Sarah Vaughan

[BFrank]

Saw this on another Web page. Had to pass it on.

WHOA!!

[Jim R]

At least that's a small scan. I had the original vinyl, and I could barely stand to look at it (great music, though). It's still hard to believe that the photo was o.k.'d. I remember bringing this up (without the J.B. A/B ) at the BNBB (I think I posted a large scan, though )

[brownie]

Aside from the Tivoli recording, she only recorded it on two other occasions (according to Brown's 1991 discography):

"Jazz Jamboree" in Warsaw on October 24, 1975 with Carl Schroeder (p), Bob Magnusson (b), Jimmy Cobb (d). Issues: (P) Pronit SX 0605; and (cassette) "Jazz Greats" SJG 12.

"Airmen of Note" broadcast, Washington DC, March 6, 1977

Airmen of Note Orchestra, plus Schroeder, Walter Booker (b), Cobb.

No issues listed.

I think it's safe to assume that the Tivoli recording is the one turning up on comps. I had it on a JMY (Italy) disc before I got the Mercury boxes.

There are two versions - including a reprise - of the song in the double CD Sarah Vaughan In the City of Lights (Sunnyside) that was recorded in November 1985 in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. With Frank Collett on piano, Bob Maize on bass and Harold Jones on drums.

[king ubu]

So most would agree the Mosaic is not prime material?

I only have very few of her recordings so far: a one disc on Columbia with the Miles sides, not sure that's the one that gets recommended in the first posts, and the Brownie session, also "Crazy & Mixed Up", that's it. Took a note with some recommendations, thanks everybod!

[Clunky]

The Tivoli 2CD set is pretty good, swings hard and loud but she does goe all operatic-diva-like on some songs. .

[paul secor]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I'm no longer surprised at the amount of valuable information (plus worthwhile opinions) there is to be found among you guys. I have the Vaughan w. Brownie recordings, so I'll probably try the early Columbia sides as a next step.

Any opinions on the Gershwin recordings on Verve? I listened to some clips and it sounded pretty good, but clips can sometimes be deceiving.

[king ubu]

That's the Columbia one with Miles, right? Or is there another one?

[Jim R]

Aside from the Tivoli recording, she only recorded it on two other occasions (according to Brown's 1991 discography):

"Jazz Jamboree" in Warsaw on October 24, 1975 with Carl Schroeder (p), Bob Magnusson (b), Jimmy Cobb (d). Issues: (P) Pronit SX 0605; and (cassette) "Jazz Greats" SJG 12.

"Airmen of Note" broadcast, Washington DC, March 6, 1977

Airmen of Note Orchestra, plus Schroeder, Walter Booker (b), Cobb.

No issues listed.

I think it's safe to assume that the Tivoli recording is the one turning up on comps. I had it on a JMY (Italy) disc before I got the Mercury boxes.

There are two versions - including a reprise - of the song in the double CD Sarah Vaughan In the City of Lights (Sunnyside) that was recorded in November 1985 in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. With Frank Collett on piano, Bob Maize on bass and Harold Jones on drums.

Thanks for mentioning that one, brownie. I relied only on the 1991 Brown discography, and neglected to check my database, which of course includes that City of Lights recording (mine's on Justin Time, btw). I suppose that version could be turning up on comps too.

Ubu, I would say that there is definitely some prime Sarah in the Mosaic set, but there's also a fair amount of forgettable syrup. To me, she was in her prime in those years (early 60's). She had the added experience and hipness, but hadn't yet begun to decline. Imo. Anyway, I know the Mosaic gets a bad rap in some corners thanks to some of the fluffy stuff that she (unfortunately) recorded for Roulette, but some of those Roulette albums (the sessions with the Basie band; Benny Carter [The Explosive Side Of Sarah Vaughan / The Lonely Hours]; Gerald Wilson [sarah Sings Soulfully, with Teddy Edwards, Carmell Jones,Ernie Freeman]; the trio recordings with Kessel, Lowe, Duvivier and Comfort; some of the sides with Quincy Jones; Jimmy Jones... there's actually quite a bit that I'd recommend despite the presence of some orchestral stuff that was poorly produced). For anyone who's not a big Sarah fan, most of the Roulette albums have been released individually over the years, so the Mosaic isn't necessarily the only answer.

It's been awhile since I've listened to the Columbia material, but they were never as high on my list for some reason. I may have to go back and relisten.

[Jim R]

That's the Columbia one with Miles, right? Or is there another one?

That's the one. The original 10" had a different cover, which I can't seem to find right now...

[Jim R]

The one on the right.

[king ubu]

...

Ubu, I would say that there is definitely some prime Sarah in the Mosaic set, but there's also a fair amount of forgettable syrup. To me, she was in her prime in those years (early 60's). She had the added experience and hipness, but hadn't yet begun to decline. Imo. Anyway, I know the Mosaic gets a bad rap in some corners thanks to some of the fluffy stuff that she (unfortunately) recorded for Roulette, but some of those Roulette albums (the sessions with the Basie band; Benny Carter [The Explosive Side Of Sarah Vaughan / The Lonely Hours]; Gerald Wilson [sarah Sings Soulfully, with Teddy Edwards, Carmell Jones,Ernie Freeman]; the trio recordings with Kessel, Lowe, Duvivier and Comfort; some of the sides with Quincy Jones; Jimmy Jones... there's actually quite a bit that I'd recommend despite the presence of some orchestral stuff that was poorly produced). For anyone who's not a big Sarah fan, most of the Roulette albums have been released individually over the years, so the Mosaic isn't necessarily the only answer.

It's been awhile since I've listened to the Columbia material, but they were never as high on my list for some reason. I may have to go back and relisten.

That's the Columbia one with Miles, right? Or is there another one?

That's the one. The original 10" had a different cover, which I can't seem to find right now...

Thanks, Jim! The Columbia never really grabbed me, either... and I prefer the Merrill/Brownie session over the Vaughan one, too (but I'm biased, since Merrill is one of my absolute favourite singers!)

As for the Mosaic, I will most likely get it when it goes running low... I have the old twofer with the Benny Carter sessions, haven't played it for quite some time, but it's probably my favourite of these few things I've heard of Sarah Vaughan. There seems to be plenty of good material among her Roulettes to make me want to get the Mosaic, eventually.

I'll also look out for some of the Emarcy things mentioned in this thread, though!

[Peter Friedman]

There are a couple of interesting CDs that I don't recall were mentioned.

Sarah Vaughan/Lester Young - One Night Stand : The Town Hall Concert 1947 - Blue Note

This one has 7 tracks by the Lester Young Sextet, 8 tracks by Sarah Vaughan and her Quartet, and 1 track where Sarah and her quartet are joined by Pres and Shorty McConnell.

****************************************************************************************

Sarah Vaughan - Jazzfest Masters - Scotti Bros.

Recorded at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in June 1969.

9 tracks have Sarah joined by Jaki Byard, Milt Hinton, Alan Dawson, Zoot Sims, and Clark Terry.

Sarah sings with the University Of illinois Big band on 3 tracks.

1 track has Sarah with an unidentified chorus and unidentified musicians.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

There are two versions - including a reprise - of the song in the double CD Sarah Vaughan In the City of Lights (Sunnyside) that was recorded in November 1985 in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. With Frank Collett on piano, Bob Maize on bass and Harold Jones on drums.

Yes, "enthusiastic" indeed!! I just checked out the Sassy's Blues clip over at B&N and she seems to be getting a bit annoyed with the audience toward the end. Do you have the cd? What ends up happening? Does she throw a shoe at them?

http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/pro...amp;wrk=2810479

[Larry Kart]

Some of the accompaniments are Hal Mooney-icky, but I've never heard better Vaughan than the best stuff on the 2-LP (later 2-CD) set "Great Songs From Hit Shows." (Disclaimer: I wrote the notes for the CD reissue.)

[brownie]

There are two versions - including a reprise - of the song in the double CD Sarah Vaughan In the City of Lights (Sunnyside) that was recorded in November 1985 in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. With Frank Collett on piano, Bob Maize on bass and Harold Jones on drums.

Yes, "enthusiastic" indeed!! I just checked out the Sassy's Blues clip over at B&N and she seems to be getting a bit annoyed with the audience toward the end. Do you have the cd? What ends up happening? Does she throw a shoe at them?

http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/pro...amp;wrk=2810479

Au contraire, my dear Weizen! The Parisian audience loved La Divine Sarah and Sarah loved them. She even goes into a bit of 'I Love Paris' in the final song on the 2CD.

She should have been annoyed at part of the audience that went into out-of-synch clapping

[brownie]

Sarah Vaughan sings 'I Cried For You', from a 1951 film (with French subtitles!):

Damn, she was beautiful

[Late]

Vaughan with an obscure trumpet player, and an even more obscure conductor. 1984. Vaughan must have known who they were. The trumpet player has promise.

[Teasing the Korean]

I like the Columbia After Hours a lot.

[JSngry]

2 hours ago, Late said:

Vaughan with an obscure trumpet player, and an even more obscure conductor. 1984. Vaughan must have known who they were. The trumpet player has promise.

I watched that Boston Pops broadcast back in the day. There was another song they did together, something more up, forget what it was. They were trading fours and Wynton tried to get "modern" by playing some quartal or chromatic thing, you know, HIPMODERN and Sarah just sang it back to him, with elaboration and without missing a beat or batting an eye.

So when Betty Carter handed Branford his ass back to him on the Night Music show that one time, I was like, wow, these kids don't learn, do the... LOL.

 

[felser]

I was at a Dizzy Gillespie Big Band concert (which Gillespie himself missed due to medical issues) at Penn's Landing some time in 1992.   David Sanchez, who had a "young lions" Columbia recording deal at that point, gave what he clearly thought was a hotshot solo on one of the old Dizzy warhorses.  Mario Rivera, veteran sax player of many Afro-Cuban bands, soloed next.  He stepped up, played Sanchez's solo perfectly, re-played it adding funny burlesque touches, then played his own solo, stepping back to thunderous applause.  Same group/concert, the trumpet section was Jon Faddis, Freddie Hubbard, and Wynton Marsalis.  Faddis and Hubbard were trying hard to out-clown each other, ripping off high notes and stuff while laughing and grinning, and Wynton was clearly disgusted by the whole display, playing his solos totally straight and controlled with a sober face and manner.  Really interesting afternoon.

[JSngry]

Mario Rivera could play. Not a bear to poke, not at all. 

[Rabshakeh]

I have never explored Sarah Vaughan's records from the mid 60s to Pablo.  It looks like a lot were Vaughan singing pop tunes. I don't recognise almost any of the covers. Are any of these records worth checking out?

[JSngry]

This one worked nicely for me, expectations quite to the contrary. Farnon brought his A Game, as did Sarah 

[gmonahan]

That's the period when she recorded several albums for Mainstream, and those aren't always easy to find. I liked the one she did with Jimmy Rowles for that label, and the 2-cd Live in Tokyo is pretty good if you can find it.