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Pathfinders:
Sarah Vaughan
by Laura Sampedro |
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Sarah Vaughan was known and loved by many. Early
on in her career she became part of the musical elite, known only
by her first name - Sarah, or Sassy as she was nicknamed
by her contemporaries. Legendary jazz critic Leonard Feather
said she was "the most important singer to emerge from the bop era,"
and Ella Fitzgerald granted her the title of the "world's
greatest singing talent."
Born March 27, 1924 in Newark, New Jersey, Vaughan began singing
in her church choir and studying piano as a child. At eighteen she
entered Harlem's famous and competitive Amateur Night at the Apollo
winning first prize with her rendition of "Body and Soul." Singer
Billy Eckstine happened to be in the audience that night and six
months later she joined him in Earl Hines' big band. There she became
one of the few women that could bebop with the likes of jazz greats
Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, also members of Hines's group.
She later followed Eckstine when he decided to start his own big
band, which at one point included Miles Davis. After a year she
decided to branch out on her own and remained a solo act for the
rest of her career.
Although her first solo sessions showcased her incredible vocal
talents, they were not huge successes outside of the jazz world.
It was not until her 1946-48 sessions that Vaughan began to receive
more outside acclaim. It was during this time that she recorded
"If You Could See me Now," It's Magic," and "Tenderly." The release
of those sessions found her gaining recognition for her maturing
sound and ability to incorporate bop phrasing into popular music.
As a result her audience in the 1950's increased and her talents
were more widely recognized with the popularity of the Broadway
tunes "Whatever Lola Wants" and "Mr. Wonderful."
Her foray into pop music was not entirely well received, with jazz
purists claiming she was straying from the true jazz genre. But
critics would soon be appeased as the 1960's saw Vaughan's permanent
return to the jazz scene. She continued to record through the 80's
with such jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and J.J. Johnson.
One of her most well received recordings during this time is the
Duke Ellington Song Book, still considered one of her best recordings.
As time went on Vaughan's voice never lost its strength and versatility.
She toured extensively throughout her career, and well into her
sixties, continually performing and selling out top venues worldwide,
often closing shows with "Misty" and "Send in the Clowns." Despite
her long and successful career in jazz it was not until 1982 when
Vaughan was in her late 50's that she won her first and only Grammy
in the category of Best Jazz Vocalist for her album Gershwin
Live!
On April 3, 1990 at the age of sixty-six Sarah Vaughan passed away
in Los Angeles. Her career spanned nearly five decades and saw successes
in every one. She became one of the first women to successfully
scat and bop with her male counterparts, all the while bringing
the sound into the mainstream. She is truly a pioneer for women
in music and a master of her craft, leaving behind a formidable
legacy. Vaughan received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
in 1989 and was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1990.
Recommended Sarah Vaughan Albums:
The Definitive Sarah Vaughan: for an overview of her
successes.
Ballads: for the softer jazz side
Interlude 1944-47: for jazz purists
Duke Ellington Song Book (Vol. 1 or 2): for some of
jazz's best recordings |
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Laura Sampedro is a freelance writer living in New York. She is
a bilingual food enthusiast and a fan of sixties rock-n-roll. |
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