Sarah Vaughan's Finest Hour

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Sarah Vaughan recorded for Norman Granz's Mercury label throughout the 1950s and early '60s, performing brilliantly on material that ranged as far afield as her three-octave voice. She was an effective pop singer, handily adding substance to the most casual lyric, and a superb ballad singer, finding emotional and musical nuances that few could match. As a jazz singer, she could improvise with an ebullient inventiveness that was a match for the most gifted instrumentalists. This hour-long introduction to her work touches on many of those bases, from the light pop of "Make Yourself Comfortable" to Billy Strayhorn's world-weary "Lush Life" to the hard-swinging scat of "Shulie a Bop" and "Sassy's Blues." Along the way, she gets to match wits with some great soloists, like Clifford Brown and Cannonball Adderley, while members of her regular trios, like pianist Bob James, drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist Joe Benjamin, offer exemplary support. --Stuart Broomer

Tracks:

Misty
How High The Moon
I'm Glad There Is You
Make Yourself Comfortable
Lush Life
What Is This Thing Called Love?
The Other Half Of Me
Dedicated To You
It Never Entered My Mind
Shulie A Bop
Lover Man
Broken Hearted Melody
My Man's Gone Now
Lullaby Of Birdland
Night Song
Dreamsville
Star Dust
Sassy's Blues

Amazon.com

Sarah Vaughan recorded for Norman Granz's Mercury label throughout the 1950s and early '60s, performing brilliantly on material that ranged as far afield as her three-octave voice. She was an effective pop singer, handily adding substance to the most casual lyric, and a superb ballad singer, finding emotional and musical nuances that few could match. As a jazz singer, she could improvise with an ebullient inventiveness that was a match for the most gifted instrumentalists. This hour-long introduction to her work touches on many of those bases, from the light pop of "Make Yourself Comfortable" to Billy Strayhorn's world-weary "Lush Life" to the hard-swinging scat of "Shulie a Bop" and "Sassy's Blues." Along the way, she gets to match wits with some great soloists, like Clifford Brown and Cannonball Adderley, while members of her regular trios, like pianist Bob James, drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist Joe Benjamin, offer exemplary support. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

MISTY-fied . . . Absolutely Sarah Vaughan's Finest Hour.......2006-12-01

"Walk my way
And a thousand violins begin to play
Though it might be the sound of your "Hello"
That music I hear
I get misty the moment you're near."
~ Misty ~ Words & Music By Johnny Burke & Erroll Garner

"Sassy is so good that when I listen to her I want to cut my wrists with a dull razor." ~ Frank Sinatra ~

I categorize this CD from my collection as "My Parents' Music." This is the kind of music I've been hearing when I was growing up and learned to appreciate and enjoy now. What I remember vividly from Sarah Vaughan's songs when I was little is a song I loved but never heard any other versions. It's called "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets." ;) Likewise, her songs that grew up with me such as "Tenderly," "Mr. Wonderful" and "Experience Unnecessary" are the very songs that remind me most of Ms. Sassy.

Listening to this CD is a totally mystifying experience not only to fans of Ms. Vaughan but to anyone who loves the standards that are beautifully executed more so by a jazz diva such as the "Sassy & Divine Sarah." This is truly her finest hour and a showcase of eighteen classics from the finest composers ever lived - the Gershwins, Berlin, Rodgers & Hart, Cahn, Strayhorn, Carmichael & Parish, Dorsey & Madeira, to name a few.

The richness of Ms. Vaughan's voice as well as her musical versatility can be heard in my all-time favorites: "Misty," featuring Zoot Sims on sax, "Stardust," "Lullaby of Birdland" and a swinging "How High The Moon." These tracks are true representations of her artistry in scatting. "I'm Glad There Is You," "Lover Man" and a duet with Billy Eckstine "Dedicated To You" are also three of the most remarkable tracks that will delight you. This classy presentation ends as she scats "Sassy's Blues," one that she co-wrote with Quincy Jones and runs the longest among the tracks.

How can you not love this CD? With a jazz diva, who was a Grammy-awardee for the Best Jazz Vocalist, singing the standards in elegance and surrounded by great arrangers/conductors and ultra-talented musicians, the likes of Bob James, Quincy Jones, Herbie Mann, Willie Bobo, Clifford Brown and Cannonball Adderly, among many others. Aren't these compelling reasons to have this in your collection?

A collector's item.

Sassy CD Suffers.......2002-03-07

As with many "greatest hits" collections, this CD suffers from a handful of tracks that could have been left off. Most of the material is terrific. I mean, this woman can caress the heck out of a lyric. However, careful editing/selection could have created a more consistent product.

fantastic.......2000-11-30

Sarah Vaughan was incredible.her tone is so powerful&full of depth.she covers a wide range of styles.great musicianship&arrangements.this is the kind of recording that is timeless&just sounds better with time.this is a must have.

Sassy and Classy!.......2000-06-16

I get goose bumps listening to the lush intro of "Misty" in anticipation of Sarah sensually delivering the first line "Look at me......" There is more "goose bumping" here with the sophisticated melancholy of "Lush Life" and "It Never Entered My Mind." "Dreamsville" and "Night Song" are, well, very dreamy! Sassy swings with "How High The Moon", "Shulie a Bop" and "Sassy's Blues." There's even a bit of campy 50's pop with "Make Yourself Comfortable" and "Broken Hearted Melody." A heck of a lot of Sass and Class is packed into the 62 minutes on this disc. There are many more "finest hours" in Sarah Vaughan's body of work, like her "Sings George Gershwin" double CD, but this is simply wonderful!

Average customer rating:

Sarah Vaughan's Finest Hour
Sarah Vaughan
Manufacturer: Universal/Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Verve | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005S75T
Release Date: 2001-12-21

Tracks:

Misty - Sarah Vaughan
How High the Moon
I'm Glad There Is You
Make Yourself Comfortable
Lush Life
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Other Half of Me
Dedicated to You - Sarah Vaughan
It Never Entered My Mind
Shulie a Bop
Lover Man
Broken Hearted Melody
My Man's Gone Now
Lullaby of Birdland
Night Song
Dreamsville
Stardust
Sassy's Blues

Music:

Music

Music