A 70s set from Sarah Vaughan, but one that's recorded in a classic small combo mode – acoustic overall, and a bit of a change from her other sessions for Mainstream Records! The date's a live one, and the tracks are taken at a looser level than some of Vaughan's studio work – a bit more open, and with a bit of conversation too – which is a nice surprise. The group's a trio – with Carl Schroeder on piano, John Gianelli on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Love Story", "The Nearness Of You", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Wave", "Misty", "There Will Never Be Another You", "A Foggy Day", and "Round Midnight". CD

Fantastic Roulette Records material from Sarah Vaughan – and exactly the kind of set that demonstrates the new level of maturity she hit at the label! The cover and title might make you expect a Wee Small Hours sort of record, but the approach is more varied, and really shows off all of Sarah's strengths – thanks to arrangements by Benny Carter that are full of subtle, but powerful shades and tones – which Vaughan then takes over, and really uses to push with her voice – perfect on both the powerful ballads and the more upbeat material. Titles include "Lonely Hours", "Solitude", "So Long My Love", "What'll I Do", and "Always On My Mind" – all with a wonderfully mature, slightly boozy sound. LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". LP, Vinyl record album

Ochestra conducted by Lalo Schifrin. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

One of Sarah's few albums for Columbia – and quite possibly the best, thanks to some great small group backing, heard on 8 of the album's 12 tunes! The group's a really great one – with Miles Davis on trumpet, Benny Green on trombone, Buddy Johnson on tenor, Tony Scott on clarinet, Mundell Lowe on guitar, and Billy Taylor on piano – all of whom get some surprising solo space on the album, and make the record one of Sarah's best jazz outings of the 50s. The remaining tracks on the set have a lusher ballad style, but are still quite nice – and titles include "Mean To Me", "Goodnight My Love", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", "East Of The Sun", "Pinky", "Ooh Whatcha Doin To Me", and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". 10 bonus tracks too – including unreleased cuts and alternates. CD

Arrangements by Quincy Jones – with titles that include "I Feel Pretty", "Sassy's Blues", "I Cried For You", "Lover Man", and "What Is This Thing Called Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Very nice jazz-oriented material that has Sarah working with Jimmy Jones, one of her best accompanists, or John Malachi, who was in Billy Eckstine's band at the same time Sarah was with the group. All the tracks have nice small combo instrumentation – and Sarah keeps things nice and warm vocally, free to get a bit more intimate than usual in the album's casual setting. Titles include "All Of Me", "Lover Man", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "You Hit The Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! CD

One of Sarah Vaughan's first albums of Latin-tinged tracks – showing the roots of her interest in Brazilian music that would develop even more fully into the 70s. The record features a large group arranged and conducted by Frank Foster – with a host of jazz soloists, plus Latin percussion by the likes of Willie Bobo, Jose Mangual, and Willie Rodriguez. Titles include lively versions of "Jive Samba", "The Boy From Ipanema", "Mr Lucky", "Quiet Nights", and "Moment Of Truth". Tasty stuff – and very groovy! LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan gets some great backings here from Quincy Jones – who brings a nice sort of punch to the record, and makes it one of her grooviest from the early 60s! The style's still somewhat traditional – not as much in moddish Jones modes from a few years later – but there's already that strong sense of syncopation that really sets Quincy's charts apart, the same sort of rhythms he brought to his Reprise arrangements for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie, although not as Basie-bombastic overall. Vaughan's vocals are still beautifully smooth in the setting, and titles include "I Could Write A Book", "Maria", "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "So Long", "You're Mine You", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Moonglow", and "Invitation". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "One Mint Julep" and "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean". CD

Sarah Vaughan is working here with the Count Basie orchestra – but in a way that's still relatively relaxed, and very much in keeping with her best modes of the Pablo years! There's less of the Basie bombast than you might expect on the record – and the group, arranged and conducted by Sam Nestico, leave plenty of room for Vaughan to step out in that warmly flowing vocal style that characterized her best later albums. Most numbers build slowly – with Sarah's vocals leading the cues, and the band glowing in the background to color things in before taking off – and titles include "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", "Just Friends", "Ill Wind", "If You Could See Me Now", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Indian Summer", and "When Your Lover Has Gone". CD

