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SARAH VAUGHAN Come Rain or Come Shine Original Recordings 1949-1951 NAXOS JAZZ LEGENDS 8.120773

 

 

1. I Cried for You
2. Black Coffee
3. Bianca
4. You’re Mine, You
5. The Nearness of You
6. Summertime
7. Dedicated to You
8. You’re All I Need
9. Can’t Get Out of This Mood
10. It Might as Well be Spring
11. Mean to Me
12. Come Rain or Come Shine
13. Nice work If You Can get it
14. East of the Sun
15. My Reverie
16. City Called Heaven
17. Ave Maria
18. Spring Will be a Little Late this Year
19. A Blues Serenade
20. Perdido

This collection of Sarah Vaughan’s performances gives more than a glimpse of what a great figure in the history of our music she was. Few jazz people, asked to name their all-time best female singers, would do other than name Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan as their No1 & No2. Some may dispute the order, but no one would deny them that status.

Sarah Vaughan, nickname ‘Sassy’, had everything, perfect diction, a huge range and perfect intonation and timing. She also had the same ability as the great jazz musicians, to bend and alter the original notes of a song to make it a better jazz vehicle.

In this collection of her work she is heard in many settings, big band, sweeping strings, dueting with life long friend Billy Eckstine and with a small group which includes Miles Davis, Benny Green, Tony Scott and Budd Johnson. In all of them she performs as though they are the most natural setting for her singing. I particularly liked the tracks 9 to 14 where she is heard with the George Treadwell All Stars. (But who was George Treadwell? He is not mentioned in the Personnel Listings!) These tracks include the musicians mentioned earlier.

As usual from NAXOS the digital restoration is first class and the sleeve notes are interesting and well written by Scott Yanow. It is astounding to me that a lot of record companies still don’t get the message that good sleeve notes and accurate personnel listings improve the enjoyment considerably for all serious listeners to all types of music.

Favourite tracks, ‘Mean to Me’ & ‘Nice Work’, absolutely Sassy at her best. Least favourite tracks 16 & 17, she can sing that stuff, but what’s the point. Still 18 out of 20 is not bad! The whole album is a must for anyone who does not already have these recordings.

Sarah Vaughan is always an absolute joy to listen to.

Don Mather

 

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