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Serenasailor
Veteran Poster
Username: Serenasailor
Post Number: 1195
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 12:37 pm: | 
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I've never heard of her. Who is she? or was she? Can someone feel me in please? |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 1718
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:02 pm: |
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I'm not surprised you haven't heard of her and that is not a dig. Unfortunately many young people are unaware of who this incredible naturally gifted vocalist was. Sarah Vaughan had an incredible voice and is one of my favorite vocalists. Here is a small bio:
Sarah Vaughan was born 27th March, 1924 in Newark. Her contribution to the female jazz vocal genre, during the twentieth century, puts her alongside the likes of Dinah Washington, Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzgerald.
As a child Sarah Vaughan sang in church and had extensive piano lessons from 1931-39, which helped her become a capable keyboardist.
After she won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre, she was hired for the Earl Hines big band as a singer and second vocalist.
Unfortunately, the musicians' recording strike kept her off record during this period (1943-44).
When lifelong friend Billy Eckstine broke away to form his own orchestra, Vaughan joined him, making her recording debut.
She enjoyed her time with Eckstine's orchestra, where she became influenced by a couple of his sidemen, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, both of whom had also been with Hines during her stint.
Vaughan was one of the first singers to fully incorporate bop phrasing in her singing, and to have the vocal chops to pull it off on the level of a Parker and Gillespie.
Apart from a few months with John Kirby from 1945-46, Sarah Vaughan spent the remainder of her career as a solo star.
Although Sarah held an unusual stage appearance in 1945 (her first husband George Treadwell would greatly assist her with her appearance), there was no denying her excellent voice.
She made several early sessions for Continental: a 31st December, 1944 date highlighted by her vocal version of 'A Night In Tunisia,' which was called 'Interlude,' and a 25th May, 1945 session for that label that had Gillespie and Parker as sidemen.
However, it was her 1946-48 selections for Musicraft (which included 'If You Could See Me Now,' 'Tenderly' and 'It's Magic') that found her rapidly gaining maturity and adding bop-oriented phrasing to popular songs.
Signed to Columbia where she recorded during 1949-53, 'Sassy' continued to build on her popularity.
Although some of those sessions were quite commercial, eight classic selections cut with Jimmy Jones' band during 18-19th May, 1950 (an octet including Miles Davis) showed that she could sing jazz with the best.
During the 1950's, Sarah recorded middle-of-the-road pop material with orchestras for Mercury, and jazz dates (including a memorable collaboration with Clifford Brown) for the label's subsidiary, EmArcy.
Later record label associations included Roulette (1960-64), back with Mercury (1963-67), and after a surprising four years off records, Mainstream (1971-74).
Through the years, Vaughan's voice deepened a bit, but never lost its power, flexibility or range.
She was a masterful scat singer and was able to outswing nearly everyone (except for Ella).
Vaughan was with Norman Granz's Pablo label from 1977-82, and only during her last few years did her recording career falter a bit, with only two forgettable efforts after 1982.
On of her final recordings were the 'Brazilian Romance' sessions, where Sarah worked alongside many greats from that country, including Ivan Lins.
A fine swansong to an excellent career. She died 3 April 1990 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
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Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 544
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:08 pm: |
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OH MY sailor..you must pick up some of her recordings..
LiLi |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 8236
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:14 pm: |
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Sarah Vaughan was a wondrous WONDROUS singer. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7108
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:18 pm: |
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Boy, do I feel old, now. A black person who's never heard of Sarah Vaughn. But then I shouldn't be surprised. This is the age of immediancy. A certain age group tends to think that anything that wasn't around during their life time is not something they should be concerned or curious about. But good for you, Serenasailor! You've broken out of the mold. |
Serenasailor
Veteran Poster
Username: Serenasailor
Post Number: 1201
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
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I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was. I heard of her name. But I didn't know. How come she didn't get alot of recognition?