Sarah Vaughan is working here with the Count Basie orchestra – but in a way that's still relatively relaxed, and very much in keeping with her best modes of the Pablo years! There's less of the Basie bombast than you might expect on the record – and the group, arranged and conducted by Sam Nestico, leave plenty of room for Vaughan to step out in that warmly flowing vocal style that characterized her best later albums. Most numbers build slowly – with Sarah's vocals leading the cues, and the band glowing in the background to color things in before taking off – and titles include "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues", "Just Friends", "Ill Wind", "If You Could See Me Now", "I Hadn't Anyone Till You", "Indian Summer", and "When Your Lover Has Gone". CD

... CD

Classic work from her years at Emarcy/Mercury Records! CD

Sarah Vaughan takes on the work of Duke Ellington – almost presented here in a style that's similar to some of the Songbook albums on Verve from the 50s! Billy Byers handles most of the arrangements here – especially on the larger group numbers – but some tracks are also in a small combo mode, and are often the most interesting, because Sarah opens up with a looser feel than on some of the more "respectful" big group tracks. Titles on this first volume include "In A Sentimental Mood", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", "Solitude", "Day Dream", "Lush Life", "All Too Soon", and "In A Mellow Tone". CD

Sarah Vaughan has a wonderfully warm glow here – that richness in her voice that only seemed to come on more strongly as the 70s moved on – with elements that are every bit as great as her famous recordings of the 50s, but even more mature, and more finely-tuned with an understanding of the powers of her vocal range and sense of inflection! The group is a spare, gentle one – Carl Schroeder on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and as on some of Sarah's key records from the time, all players often give Vaughan plenty of space up front on her own. Titles include seven minute takes of "Sarah's Blues" and "Tenderly", plus "Round Midnight", "The Lamp Is Low", "Watch What Happens", "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life", and a long medley of "It's Magic/My Reverie/Body & Soul/Moonlight In Vermont". CD

6LPs worth of music – most of the goodness that Sarah Vaughn recorded for Pablo Records in the 70s! LP, Vinyl record album

The cover's a bit goofy, but the album's a standout in the 70s career of Sarah Vaughan – one of those sets in which she tried out newer, more contemporary material – and found that both her voice and the new style of arranging were a surprisingly good fit! Vaughan has help here from talents who were working both in soul and jazz at the time – as the album features charts by Paul Griffin, Wade Marcus, Gene Page, Michel Legrand, and Ernie Wilkins – and has a gentle, laidback vibe that glows with a few electric currents – almost in Kudu Records modes, but a bit more expansive overall, and with less of an easy nod to funk. Titles include "Wave", "Do Away With April", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", "On Thinking It Over", "Right In The Next Room", and "I Need You More". CD

A smoking set of all-star performances – recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1954, and with a sense of tremendous talent that may well blow away some of the Jazz At The Philharmonic sets of the time! The material here is heavy on Count Basie performances – excellent material from that period when he was really hitting full power again on Verve – with strong solos from Frank Foster and Frank Wess on reeds, plus work from Joe Newman on trumpet! Lester Young's tenor also joins Basie's group at one point – and Sarah Vaughan sings with the group too – but the set also features some more Verve-like performances – from Charlie Parker on alto, and Billie Holiday on vocals, who gets almost one side of the record to herself. There's a huge amount of material on the double-length set – and titles include "My Funny Valentine", "Cool Blues", and "The Song Is You" by Charlie Parker; "Them There Eyes", "My Man", and "Lover Man" by Billie Holiday; "Saturday", "Time", "That Old Devil Moon", and "Don't Blame Me" by Sarah Vaughan; and "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Sure Thing", "Perdido", "Blues Backstage", and "You For Me" by Count Basie. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan may be known for an earlier recording of After Hours for the Columbia label in the 50s – but on this early 60s set for Roulette, the title really fits her style – and is perfect for the mature, melancholy way that Vaughan has of putting over a tune! Sarah always had a strongly technical side to her singing, but on a record like this, she also hits a more naturalistic sort of approach – almost in a Nancy Wilson level, in the way that she makes you feel like she's relating the tune to you personally – although with deeper currents of emotion, but delivered in a very subtle way – partly due to the stripped-down sound of the album. The instrumentation helps hit that late nite vibe that's perfect for the material – thanks to guitar from Mundell Lowe and bass from George Duvivier – on titles that include "Vanity", "My Favorite Things", "Sophisticated Lady", "Easy To Love", "If Love Is Good To Me", and "Great Day". CD

