Gazarek was born in Seattle, Washington and moved to Los Angeles in 2000 to attend the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.

[1][2] In college her teachers included Carmen Bradford, John Clayton, and Tierney Sutton.

[2] The album was a critical and commercial success with a top ten ranking in the Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts as well as being the top album download in iTunes for Jazz in Germany and France.

[4] Gazarek returned to the University of Southern California to accept a job on the faculty of jazz studies.

She shared in the group's 2024 and 2025 Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals.