Sarah vaughan in Jazz Vocal Music

"A Proper Introduction to Sarah Vaughan: Shulie a Bop" (08/23/2005) Jazz Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, A Proper IntroductionPersonnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals); Clifford Brown , Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet); Oscar Peterson (piano). Proper's Introduction series has offered excellent overviews of classic artists ranging from Lefty Frizzell to Charley Patton. This volume on Sarah Vaughan just barely fits the bill for a compilation, since it includes material from only two sessions, both recorded for EmArcy in 1954. If fans voted to choose just two sessions, however, first place would likely go to the December 1954 date that closes this disc (including a septet with trumpeter Clifford Brown), while the other, a trio session from the previous April, would trail close behind. The session with Brown, released as Lullaby of Birdland as well as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown, is one of the prime examples of a singer's collaboration with horn creating more than the sum of their parts, while the other, released as Swingin' Easy, demonstrated Vaughan's expertise swinging with minimal guidance from her band. Overall it's not a bad introduction by any means, but it's certainly not the career-spanning introduction that Proper is marketing with the title. ~ John Bush

"Sarah Vaughan [Platinum Disc]" (08/07/2001) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Platinum Disc Corp.

"It's You or No One (Pair)" (08/16/1994) Jazz Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Pair

"Anthology [Slipcase]" (01/04/2005) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Stardust RecordsPersonnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals); Sarah Vaughan; Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Smith , Ulysses Livingston, Freddie Green, Remo Palmieri, Tony Mottola, Barney Kessel, Barry Galbraith, Mundell Lowe, Al Casey, Connie Wainwright (guitar); Frank Wess (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charlie Fowlkes (flute, baritone saxophone); Marshall Royal, Al Gibson (clarinet, alto saxophone); Aaron Sachs, Sam Musiker, Tony Scott , Buster Bailey (clarinet); Russell Banzer, John Fulton, Jimmy Abato (reeds, woodwinds); Eddie de Verteuill (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Jerry Sanfino, Scoville Brown, Hilton Jefferson, John Jackson, Russell Procope, Paul Horn, Bill Frazier (alto saxophone); Dexter Gordon, Don Byas, Frank Foster, Gene Ammons, Georgie Auld, Big Nick Nicholas, Plas Johnson , Teddy Edwards, Budd Johnson, Buddy Collette (tenor saxophone); Leo Parker, Bill Hood (baritone saxophone); Chris Griffin , Red Solomon, Boonie Hazel, Dizzy Gillespie, Don Fagerquist, Clarence Brereton, George Treadwell, Joe Newman Quartet , Gail Brockman, Shorty McConnell, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Carmell Jones, Al Porcino, Miles Davis, Shorty Sherock, Snooky Young, Thad Jones, Jimmy Maxwell, Sonny Cohn, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Taswell Baird, Gerald Valentine, George Roberts , Howard H. Scott, Henry Coker, Jack Satterfield, Eddie Kusby, Al Grey, Lou Blackburn, Benny Powell, Tommy Shepard, Buddy Morrow (trombone); Red Callender (tuba); Jimmy Jones , Ronnell Bright (piano, celesta); Kirk Stuart, Hank Jones , Nicholas Tagg, Jimmy Rowles, Leonard Feather, Stan Freeman, Billy Kyle , John Malachi (piano); Ernie Freeman Combo (organ); Cozy Cole, Earl Palmer , J.C. Heard, William Barker, Morey Feld, Art Blakey, Sonny Payne, Terry Snyder, Bill Beason, Milt Turner, Percy Brice (drums); Larry Bunker (percussion); Count Basie & His Orchestra, George Treadwell & His All-Stars, Jimmy Jones & His Orchestra, John Kirby & His Orchestra, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra, Benny Carter & His Orchestra , Billy Eckstine & His Orchestra. Liner Note Author: Athan Maroulis. Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (09/05/1944-05/29/1963); New York, NY (09/05/1944-05/29/1963). Director: Billy Eckstine. Arrangers: George Treadwell; Gerald Wilson; Ted Dale ; Jimmy Jones ; Benny Carter ; Norman Leyden. In the 21st century, the jazz vocal field is full of upstart female vocalists who go out of their way to emulate the late Sarah Vaughan -- artists who feel that the best way to honor her memory is to try to sound exactly like her. The problem is that Sassy was truly irreplaceable; so instead of aspiring to be clones, the best thing jazz newcomers can do is search for their own voices. That isn't to say that they shouldn't be Vaughan-influenced -- only that they should work on developing their own identities -- and for newcomers, there is much to be learned from a fine collection like Anthology (especially when it comes to warmth, feeling, charisma and soulfulness). Spanning 1944-1963, this 23-song, 77-minute CD takes a look at Vaughan during a 19-year period -- and from "I'll Wait and Pray" in 1944 to a 1963 performance of Lionel Hampton's "Midnight Sun" (arranged by Gerald Wilson), she demonstrates just how compelling vocal jazz can be. The material is, for the most part, offered in chronological order, thus enabling one to hear the transition from scratchy 78-era sound to good '50s hi-fi mono to early stereo; one also hears some deepening in Vaughan's voice during those 19 years (although certainly not to the degree that her voice deepened in the '70s and '80s). But whatever the amount of deepness in her voice, Anthology never fails to illustrate the singer's originality; Vaughan is as distinctive on Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" in 1944 and Juan Tizol's "Perdido" in 1950 as she is on Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" in 1963. Anthology is far from the last word on Vaughan in the '40s, '50s or early '60s; it is, however, a nicely assembled collection that paints a consistently attractive picture of Vaughan's first 19 years as a recording artist. ~ Alex Henderson