One of our favorite albums ever by Sarah Vaughan – and a really jazz-based session that's totally hip! Sarah's working here live at the legendary London House nightclub in Chicago – singing with a small combo that includes Ronnell Bright on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – augmented by some great horn work from Thad Jones on trumpet and Frank Wess on tenor. The set's got a relaxed jazzy feel that's really a welcome departure from some of Sarah's more over-arranged albums from the time – and the interplay between the vocals and the horns is easy, relaxed, and very well placed throughout – a perfect summation of the subtle Vaughan genius, but one that's rarely ever captured this well on record! Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Detour Ahead", "I'll String Along With You", "Three Little Words", "Speak Low", and "All Of You". CD

Two fantastic Roulette Records sessions from Sarah Vaughan – both featuring backings by Benny Carter! CD

Wonderful material from a very productive time in the career of Sarah Vaughan – and a time when Sarah was really elevating her skills to a whole new level! There's plenty of jazz here, but Vaughan's also mastered some of the more sophisticated, more adult modes too – working wonderfully with well-chosen backings throughout – on material that originally appeared on the albums Dreamy, The Divine One, Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan, After Hours, You're Mine You, Snowbound, The Explosive Side Of Sarah Vaughan, Star Eyes, The Lonely Hours, We Three, The World Of Sarah Vaughan, Sweet N Sassy, Sarah Sings Soulfully, Sara + 2, Sarah Slightly Classical, and additional tracks from singles and compilations! CD

Some of the most important recordings in the career of Sarah Vaughan – rich package of albums that really helped her refine her style strongly, and unlock an approach to jazz that nobody else could touch! Vaughan had always been a great singer, no matter what the setting – but here, she takes things a strong step forward – by mixing instrumental inspiration with careful lyrical delivery, all at a level that's quite different than Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, or any other contemporaries! Vaughan's got this mature approach that's never overdone, and never tries to call too much attention to itself – even though Sarah's singing in ways that are technically mindblowing, and set to the kinds of backings that never would have been so subtle a few years before. The beautiful package is a 7" square book – with heavy hardcovers, and lots of color images on the many pages inside – plus four CDs nestled alongside the words – containing the full albums Images, In The Land Of Hi Fi, Sarah Vaughan, At Mister Kelly's, After Hours At The London House, and No Count Sarah – plus 11 bonus tracks added to the Mister Kelly's album, and 5 more bonus tracks from the Swingin Easy record as well. 72 tracks in all – in a really lovely package! CD

A perfect title for a perfect album from Sarah Vaughan – one of those wonderful dates from the singer's second chapter of her career – a time when she was finding newly sophisticated ways to spin out her songs! The music here is arranged by Jimmy Jones – who makes things lush, but never too much so – this beautiful balance he brought to other records of the time, such as his work with Basie – in a way that has Vaughan very much out front in the mix, working her voice with effortless ease, announcing to the world that she's one of the all-time greats, but never has to hit anyone over the head to prove it! Harry Sweets Edison provides some great trumpet lines to underscore the jazz in the music – and titles include "Dreamy", "Hands Across The Table", "Moon Over Miami", "I'll Be Seeing You", "Star Eyes", "Trees", and "Crazy He Calls Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan takes on the work of Duke Ellington – almost presented here in a style that's similar to some of the Songbook albums on Verve from the 50s! Billy Byers handles most of the arrangements here – especially on the larger group numbers – but some tracks are also in a small combo mode, and are often the most interesting, because Sarah opens up with a looser feel than on some of the more "respectful" big group tracks. Titles on this first volume include "In A Sentimental Mood", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", "Solitude", "Day Dream", "Lush Life", "All Too Soon", and "In A Mellow Tone". CD

Sarah Vaughan takes on the work of Duke Ellington – almost presented here in a style that's similar to some of the Songbook albums on Verve from the 50s! Billy Byers handles most of the arrangements here – especially on the larger group numbers – but some tracks are also in a small combo mode, and are often the most interesting, because Sarah opens up with a looser feel than on some of the more "respectful" big group tracks. Titles on this second volume include "Black Butterfly", "Chelsea Bridge", "What Am I Here For", "Tonight I Shall Sleep", "Mood Indigo", "Everything But You", and "Rocks In My Bed". CD

