My former deceased partner's secretary had a boyfriend who played in a band. In 1977 she called us and said to meet she and her boyfriend at this club in west Denver she had a really big surprise for us. She knew that I had always loved Sarah, and as it turned out Miss Vaughan had an unexpected delay in a show so she had a free evening and was just going to jam with a very small group. There were 12 of us not including the small group of musicians. We sat around and visited and Miss Vaughan started to sing which got the musicians playing. We were there for about 3 hours and I was asking her to sing some songs, like 'Broken Hearted Melody", and 'Sweet Affection'. She started laughing and said, 'honey how old are you?, I recorded those but don't remember all the words' I said .'I do".Of course she didn't sing them because she didn't have the score. And she laughed and sang for a good hour then we sat around and smoked (all of us) and chatted having a few drinks. A truly beautiful evening which I will never forget.Indeed, they don't make talent like that anymore. Now a days the women dress like sluts and have pyrotechnic shows to disguise the fact that they have no talent.
I saw "Sassy" in a night club in San Francisco in 1968.I was in the Marines and getting ready to go back to 'Nam and seeing her was all I wanted to do.She was fighting a cold and not in the best of moods,but what she did was this.I asked her to sing"Misty,"and she smiled at me and did it.I never forget that and she has always been "my divine."
Leah Chase, the undisputed matriarch of New Orleans cookery once told a great story: there was a fabric store, right across from Dooky's. Miss Vaughan traveled with her sewing machine. She'd buy fabric, sew a dress and wear it onstage that night. Sassy was something else!!!
sarah used to come into Carmelos jazz club in Los Angeles in the late 70's when BillBerrys Big Band played. she would sit on the corner stool of my bar drinking O.J. she would sing one song per set. after hours she would hang with the band and dri k cognac. ine night there were only 4 of us left- the manager, me a piano player and Sarah. he starged playing and she sang 4 tunes. it was better than heaven . . .
They just do not have voices like this today. There r some great voices today but not as emotional moving, pure and versatile as Sarah, Ella, Billy, Paige or even Aretha!!! I listen to any of these women and there voices move me emotionally and touch my heart !!! Glad there are recording still around to listen to!!!
They don't call her Divine for nothing. That voice and phrasing is beyond heavenly. Saw her a number of times in concert and she was even more incredible. Ella, Sarah and Aretha. After those 3 ladies, they set a standard that will never be matched.
All great but in the words of Johnny Mathis there Ella Fitzgerald and then then there is everyone else! Thats just the way it is lol But I love Sarah Vaughn...
@@fumikoadullaha449 It's not a competition, it's art. I love Ella, Sarah, Billie, Carmen and others but would never rank great talents, just enjoy them for their unique gifts.
Thanks for sharing this excellent documentary. I've known Sarah Vaughan for years but only recently started listening to her properly and I'm simply spellbound by the beauty of her voice. What an astounding instrument! And what musical intelligence behind it! I may prefer other "girl" singers for some of their other attributes: Ella for her rhythm and natural sound; Judy for her emotional delivery; Nina for her wondrous musicality. But on voice quality and control, Sarah stands unequalled...
I can not listen to her without the hair on my neck standing up.. and getting goose flesh.. she had such a remarkable instrument and she knew how to use it.. and what she could do with a lyric, and that range of hers.. whoa.. she remains my favorite singer of all time.. I got to see her work alot in the 70;s and 80s here in LA.. she worked in small houses like The Roxy, or The BOWL, the Music Center.. and I never saw an empty seat!!! We were lucky she lived in LA.. and she loved getting out there and singing.. what a gift she was to us!!
+Brent Edmonds She definitely elicits the good bumps, lol. I wish I was alive then to see her perform all those years ago, in her youngest years to her final years.
To me Sarah's voice always reminded me of Dexter Gordon(my favorite tenor), the power, the depth of sound, the ability with just a few notes to convey so much emotion.
Out of respect for Whitney fans during the initial shock of her death, I actually refrained from pointing out the fact that the greatest voice out of Newark, NJ is "The Divine One". No doubt Whitney herself grew up idolizing this woman and imitating her style and lifestyle.
Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Phoebe Snow, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, Anita Baker all marked time and place with their amazing voices, talents and humanity. Women of song that were sheer raw talent devoid of balloons, light shows and other distractions of mediocrity and dollar-in-the pocket packaging. These ladies were simply the best. Period.
@Fish bite9. I salute your message 🎉and insightful share. Thank you love. Wes’s they are superb!.. Musically gifted and talented.. They give and bring fantastic Listening and participation pleasure. 🎊🎉🎹🎶💜Big up to Royal musical 🎵 🎶 Ancestors. B1fam
What a truly great musician. It has always amazed me how , no matter how slow the tempo was she had this awesome feeling of tempo and rhythm and no matter how she decided to bend the pitch of a note I can't imagine anything being out of tune. Such control!I still have records that I bought in the fifties in England before I immigrated here I just cannot part with them. Thank you Sarah. you have earned the title Divine One rightfully.
I was born in 1957, then before I could hardly walk my dad told me years later he had to tell me to be quite because I was cheering & clapping in my playpen when Sarah was on TV. I've had temporary favorite singers thru my life: Ella; Minnie Riperton; Birgit Nilsson (opera); Charlotte Church (her traditional songs from the British Isles); Marjorie Kingsley(English Big Band Singer); some very talented singer girlfriends. When it comes down to it, I've always come back to Sarah Vaughan as the ultimate singer.
+jeff Craven Sarah Vaughan is my favorite singing artist. Her voice grew warmer and her interpretive skills more refined as she got older. Her albums under the Pablo label, especially the Ellington Song Books 1 and 2 and Crazy & Mixed Up are gorgeous.
The 20th century gave us an elite group of incomparable vocalists that we haven't seen the like of since. Each their own unique interpreters of song. Ella, Sinatra, Billie, Dinah, Barbra,
Or Dinah Washington and Pearl Bailey, singers from back then were so much more talented than now, you have to keep in mind, I grew up looking to the likes of Aretha, Gladys, Patti, Luther, Chaka, Natalie ect as legends, but Sarah, and Ella and Peggy and Nina and Shirley and Pearl Bailey and Dinah Washington are their legends, and what a combo of people to aspire to!
Sarah Vaughan's voice is stratospheric. I believe a singer should imbue their style on the songs they sing. Why on earth would an icon sing a song the same way other singers have? Even if they sing it differently, why shouldn't singers change their delivery to give audiences unique experiences? I applaud Sassy for having the courage not to conform/constrain her gift.
allermenchenaufder 90 years young at the time of your post. Sarah V. was born on March 27, 1924, and would have just turned 91. Sarah and Ella were my mom's favorite singers. Mom introduced them to me when they appeared on TV variety shows in the 1960's. Sarah's voice is sublime.
her voice changed so much over the years, got deeper, i guess she always had that awesome range- listen to some of her earlier recordings, and compare them with some of her later ones. what an awesome, beautiful voice she had! none around today that can match her. thanks for posting.
AndyGinterBlues The longer your career, the more chances for voice changing, but that's not it with Sassy. Earliest recordings were the worst technical chronicles of sounds. she knew how to prepare her voice for the inevitable rich, deeper sounds often accompanying age. However, like #ChakaKhan, for example, SV has always dipped up, down, middle, all over her range. it's what people with very exceptional voices do ... sometimes to entertain ourselves, to keep it fresh and Interesting. ☺🎙🔉🎶
this lady had it all... sarah vaughn the great jazz ! singer and popular singer there was no doubt in my mind.... this woman was pure class. a gem to modern music even the men couldnt match!
Charlene Brown from "A Different World" could play a young Sara Vaughn in a biopic. You can hear Sara Vaughn's vocal influence in such artists as Phyllis Hyman and Anita Baker.
If you listen to some of the inflections and accents that Chaka Khan does when she sings you hear it too... Especially when she’s singing jazz... Magnifique.
...Anita has always openly admitted that she knew people of a certain generation wouldnt catch on to the fact that she was completely copying HER...i want to say it was Oprah that she told that to...then Anita did some run where she literally channeled HER...Aretha said when she does her low runs...she references HER...
