Customer Reviews

Sarah Vaughn: The Divine One [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm sorry to say this: THIS DVD SHOULD NEVER HAD BEEN RELEASED.
If you notice they call it a videocassette in the inital copy warnings, twice... Video quality is pretyy much NTSC VHS.

I'm a great fan of Sarah since 1973, when I heard her, at the Cascais Jazz festival, weeping and apologizing for a failure that occurred in the sound system, and own 13 LP's of her great art. All of them sound better that the Dolby crap on this DVD, including above all the "Mono" Mercury with Clifford Brown. The 1978 "How Long has this been going on" is a treasure..

Sarah Vaughn is to be heard and to TO BE FELT. This DVD contains too little music, too much babbling, no PCM Audio, no Subtitles.

It is pure exploitation and BMG should be ashamed of publishing it.
If there is no better video/film footage of Sarah available anywhere, do no publish any video, leave us blind. I'm only sorry for the earing impared, but what can I do?...

I have loved this video-biography of Sarah Vaughan, from the day I first viewed it. I have two copies on VHS and one on DVD. If I have to fault this video, it is that the live performance clips are far too short, leaving you wanting more. They offer nothing more than a tantalizing glimpse of Sarah Vaughan's musical genius.

By far my most favourite excerpt is "The Shadow of Your Smile". This live performance outdoes any other recording I have ever heard by another artist and even outdoes Sarah Vaughan's studio recording with Mercury Records. I wish I could obtain the complete performance of this live rendition.

It sounds trite I know, but this is a must have for any self-respecting Sarah Vaughan fan.

I recently saw Dianne Reeves in concert. During her show she talked about how Sarah's voice inspired her to sing. She told the story of how she met Sarah before a show and didn't realize it was her because everyone kept calling her "Sassy". After leaving that incredible performance I became even more curious about "Sass" and her legacy.

I enjoyed this video tremendously. Like the previous reviews stated, it is filled with performances from her early years to later. Other greats of jazz and close friends (Joe Williams, Billy Eckstein, fellow musicians, etc) speak candidly about her as a friend and artist. Her mother and daughter also give insight to her life (her self-image woes) as well as refreshing antecdotes (the apollo experience and her "sailor's tongue")

The performances are breathtaking. Sarah Vaughan didn't just sing. She SANG. Her voice was an instrument and it is truly amazing to listen to her on songs like "Summertime", "Misty" and "Send In the Clowns" She had style, grace and a presence all her own. Sarah Vaughan commanded attention and mesmorized audiences in every performance.

I recommend this video for anyone who wants to learn about one of the greats of music. Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One is a wonderous glimpse into the life of a jazz jewel, whose music still sparkles.

Peace. CLB.

Sarah Vaughan-The Divine One. The illustrious career of "Sass" is chronicled in this one hour video featuring interviews with The Divine One herself, family members and professional acquaintances. The interviews offering the more personal, poignant and perceptive perspectives full of professional praise, come from long time accompanying pianist George Gaffney, Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams. Other revealing insights are offered by drummer Roy Haynes and daughter Paris Vaughan.

There are film and video tape excerpts of performances from every decade of her career. The producers and researchers are to be commended for their acquisition of footage of Sarah from the late 40's and early 50's, considering the media focus during those times was otherwise placed. The juxtaposition of interviews offer a sober, cogent journal of this unparalleled vocal talent and her career. We learn that Sarah, although a tremendously talented artist, had insecurities and disappointments relating to her professional accomplishments.

Any lover of her music will be slightly disappointed more time was not spent on extended clips of her performances. What we are shown however, allows the viewer to observe the maturation of a phenomenal voice that is all at once, heartwarming and compelling. Earlier cuts like, "Cherokee," "Over The Rainbow" and "You're Not The Kind," give an ample display of Sarah's musicianship, unique vocal stylings and fluidity. The fabled two and a half octave vocal range is heard in the all too brief opening excerpt of "A Foggy Day In London Town," "Send In The Clowns" and "Once In A While" [Sarah accompanies herself here on piano and more adequately demonstrates her keyboard ability.]

The major bonus to this production is the loving remastering of the musical tracks. The voice, piano, bass and drums are intelligently mixed which allows the music to stand on its own. Even if your VCR is not connected to your stereo set-up, the music still sounds great.

For the record, my favorite female vocalists in order, are, Sarah, Betty Carter and Billie Holliday [although Diana Krall is making inroads!]. Sarah Vaughan-The Divine One, offers a penetrating look at a talent on the genius level that, unfortunately like Billie, Betty and Ella, are lost to us forever. Billy Eckstine spoke for this reviewer when he said, "We all have our favorites [female singers], and she was mine,...but if she wasn't your favorite, I want to know who was."

