Here’s a box set that gets a bull’s eye for accuracy. Sarah Vaughan put out a ton of material during her long career, but if you want the absolute essential of this key vocalist, this is THE place to start. This 4 disc set includes not one, but TWO, count ‘em TWO absolute desert island vocal discs as well as albums with Cannonball Adderley and Count Basie’s Orchestra that include some of the swingingest sounds you’ll ever come across.
Swingin’ Easy has Vaughan in a hip little trio with Roy Haynes on drums, and features definitive readings of “Lover Man” and “I Cried For You.” Her scat never sounded better on “Shulie-a-Bop” and her humor oozes out on “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” Her Sarah Vaughan album with Clifford Brown is simply one of the wonders of the world. Her take here of “Lullabye of Birdland” is a true gift from above, Her rich and sensuous readings of “April In Paris” and “Embraceable You” are palpably passionate, and with a team like Brown with Paul Quinichette and Herbie Mann on the front line, it’s an unbeatable session of beauty.
A cooking gig at Mister Kelley’s has her with Jimmy Jones/b, Richard Davis/b and Haynes for an evening that includes a fingersnapping “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Sometimes I’m Happy.” Her vocal gymnastics are never gratuitous; they come off like a trumpet player showing what can be done with the instrument. She teams up with Adderley and an all star orchestra under the direction of Ernie Wilkins, and together a version of “Cherokee” comes out that will rattle your cage. Versions of “I’ll Never Smile Again” and the more obscure “An Occasional Man” are sleek and clever as well, while Adderley smokes on “How High The Moon.” The followup live album “Live At THe London House” has Vaughan with Thad Jones/tp, Wendell Culley/tp and Frank Foster/ts from Basie’s band and they all get the crowd moving with “Like Someone In Love” and a riveting “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.” The No Count Sarah has her with Basie’s orchestra without the leader, and the KC grooves fit like a leather glove for Sassy on “Doodlin’” and “Cheek to Cheek” as well as a hopping little scat session on “No Count Blues.”
The only problem with this set is that you may not ever want to listen to anyone who’s out there presently singing, as this just might spoil you forever. ESSENTIAL
Emarcy Records