"Quiet Now: Dreamsville" (01/25/2000) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Verve (USA)Personnel includes: Sard Vaughan (vocals). Producers: Quincy Jones, Hal Mooney, Bob Shad, Jack Tracy. Compilation producer: Richard Seidel. This is part of Verve's Quiet Now series. Personnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals). Photographer: Darryl Turner. The Quiet Now compilation series from Verve offers some of its best singers in settings perfect for contemplation or relaxation, and Sarah Vaughan is one of the best subjects for this type of collection. Although they called her Sassy, Vaughan's only peer with the ballad was Billie Holiday, and her voice was equally suited for the quiet torch song ("It Never Entered My Mind," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Lush Life") or the tender love song ("Someone to Watch over Me," "I've Got a Crush on You," "Embraceable You"). ~ John Bush

"Memories [Box]" (09/06/2005) Jazz Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Passport AudioPersonnel: Sarah Vaughan; Count Basie & His Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Joe Williams , Nat King Cole, Woody Herman, Charlie Parker.

"Great Moments" (2000) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Classic World Productions, Inc.Personnel includes: Sarah Vaughan (vocals).

"The Essential Sarah Vaughan [Metro]" (02/17/2003) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, MetroThis compilation CD features 25 original tracks from legendary recording artist Sara Vaughan. This two-CD set would be more properly titled "The Essential Early Sarah Vaughan," as it consists solely of recordings from 1944 to 1953. That's a small point, but a significant one. The non-experts these anthologies are primarily targeted toward might assume from the grand title that it's a true "best of," and it isn't, lacking any of her big hit singles from the mid- to late-'50s, any of her recordings with Clifford Brown, or any of her post-'50s efforts. That sticky detail dispensed with, The Essential Sarah Vaughan provides a pretty good survey of the jazz singer's early work, and it's a good value, as well, fitting 50 songs onto two discs. Top jazz musicians are all over the place in the varying backup ensembles, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, Billy Eckstine (who duets with Vaughan on "I Love You"), and Miles Davis. The less critically respected orchestras of Mitch Miller and Percy Faith are also heard, and some of the orchestrated material has more standard pop in the arrangements than some of the tracks featuring noted jazz stars. The recording quality varies too, getting significantly better on the later sides. None of that affects the musical merits of the performances much, Vaughan settling into her style on a collection with a lot of standards, including "September Song," "What a Difference a Day Made," "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," "Body and Soul," "Summertime," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "It Might As Well Be Spring," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and "Nature Boy" (the last of which uses only the voices of the Earl Rodgers Choir as accompaniment, as it was recorded during the 1948 musicians union strike). ~ Richie Unterberger

"Rtl Jazz" (04/06/2004) Jazz Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, Blue Note Records (USA)Wonderul Blue Note collection by one of the finest jazz vocalists ever to grace a microphone.

"Sings the Standards" (09/02/2003) Pop Vocal Vaughan, Sarah, EMI Music DistributionThis collection of popular songs recorded by U.S. jazz/pop singing legend Sarah Vaughan includes "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)" and "All I Do Is Dream Of You."