I heard of Billie Holliday but not her. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 1719
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 01:46 pm: |
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One of my favorites (among many) is her live trio recording at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago. The small group session gives you the opportunity to hear her in a spontaneous and openly personal venue. A very, very nice recording.
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Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 3545
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 02:04 pm: |
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No need to apologize.
She was a gifted vocalist. Check her out and Ella Fitzgerald.
She's been deader than a doornail for almost twenty years. They don't play her records on the radio and she wasn't on MTV or anything.
In fact, though her pipes were great till the end, she was basically washed up by the 60's. I grew up then and I didn't know who the hell she was either until I caught her on one of these variety shows or something, because they weren't playing her records or anything.
Unlike Ray Charles and others who did some popular stuff, she kept singing the good stuff--and thus doomed herself to oblivion. |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 3546
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 02:06 pm: |
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Boy, do I feel old, now. A black person who's never heard of Sarah Vaughn
(Imagine how you feel when they say they never heard of Jelly Roll Morton) |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7113
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 02:15 pm: |
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Would that be the Jelly Roll Morton who is your favorite performer, chrishayden? |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 1720
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 02:21 pm: |
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"I'm sorry. I didn't know who she was. I heard of her name. But I didn't know."
No problem. As I said, I'm not surprised. Most young people don't unless they were raised in an environment where they were exposed to jazz via the parents or those around them. I know a number of younger people who know who Miles, Coltrane, Sarah Vaughn, Ellington and Charlie Parker are although they are not intimately familiar with their music. But they have heard the names before and have heard the music.
Like you, I didn't know much about them either until I researched it and met a buddy who was very deep into the music. I learned a lot from him. In fact, that's all we talked about. I also knew a black history professor and artist who was very hard core into the music. I often went to his office and talked about the major shakers and makers in the music. We had many conversations and he had records of Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Coltrane, Miles, Archie Shepp and Clifford Brown in his office. We discussed the major lables and not so major like Impulse, Blue Note, ESP, Strata East, Columbia, Nessa, Atlantic, et al. He would let me listen to his collection and answer any questions I had. I'll never forget that.
There was also a radio dj who was a history professor at the university I bonded with. I used to listen to his university jazz radio program on Saturday nights and talk to him about the music. I still visit him at school when I go back to Ohio. It's just a matter of exposure and having the interest to learn.
"How come she didn't get alot of recognition?"
She is very well known among those who know anything thing about jazz. Even those who are not exclusively jazz affectionatos (European classic) have heard of her great range and incredible vocal abilities.
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7115
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 02:35 pm: |
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Anita Baker, who is of fairly recent vintage, says Sarah was one of her chief influences. The "Divine Sarah" as she was known as, came into her own during the era of ballads that featured the exquisite lyrics and lush melodies that characterized the Tin Pan Alley song books. Unfortunately, I think kids nowadays would find Sarah's crooning a tad boring. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 1725
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 03:23 pm: |
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"Unfortunately, I think kids nowadays would find Sarah's crooning a tad boring."
In an age where pimping, being a nasty gyrating skank -shaking your naked ass, profanity, being inarticulate, violence and being a street thug and hustler is celebrated, advocated and promoted in a post 1970 generation, I'm afraid you're right. Her classy lyricism, grace and incredible voice would probably have little to no appeal to a generation that was raised and indoctrinated to believe talentless morons who cannot sing, cannot play an instrument, cannot compose complex lyrics or write music, are icons to be worshipped and emulated. Sad, sad, sad.....
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Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 354
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 08:06 pm: |
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My grandfather played in a jazz band in Harlem during WWII. He knew Ms. Vaughan, and quite a few jazz greats, personally. He said she had a mouth on her. Cuss like a truck driver. But when she sang, she had the voice of an angel and was pure class.
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Dahomeyahosi
Regular Poster
Username: Dahomeyahosi
Post Number: 193
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 02, 2007 - 04:21 pm: |
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Sarah Vaughn was good. Now Ella Fitzgerald was a wondrous singer! I hope you know her....in my opinion second to no other American singer. |
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