SHAZAM

From the start of her career, Sarah Vaughan had a wondrous voice. She never declined and her voice remained a miracle throughout her career. She learned about bop phrasing during 1943-1944 when she was with the orchestras of Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine (singing alongside Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker) and, although she would perform many pop tunes throughout her life, she always phrased like a jazz singer and was never shy to change notes and improvise. This magnificent four-CD set has Sassy's first 94 recordings, everything she recorded during 1944-1950. Vaughan is heard on two songs with the Eckstine Orchestra (one of which was taken from a broadcast), on the December 31, 1944, Leonard Feather-organized session that found her performing "Interlude" (a vocal version of "A Night in Tunisia") and "East of the Sun," and four songs with Bird and Diz, and she makes appearances with clarinetist Tony Scott, violinist Stuff Smith, the John Kirby Sextet, Georgie Auld's big band, and trombonist Dicky Wells & His Big Seven. In 1946, Vaughan signed with the Musicraft label and all of her performances for that company are here, including "If You Could See Me Now," "Everything I Have Is Yours," "Don't Worry 'Bout Me," "September Song," "Tenderly," "The Lord's Prayer," "I Feel So Smoochie," "It's Magic," and "Gentleman Friend." In 1949, Vaughan started recording for Columbia, and she is heard on some commercial dates plus such tunes as "Black Coffee," "Tonight I Shall Sleep," "I Cried for You," and "Perdido" in addition to four vocal duets with Billy Eckstine. Best of all are the eight numbers that she recorded during May 18-19, 1950, with an octet including trumpeter Miles Davis, trombonist Bennie Green, clarinetist Tony Scott, and tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson. All four horn players take perfect eight-bar solos on "Ain't Misbehavin'," and other gems from this project include "It Might as Well Be Spring," "Mean to Me," and "Nice Work if You Can Get It." Sarah Vaughan's box for the Proper label (which includes a very good 44-page booklet) makes for a superb (and surprisingly inexpensive) purchase and allows one to have a large slice of Sassy's recording career. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi