Someone woke up at Concord Records, as lately the people there have gotten wise and have been reissuing some wonderful material from their timeless collection of vintage recordings from the analog era. They’re finally going into the vaults of Pablo Records, which was known back in the 70s as the stalwart of mainstream jazz. This two cd set puts together two of the absolute best sessions that Sarah Vaughan did during the last phase of her career. Her voice was huskier and richer than her “operatic” youth, but she makes it work to perfection as she delves into the Duke Ellington Songbook.
Vaughan is backed by a top notch orchestra conducted and arranged by Benny Carter or Billy Byers, and the sidemen include studs such as (take a deep breath) JJ Johnson/tb, Joe Pass/g, Bucky Pizzarelli/g, Jimmy Rowles/p, Andy Simpkins/p, Zoot Sims/ts, Grady Tte/dr, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson/as and Frank Wess/reeds, just to name the first handful. You’ve got big band sessions with Vaughan floating like a feather over the tenor and strings on “In A Sentimental Mood” . Then a smaller band has Rowles toying with the ivories on a fluffy “Day Dream.” Vinson gets down and dirty on the alto during a meaty “Rocks in My Bed” while Frank Foster’s tenor on “In A Mellow Tone” needs to be framed for future reference. All through these tunes, Vaughan paints the lyrics with rich oils, primary colors blending with intriguing shades. This style of singing was taken to her grave, unfortunately. Don’t miss this collection of priceless art!
Pablo Records
www.concordmusic