A great step forward for Sarah Vaughan – a set in which she gets the same sort of "songbook" treatment that was really helping Ella Fitzgerald elevate her career at the same time! Backings are by Hal Mooney, who does a good job of bringing a bit of sophistication into the setting, but not at a level that's ever sleepy or overdone – a fair bit like the wonderful mode that Sarah would hit on her Roulette Records material to come! Jimmy Jones plays piano on most numbers, too. CD

A dozen classics from sassy Sarah Vaughan's Mercury years, including "Misty", "Broken Hearted Melody", "Make Yourself Comfortable", "Autumn In New York", "Moonlight In Vermont", "How Important Can It Be", "Smooth Operator", "Whatever Lola Wants", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Eternally", "Poor Butterfly" and "Close To You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little date – one that's presented here with a really classic sense of jazz vocal recording, but oddly the kind of record that Sarah Vaughn hardly ever got to make back in the 50s! The setting is spare and simple – backing by a quartet that includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Louis Bellson – but all players are nicely relaxed here, and never too uptight, or trying to over-express their place in the lineup – and instead step forward gently, quietly, to match Sarah's wonderfully mature vocals on the record. Titles include "Easy Living", "You're Blase", "More Than You Know", "Teach Me Tonight", "Body & Soul", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Midnight Sun". CD

... CD

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A warm, wonderful set by Sarah Vaughan – and a later one, closing the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1971 – released for the first time ever! Sarah is backed for most of the set by the trio of Billy Mays on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – with Sarah managing to both portray heavy emotion and mood and also an easygoing, playful charm – joking with the audience and obviously having a wonderful time. Very nice! Includes the Norman Granz intro, plus "I Remember You", "The Lamp Is Low", "'Round Midnight", "There Will Never Be Another You", "And I Love Him", "Scattin' The Blues", and "Tenderly" – plus a 14 plus minute jam with the Jazz At The Philharmonic All-Stars – Bill Harris, Roy Eldridge, Clark Terry, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Benny Carter and others! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah grooves up her bag a bit here – working through some great 60s pop tunes, set to arrangements by Luchi De Jesus that have a nice little swing! The jazz component of the set is a bit muted, but Sarah's voice still sounds great – and the best tunes on the album have a groovy 60s approach that's a nice change, and in the same mod mode as work from the same time by Mel Torme – loungey, but still plenty darn great, and almost hipper than some of the other Vaughn work from the title. Titles include a great reading of Torme's original "Dominque's Discotheque", plus the tracks "Shadow Of Your Smile", "Sneakin Up On You", "Love", "Call Me", "Michelle", and "One Two Three". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's a bit of a joke – because the record features a batch sidemen from the Count Basie band – Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Freddy Green, Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster, and others – all working with Sarah, but the Count's name is missing, due to contractual obligations! Despite that lack, though, the grooves are very much in the best Basie mode – full of soul and searing horn lines – at a level that makes the album one of Sarah's liveliest from the time! Players include Thad Jones and Joe Newman on trumpet, Al Grey on trombone, Frank Foster and Frank Wess on tenor, and Freddie Green on guitar – and Ronnell Bright handles the piano, instead of Basie. Titles include "Darn That Dream", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Doodlin", "Just One Of Those Things", "No Count Blues", and "Missing You". CD

... CD

Sarah Vaughan's most stripped-down session – a record that really does just have "plus 2" added to the lady's lovely vocals! Backing here are only by Barney Kessel on guitar and Joe Comfort on bass – accompanying Sarah in a moody, mellow, late nite mode that's far different than some of the fuller backings on her other records for Roulette! The spare and sensitive sound is totally great – a side of Vaughan that rarely comes out this perfectly, and an amazing demonstration of her sense of poise, rhythm, and timing – without a piano or rhythm section to push her along. Titles include "When Sunny Gets Blue", "I Understand", "Goodnight Sweetheart", "All I Do Is Dream Of You", "Key Largo", "Just Squeeze Me", and "The Very Thought Of You". CD