For me, after Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington comes Sarah Vaughan, and this testament to her life and career reveals the sassy power she wielded as a performer and as a human being. Highlights include clips from some of her interviews (such as with Dick Cavett), and from some of her live performances--we see her sing "Misty," "After You've Gone," and "Send in the Clowns." More tracks from her sprawling career, however, would have made this production more palpable. At the end of the video, we still feel that there is much left unsaid and untouched about this talented jazz performer. From the sound clips we're given, we don't have much of a sense of Vaughan's vocal range. We need to hear tracks from the "Live From Mr. Kelly's" album; from the superb Copenhagen concert at the Tivoli Gardens in 1963; and from her marvelous work with Count Basie and Ben Webster. There are revealing intimate moments with Vaughan's daughter, Paris (who, with bitterness, it seems, shares with us about her mother's doubts and fears as a performer), and with Vaughan's mother (who humorously unfolds the story of Vaughan's winning the amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre as a teen); as well, we learn the most from Vaughan's musical colleagues, Joe Williams and Roy Haynes, among others (we learn that Sassy could swear like a sailor and loved to drink). This video construction of Vaughan's life, while good, is not excellent. We needed more of Sass's sass. But overall, it is an adequate introduction to a great jazz songstress.

This video is a gem. Not only do you get to learn about one of the greatest vocalists of all time, but you also get to see her perform some of her best pieces. Her versions of "A Foggy Day","Someone to Watch Over Me", "Once in a While", and "Send in the Clowns" are absolutely beautiful, and very hard to find on CD. Any Sarah fan will adore this rare look into the private live of the Newark Diva. Any Jazz fan will appreciate the chance to witness one of the greats at work and play.

This DVD retains the life of Sarah in the presence of audiences worldwide. Notice how smooth she appears and how graceful she is as she performs. SMOOTH as fine chocolates and wine! Sass' vocal range is well over the five octaves found on a 88-key piano! What a fine singer Sarah (Sass) Lois Vaughan was. Sass will always be my idol and mentor forever in spirit; she is well missed. And, this DVD highlighting the Divine One's life from start to end is a long-lasting treasure for those (like me) who adored Ms. Sarah Lois Vaughan known also as Sassy Sarah. This is from a fan forever. **Angie**

This DVD brings out the quality of Sassy's unmistakeable sound. I had the privlage of spending time with her on the road with Count Basie and his Orchestra. I was fortunate enough to hear her live on many occasions. Sass is the greatest! Don't miss this DVD!!!...

Good, solid overview of Sass' professional life, with just enough personal info to give you a sense of who she was as a person and to put her artistry in context. Interesting commentary by some of the key musicians and others who worked with her and knew her best, e.g. Joe Williams, Billy Eckstine, and her daughter Paris Vaughan. A 'must-have' for Sarah Vaughan fans.

Watching Sarah Vaughan sing makes me feel very sad for today's batch of manufactured young Pop Starlets and the sheer impossibility of them being able to sing anything close to the beauty she was able to create. It makes me worse bad for music lovers like me as well. As a society we just don't have an ear for real singing anymore.

What would the Divine One have thought of American Idol? Thousands of hopeful kids gathering from across the country just for a shot at fame. Not because they can sing or have any other talents for that matter. They all want to be famous and they feel that we owe it to them. Sarah Vaughan worked hard for her success every single day of her career. Not only did she have an incredible work ethic, she probably had one of the most beautiful voices in the history of western music.

The respect that so many incredible musicians show her is more than a testament to that. It's a level of admiration held only for the masters. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, Roy Haynes, Joe Williams, etc. They all treated her as not just another pretty canary girl who could carry a tune, she was an equal if not someone who was looked up to as their better. Her voice was considered an instrument of the highest order and she played it with a dexterity and virtuosity virtually unheard of before or since.

I had only ever heard her beautiful voice and watched her perform on television when I was a kid, so it is very nice to get a glimpse into who she was as a person. The interviews with her daughter Paris, while guarded and very protective, are enlightening. She was self-conscious like the rest of us mere mortals. Sarah never liked to talk about her personal life in public. Today the press would say she was hiding something, but she was just a private person who only wanted her voice to appear to the public. Not her tragedies at home. And she was very unhappy with her appearance in a very image conscious entertainment industry. Paris mentions a time toward the end of Sarah's life when she wanted to make a music video and a television special. Some crazy and short sighted executive tells her that if she looses a few pounds that they might be able to talk about it. It's a tragic oversight that unfortunately will never be able to be remedied.

Watching the EuroArts Masters of American Music DVD "Sarah Vaughan - The Divine One" reminded me of how much I love her music. The sound quality of this DVD is beautiful. Considering most of these recordings are from the 1970's if not decades earlier, the restoration and mixing makes it sound as if you are sitting right in the room next to Sass. While there is much time spent in this documentary on interviews, there is a tremendous amount of music as well. All of the stories about Sarah's life are punctuated by great performances with her trio, the Billy Eckstine Orchestra, and even a full orchestra backing her up. It is a joy to watch and repeated viewings will provide further enjoyment and insight into this spectacular once in a generation talent.

I have never been a fan of the song "Send in the Clowns". Truthfully, I always hated it. It gave me the creeps and made me feel like I was somehow in the middle of a nightmare. Not anymore. Not when Sarah sings it anyway. Like every other song, she made it her own and gave it an emotion that brought me close to tears. I don't think I will ever hear that song the same way again. Watch the video and find out for yourself. It is an hour well worth spending.