Essential - Great Songs

Sarah Vaughan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1992)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001DWI
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,967 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Album Lived Up To Its Namesake, November 17, 2005

By 

Sagaladoola "Sagaladoola" (Sagalaland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essential - Great Songs (Audio CD)

The CD contains some of her best works of which she employs her big vocal range (soprano to baritone), sweet, sassy voice and excellent signature vibrato (as evident on "Speak Low") on various styles of music. As a Great American Songbook interpreter, her technique is good and musicians treat her as a part of their own due to her creativity in music improvisation and utilisation of her voice as a musical instrument (scat-singing).

Typically most of her songs are of jazz. However, the other variants are:
1) Doo-wop - All of Me
2) Oldies - Broken-Hearted Melody
3) Classical - My Man's Gone Now (Written by Gershwin)
4) Bossa Nova - Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Latin version sung by Astrud Gilberto)
5) Blues - No Count Blues

This CD is good, especially for starters. Sarah Vaughan is quite a diverse artiste. If you found any of the styles above is good, try getting her CDs, which is of the same genre that you like:
1) Doo-wop - Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan (collaborative work)
2) Oldies - *
3) Classical - Sarah Sings Gershwin
4) Bossa Nova - I Love Brazil , Copacabana
5) Blues - *
6) Swing - Sarah Swings Tivoli, Swingin' Easy
7) Broadway - Sarah Sings Broadway
8) Cool Jazz - Crazy and Mixed Up

It should be taken note that, in a quirk of nature, her voice "dropped" in her later years of her career. In the late 70s to 1990, her range increased "downwards" significantly (to the baritone level). At that point of time, her voice becomes less sweeter, but she sounds fuller. At this point of time, her voice has certain smoky quality. Her vocal technique is at her best and deserves recommendation, as evident in these albums:
1) Crazy and Mixed Up - Cool jazz
2) Send In The Clowns
3) How Long Has This Been Going On? - The smokey voice is more evident here

The only album that I will not recommend is Sarah Swings The Beatles. The production of the songs will not appeal to listeners who like her singing. The mixing of the music is poor as well.

* Still searching for the appropriate album. Will update once I get it

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sarah and Orchestras, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Essential - Great Songs (Audio CD)

Great singers do not need big ensembles. Although this is a CD of high merit, the orchestra and jazz ensemble obsure the beauty, enchantment and (vocal)timbre changes that Sarah Vaughan so often exhibits in her works. Although I love vocal virtuosity, the vocal acrobatics presented here are a bit much; but, due to the quality of some songs selected, I will only assume, Sarah had no choice. Thank goodness the song "Feelings" was not written, as of yet (I think), during the time this album of songs was produced. However, for those who prefer big orchestras accompanying singers, this is the album for you.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UNEQUALED CROSS-OVER ARTIST, August 31, 2000

By 

JAMES L DOYLE (MILWAUKIE, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essential - Great Songs (Audio CD)

Sarah Vaugh's song "Broken Hearted Melody" that went to the top of the POP Charts in 1958/59 is an example of a pure artist who can use her voice in any venue. This is an excellent album. To me it's her finest produced.