A great album on Mercury – one with a gentle groove, but at a level that really lets Sarah Vaughan expand to the full subtle power of her voice! Titles include "It Happened Again", "You Ought To Have A Wife", "Never", "Edge Of The Sea", "C'Est La Vie", "Don't Let Me Love You", "The Second Time", and "Fabulous Character". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Vaughan's nice jazz sides from the 50s on EmArcy, but cut with slightly larger backing, almost in the vein of some here concurrent pop oriented work at the Mercury parent label during the same time. Arrangements are by Hal Mooney, and Vaughan takes an approach that showcases how she garnered the titular nickname in great readings of a number of standards on this set. Titles include "Lush Life", "Only You Can Say", "The Boy Next Door", and "I'm The Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Vaughan's nice jazz sides from the 50s on EmArcy, but cut with slightly larger backing, almost in the vein of some here concurrent pop oriented work at the Mercury parent label during the same time. Arrangements are by Hal Mooney, and Vaughan takes an approach that showcases how she garnered the titular nickname in great readings of a number of standards on this set. Titles include "Lush Life", "Only You Can Say", "The Boy Next Door", and "I'm The Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Very nice jazz-oriented material that has Sarah working with Jimmy Jones, one of her best accompanists, or John Malachi, who was in Billy Eckstine's band at the same time Sarah was with the group. All the tracks have nice small combo instrumentation – and Sarah keeps things nice and warm vocally, free to get a bit more intimate than usual in the album's casual setting. Titles include "All Of Me", "Lover Man", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "You Hit The Spot". CD

A great album that pairs these two great singers together for some of Berlin's popular tunes. They're accompanied by a full orchestra and the singers compliment each other nicely especially where Vaughan can match Eckstine's low tones. The tracks include "Isn't This A Lovely Day", "All Of My Life", "Cheek To Cheek", "Remember", "Easter Parade", "The Girl That I Marry", and "Now It Can Be Told". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's best albums from the 50s – a swinging live set caught at Chicago's Mister Kelly's night club – and recorded with very small combo backing! The album's a great contrast to some of Sarah's more fully arranged sets of the era – and it features piano from Jimmy Jones, bass from Richard Davis, and drums from Roy Haynes – all served up in a great blend of sensitive modes on the ballads, and more swinging styles on the upbeat numbers. There's a bit more of the latter, given the swinging feel of the set. The best part of this CD, though, is that it adds 11 extra tracks to the original album – for a whopping 20 tracks of beautiful live jazz vocals. Titles include "September In The Rain", "Alone", "Dancing In The Dark", "Lucky In Love", "Dream", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Just A Gigolo". CD

A beautiful collaboration between Sarah Vaughan and Michel Legrand – and easily one of Sarah's greatest albums of the 70s! As he was doing with other singers at the time, Legrand helps Vaughan hit a new level of sophistication here – bringing in tunes that really get past simple pop and older standards, with adult themes supported by equally mature backings – filled with rich colors and complicated tones developed over Legrand's great work on film scores. Almost all tunes are originals by Michel – many pulled from his film work – and he also scored the arrangements here, working with the orchestra in a swirling blend of strings and jazz. Titles include "I Will Say Goodbye", "Summer Me Winter Me", "His Eyes Her Eyes", "Wave", "Blue Green Grey & Gone", "Pieces Of Dreams", "Hands Of Time", "The Summer Knows", and "Once You've Been In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Just You, Just Me", "Sunday", "I Cover The Waterfront", "Lester's Bebop Boogie", "The Man I Love", and "I Cried For You". 16 tracks total. CD

Sweet slices of work from a hell of a jazz festival – the 1963 Antibes performances, served up here in some incredibly hip material! The set begins with early work from pianist Dollar Brand – whose trio sounds moody and amazing on "Antibes Jam", then gets joined the great vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin on a version of "Prelude To A Kiss". Next up is the soulful sound of tenorist Klaus Doldinger, whose group includes Ingfried Hoffmann on piano – on a sensitive reading of "Like Someone In Love", which really shows off Klaus' under-recorded ballad style. The great trombonist Eje Thelin follows – leading a quintet with Ulf Andersson on tenor and Lars Joesten on piano – on the very long "Antibes Jam". A Polish group follows with another long track – a sharp-edged take on "Well You Needn't", led by tenorist Jan Wroblewski in a quartet with Wojciech Karolak on piano. Last up is singer Sarah Vaughan – working with the Kirk Stewart Trio – on the titles "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Tenderly", "A Taste Of Honey", and "Bill Bailey". CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughan may be known for an earlier recording of After Hours for the Columbia label in the 50s – but on this early 60s set for Roulette, the title really fits her style – and is perfect for the mature, melancholy way that Vaughan has of putting over a tune! Sarah always had a strongly technical side to her singing, but on a record like this, she also hits a more naturalistic sort of approach – almost in a Nancy Wilson level, in the way that she makes you feel like she's relating the tune to you personally – although with deeper currents of emotion, but delivered in a very subtle way – partly due to the stripped-down sound of the album. The instrumentation helps hit that late nite vibe that's perfect for the material – thanks to guitar from Mundell Lowe and bass from George Duvivier – on titles that include "Vanity", "My Favorite Things", "Sophisticated Lady", "Easy To Love", "If Love Is Good To Me", and "Great Day". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums ever by Sarah Vaughan – and a really jazz-based session that's totally hip! Sarah's working here live at the legendary London House nightclub in Chicago – singing with a small combo that includes Ronnell Bright on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums – augmented by some great horn work from Thad Jones on trumpet and Frank Wess on tenor. The set's got a relaxed jazzy feel that's really a welcome departure from some of Sarah's more over-arranged albums from the time – and the interplay between the vocals and the horns is easy, relaxed, and very well placed throughout – a perfect summation of the subtle Vaughan genius, but one that's rarely ever captured this well on record! Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Detour Ahead", "I'll String Along With You", "Three Little Words", "Speak Low", and "All Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "My Funny Valentine", "If I Loved You", "April Give Me One More Day", "Saturday", "Easy Come Easy Go Lover", "It's Delovely", "Old Love", "I've Got A New Heartache", "Bashful Matador", and "You'll Find Me There". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from the 60s years of Sarah Vaughan on Mercury – including some very groovy material, and a few unissued tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing crazy and mixed up here, but a wonderful later date from Sarah Vaughan – one that's recorded with subtly sophisticated brilliance! The setting is easygoing and relaxed – far more so than most of Vaughan's records from many years past – and backing is provided by Roland Hanna on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, Andy Simpkins on bass, and Harold Jones on drums – all grooving in a warmly rounded mode that seems to further the already-great sound of Sarah's vocals at this point in her career. The record's one you might pass by because of the date, but it's easily one of the greatest Vaughan albums from later years – and tracks include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "That's All", "Seasons", "Love Dance", "The Island", "In Love In Vain", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

Early Mercury magic from Sarah Vaughan – pressed up here on a rare 10" album issued before the full LP with "divine" in its title! Things here are pretty mellow and laidback, a perfect illustration of the sound that made Vaughan stand out from the rest of her contemporaries – and titles include "It's Magic", "Honey", "Tenderly", "S'Wonderful", "Touch Of Your Lips", and "I Don't Know Why". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughn hit a very groovy new style on her handful of records for the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a new approach that offered her amazing voice a way to stretch out with some of the new sophistication of the time! The arrangements are still jazz, but they've taken a direction that other younger singers, like Nancy Wilson, were following as the decade began – maybe more adult themes in the lyrics, and a way of balancing out the larger charts without ever getting in the way of the singer – which is especially important here, in the way that the album demonstrates that phrasing that not only made Sarah so unique at the start, but which got even more amazing as the years moved on. The arrangers are a hip lot who are definitely up to the job – and include Michel Legrand, Peter Matz, and Jack Elliott – on titles that include "Run To Me", "And The Feeling's Good", "Just A Little Lovin", "Deep In The Night", "When You Think Of It", and a nice take on "Easy Evil". CD

