Sarah Vaughan was one of the illustrious coterie of female vocalists who spanned the genres of jazz, big band music and sophisticated pop during the post-war era to provide some of the finest music of their times, not only interpreting the Great American Songbook and putting their own individual stamp on it, but continuing to perform top class new material through the musical upheavals of subsequent decades. Described by renowned music critic Scott Yanow as the possessor of one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century she performed and recorded consistently through to her demise in 1990.

This collection focuses on her early years as she established her reputation performing with various orchestras and bandleaders, as well as making her first solo recordings and having her first chart successes, before she joined Columbia Records in early 1949. It features performances with some of the greats of the era, including Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Wilson, Dickie Wells Tadd Dameron, Lester Young and others, as she recorded for several different labels Continental, Guild, Musicraft, Crown, Gotham and Hot Record Society plus live recordings. It includes her first Billboard chart entries in 1948 with Its Magic and Nature Boy. Its an entertaining scene-setter for what was a glittering career to come, and underlines that even in these early years she had a highly developed and distinctive talent, for which this anthology is a fine showcase.

REVIEWS

“A hugely satisfying double CD set… As usual with Acrobat, the full discographical information and literate liner notes provided add to the enjoyment and satisfy the needs of serious collectors as well as interesting the casual buyer." - Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune)

“Recording quality is variable, but about what you might expect for the time without enhancement.” – Barry Clare (Just Jazz Issue 249)

“Whoever picked her material here knew what he was at, for there is a multitude of great songs, a lot of which, like If You Could See Me Now or I’m Through With Love, never made it out of the 40s… this is a very acceptable collection which I shall gratefully stick into my collection of about 50 CDs by the greatest lady jazz singer.” –   Steve Voce **** (Jazz Journal March 2019)