Similar to other vocal jazz artists like Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan is a veteran of the jazz singing scene, starting her lengthy career all the way back in 1942. By the mid 1950s, Vaughan was already experiencing major success with a string of chart hits, coupled with large amounts of acclaim from various magazines. At this point, her standard backing trio had become a regular part of her performances, but at some point in 1954 she found herself collaborating with legendary jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown. It would prove to be the only collaboration between the two, as Brown would tragically die in a car crash a little over a year later in June of 1956, but the results of the two working together cannot be denied. Brilliant compositions over classic songs, as Vaughan gives invigorating vocal performances that are captivating and beautiful. Brown's talents certainly can't be denied either, as his excellent playing helps accent her rich voice. An excellent gem of 50s vocal jazz, and one that I'm astonished I haven't heard of sooner.
What really distinguishes this album from other vocal jazz albums of the time is, in my opinion, the further refined instrumentation courtesy of Clifford Brown - obviously, he's a very accomplished trumpet player who can be called one of the greats in the jazz world despite his young age and untimely death. The group plays clean, and the flourishes that Brown adds on his trumpet enhance the songs with a new sense of texture to the performances. This is, of course, coupled with the fact that Sarah Vaughan is an excellent vocalist; she has excellent control of her voice, a wide range, and can match the mood of plenty of songs through her delivery and style - I was hooked by the end of "Lullaby of Birdland." Vaughan's immense vocal talent means that both upbeat moments like "He's My Guy" and softer moments like "Embrace You" carry a similar professionalism and beauty.
There isn't really a weak moment on this album; every song on this album is filled with passionate and energetic instrumentation, and the same can said for Ms. Vaughan's voice, which doesn't falter once on this album. Not once. Perhaps some instrumental breaks go on for a little longer than I'd like, such as on "You're Not the Kind," but even in situations like these, the backing band manage to keep the sound interesting and galvanized. I also love the structure of this album, with most of the melancholic slow tracks being placed on the back-half, while the first half is a more upbeat showing - the penultimate track that is "September Song" is easily one of the most beautiful moments I've heard in jazz as a whole - a slow, downbeat band behind a moving performance from Vaughan that sounds like all of her soul was poured into the song.
Frankly, this is an excellent album. Sarah Vaughan's self-titled album is confident, immaculately performed, beautifully atmospheric, and doesn't miss a single beat (or note, for that matter). Being vaguely familiar with her work, I went in with semi-high expectations, such is the fault of biases, and yet I was still blown away by what I heard; Vaughan's incomparable voice, coupled with the talented musicians make for one of the tightest jazz albums I've heard in recent memory. Just beautiful.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to Sarah Vaughan.
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