A great step forward for Sarah Vaughan – a set in which she gets the same sort of "songbook" treatment that was really helping Ella Fitzgerald elevate her career at the same time! Backings are by Hal Mooney, who does a good job of bringing a bit of sophistication into the setting, but not at a level that's ever sleepy or overdone – a fair bit like the wonderful mode that Sarah would hit on her Roulette Records material to come! Jimmy Jones plays piano on most numbers, and titles include "Of Thee I Sing", "Bidin My Time", "Summertime", "Lorelei", "My One & Only", "Do It Again", "Love Walked In", "He Loves & She Loves", "Looking For A Boy", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection – classic Sarah Vaughan recordings of material from famous shows, set to arrangements from Hal Mooney! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little date – one that's presented here with a really classic sense of jazz vocal recording, but oddly the kind of record that Sarah Vaughn hardly ever got to make back in the 50s! The setting is spare and simple – backing by a quartet that includes Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Louis Bellson – but all players are nicely relaxed here, and never too uptight, or trying to over-express their place in the lineup – and instead step forward gently, quietly, to match Sarah's wonderfully mature vocals on the record. Titles include "Easy Living", "You're Blase", "More Than You Know", "Teach Me Tonight", "Body & Soul", "How Long Has This Been Going On", and "Midnight Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah does love Brazil – and the album's one of a number recorded in a Brazilian mode later in her career – in a way that really helped her breathe new life into her music by finding a different groove to work with! The arrangements here are relatively full – handled by Edson Fredrico throughout, and featuring players that include Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano, Mauricio Einhorn on harmonica, Nelson Angelo on guitar, and Helio Delmiro on acoustic guitar – all wrapped up in a sound that's got the warmer jazz touches of the Brazilian scene of the 70s. The set was recorded in Rio, and Danilo Caymmi and Milton Nascimento provide a bit of guest vocals – and tracks include "The Face I Love", "Courage", "The Day It Rained", "Vera Cruz", and "If You Went Away". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip album from Sarah Vaughan – one recorded with great jazz backings from Ernie Wilkins, and featuring a young Cannonball Adderley as the main soloist! The addition of Adderley's alto definitely brings a swinging sound to the set – a sense of soul that's even deeper than usual for Vaughan, and which helps the album live up to its hi-fi promise! Wilkins arrangements have a bit of a Basie bounce at times, but never overwhelm Sarah's vocals – and Jimmy Jones is also on the set, handling the piano lines. Titles include "An Occasional Man", "Oh My", "Soon", "How High The Moon", "It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream", and "Maybe". LP, Vinyl record album

Totally wonderful live work from Sarah Vaughan – a Berlin performance that takes off strongly from the grooviest styles of her mid 60s work on Mercury – but with an approach that's maybe even more unfettered overall, given the live setting of the material! Sarah's voice is incredible – working with an amazing demonstration of that famous range that made her such a key force in transforming jazz vocals during the postwar years – always swinging, but with all these inflections that really show just how much she'd developed her voice as an instrument during the 60s. Backing is from an unusual trio – Johnny Veith on piano, Gus Mancuso on bass, and Eddy Pucci on drums – players who really fit the groovy nature of the material – titles that include "On A Clear Day", "Passing Strangers", "I Cried For You", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "And I Love Him", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Sweetest Sounds", "What Now My Love", "Time After Time", and "I Had A Ball". CD

Totally wonderful live work from Sarah Vaughan – a Berlin performance that takes off strongly from the grooviest styles of her mid 60s work on Mercury – but with an approach that's maybe even more unfettered overall, given the live setting of the material! Sarah's voice is incredible – working with an amazing demonstration of that famous range that made her such a key force in transforming jazz vocals during the postwar years – always swinging, but with all these inflections that really show just how much she'd developed her voice as an instrument during the 60s. Backing is from an unusual trio – Johnny Veith on piano, Gus Mancuso on bass, and Eddy Pucci on drums – players who really fit the groovy nature of the material – titles that include "On A Clear Day", "Passing Strangers", "I Cried For You", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "And I Love Him", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Sweetest Sounds", "What Now My Love", "Time After Time", and "I Had A Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early 60s work for Roulette Records – with work from Barney Kessel or Mundell Lowe on guitar on some tracks, and larger backings from Count Basie, Don Costa, and Jimmy Jones! CD

