Swenson had a natural talent. In 2008, she collected her first batch of tunes and recorded her rookie full-length album, “Sara Swenson,” nine raw tunes that featured her vocals and guitar with little extra decoration. Simple as it was, people connected with her music. In 2009 she won the title of Kansas City’s Best Singer- Songwriter at the Pitch Music Awards and garnered the top spot on KKFI 90.1’s list of 100 Top Recordings of 2009. She then recorded and released the digital single “Be Not Far,” the track that won Ourstage’s Lilith Local Talent Contest, putting her on the 2010 Kansas City Lilith Fair bill with Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, Heart, Ingrid Michaelson and others. Such significant success for such a short-lived music career would get any new artist thinking. She decided she didn’t just want to create songs; she wanted to really deserve the attention of listeners. “I heightened expectations of myself and dreamt of what that might sound like on a new album,” Swenson said. Somewhere between keeping