A jazz vocal masterpiece from Sarah Vaughn – one of her greatest albums ever, and a record that raised the bar for countless vocal sessions in years to come! Sarah's working here in an intimate group arranged by Ernie Wilkins – filled with famous trumpet solo work by Clifford Brown, during his last few years on the planet - plus tenor from Paul Quinichette, flute from Herbie Mann, and piano from Jimmy Jones. Sarah's vocals are incredible – curving, turning, and lilting with a tremendous amount of jazz-based inflection – and titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "April In Paris", "September Song", "He's My Guy", and "I'm Glad There Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazz vocal masterpiece from Sarah Vaughn – one of her greatest albums ever, and a record that raised the bar for countless vocal sessions in years to come! Sarah's working here in an intimate group arranged by Ernie Wilkins – filled with famous trumpet solo work by Clifford Brown, during his last few years on the planet - plus tenor from Paul Quinichette, flute from Herbie Mann, and piano from Jimmy Jones. Sarah's vocals are incredible – curving, turning, and lilting with a tremendous amount of jazz-based inflection – and titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "April In Paris", "September Song", "He's My Guy", and "I'm Glad There Is You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great step forward for Sarah Vaughan – a set in which she gets the same sort of "songbook" treatment that was really helping Ella Fitzgerald elevate her career at the same time! Backings are by Hal Mooney, who does a good job of bringing a bit of sophistication into the setting, but not at a level that's ever sleepy or overdone – a fair bit like the wonderful mode that Sarah would hit on her Roulette Records material to come! Jimmy Jones plays piano on most numbers, and titles include "Of Thee I Sing", "Bidin My Time", "Summertime", "Lorelei", "My One & Only", "Do It Again", "Love Walked In", "He Loves & She Loves", "Looking For A Boy", and "Someone To Watch Over Me". LP, Vinyl record album

2CD version – with 31 tracks in all – way more than the original album! CD

The cover's a bit goofy, but the album's a standout in the 70s career of Sarah Vaughan – one of those sets in which she tried out newer, more contemporary material – and found that both her voice and the new style of arranging were a surprisingly good fit! Vaughan has help here from talents who were working both in soul and jazz at the time – as the album features charts by Paul Griffin, Wade Marcus, Gene Page, Michel Legrand, and Ernie Wilkins – and has a gentle, laidback vibe that glows with a few electric currents – almost in Kudu Records modes, but a bit more expansive overall, and with less of an easy nod to funk. Titles include "Wave", "Do Away With April", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", "On Thinking It Over", "Right In The Next Room", and "I Need You More". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem from the Roulette Records years of Sarah Vaughan – material that sometimes gets a bit overlooked, partly because of its packaging – but which may well be some of our favorite material by the singer! Vaughan here is in her mature, boozy mode – the same Sarah we heard on the classic Snowbound and After Hours albums for the label – and the music has a blue-tinged blend of strings provided by Marty Manning, recorded by Henry Glover with this magical balance that still has Vaughan's vocals right out front – stark and spare, as if the bigger orchestra isn't even around – as she works incredible curves and inflections to the lyrics of the tunes – so that each performance makes the lyrics completely her own. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Once Upon A Summertime", "As Long As He Needs Me", "There'll Be Other Times", "I Was Telling Him About You", and "I'll Never Be The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked vocal gem from Sarah Vaughan – recorded in the early 60s with some sweet arrangements by a young Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was just getting his start on the US scene at the time – and for the set, he's working in a mode that has some of the fuller, richer orchestrations used on other Vaughan albums of the period – but which also breaks out into some leaner and jazzier moments that remind us of his later work. Sarah herself is great – singing with that mature and almost world-weary tone that made so many of her Roulette sides so memorable. Titles include "More Than You Know", "Thanks For The Ride", "Just Married Today", "I Wish I Were In Love Again", "This Can't Be Love", and "Slowly". CD

Very nice jazz-oriented material that has Sarah working with Jimmy Jones, one of her best accompanists, or John Malachi, who was in Billy Eckstine's band at the same time Sarah was with the group. All the tracks have nice small combo instrumentation – and Sarah keeps things nice and warm vocally, free to get a bit more intimate than usual in the album's casual setting. Titles include "All Of Me", "Lover Man", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "You Hit The Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sarah Vaughan's best albums from the 50s – a swinging live set caught at Chicago's Mister Kelly's night club – and recorded with very small combo backing! The album's a great contrast to some of Sarah's more fully arranged sets of the era – and it features piano from Jimmy Jones, bass from Richard Davis, and drums from Roy Haynes – all served up in a great blend of sensitive modes on the ballads, and more swinging styles on the upbeat numbers. There's a bit more of the latter, given the swinging feel of the set – and titles include "Just A Gigolo", "Willow Weep For Me", "Be Anything But Darling Be Mine", "Thou Swell", "September In The Rain", "Just One Of Those Things", and "Stairway To The Stars". CD

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