I remember hearing Sara at the Silhouette Club in Chicago. I was singing a few doors down at the Detour. The trio and I were entranced by her. Kitty Kelly
Yes! Thank you for sharing this awesome talent on RU-vid! The more I hear of Sarah Vaughan, the more I am in awe of what a music genius and awesome singer she was! What an amazing, and I mean an amazing talent in Sarah Vaughan!
I was lucky enough to see her in Toronto in 1988. I was also lucky enough to see her a few years before. She died in Apr. 1990. Sadly missed. She was incredible.
love this documentary, I wish it was longer due to the fact I was memorized of her voice and the knowledge I was learning about her. Bless you the Divine Sarah Vaughan!
"You're Mine You" - creamy smooth voice with carefully controlled vibrato "It Never Entered My Mine" - no one sings "and I even have to scratch my back myself" like Sarah. No one.
Though I have something of hers in my music collection I DEFINITELY need more. What a vocal ability and interpretation of lyrics. Day By Day has GOT to be one of the best songs she ever did. Quincy Jones' string work on that was just.......WOW!!!
Sassy was a 'gift' from Heaven.......Her phrasing, intonation and range no one else can 'ascend to such heights vocally My only regret was not to see her in concert/club. Sarah was more that just a singer... she was an 'instrument' of God.The world miss her as I do.... thank you Ms. Vaughan for you loveliness.. may you rest in paradise mschocbarbie/2013
During my years of homeschooling my daughters, I played Sarah in the car on our many adventures. They're grown now and still listen to her albums they bought. She taught them excellence, patience, passion and how to love their unique individuality and more. Please support, the talented Samara McLendon's budding jazz career/channel/social media. She's this year's winner of the "Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition" and is special just like Ms. Sarah!💃🏽❤
Divine Sassy Sarah Vaugh🎹❤️🎵🖤. Her melodic sound is amazing. She takes you and you spirit to a delightful place and special place. A true music🎼affectioado!.. Thank you marvelous Sassy Divine Queen Sarah. Your music 🎵 sound excellence and appeal will live for ever. Thank you Ancestor. We salute your beautiful talent. Ashe’
I was born in th late 60's, so I didn't pick up on Sarah till th late 80's (sadly). That was due 2 th local singer, Kate Ceberano naming 'Sassy' as her inspiration. My parents were shocked - they thought I didn't appreciate music bcoz I listened 2 Black Sabbath as well. I roused on them 4 not informing me about 'th good stuff'. 'Stardust' & 'Body & Soul' grabbed me straight away. She set th bar high 4 all female singers with me after that. At last I c a doco! Thnk u! Gr8 post!
tsopmocful I didn't start listening to her records until the 2000s. One has to be mature enough and have lived the life experiences depicted in her songs in order to really appreciate her.
@@RaymondHng I loved her singing when I was in my teens. Everybody's different and comes to art at different times but I would spend hours listening to her from about the age of 15.
+Stephanay JNote Hey lady:-) I see where your vocal craziness gets its legs. I hear a lot of her intonations, phrasings and octave alternating when I hear you sing. Hope you are well Steph.
not only did she cover the full range she played a great jazz piano. she could go into a studio and read her way through complicated music and deliver a one of a kind performance. she played when she was sick and you never knew it. the band stood with her the same way they did with sinatra. check out sarah vaughn sings george gershwin for one of the best tracks ever recorded. i loved ella and still do but sarah had something different. there will be no one like her so give in and get with it. roc
Hi, Richard Candon...Wanted to make sure you're aware of, Samara McLendon. She was 1st. Place winner of The Sarah Vaughan Jazz Competition this year. She's special like Sarah.🎉
I heard Sarah sing The wave on radio in the 70,s.it stayed with me and I borrowed her phrasing later playing my guitar.thanks for this real talented musician.
English subtitles were often wrong but I liked the documentary anyway. As a shy teenager, and even now, my favorite was Broken Hearted Melody. What a great talent she was. Thanks for posting this interesting story.
i love her without have the oportunity of know her! she was amaizing! but i am surprising for white man says she had insecurity. they never understand: SHE WAS A BLACK WOMAN!!!!!!!!
I have many favorites in jazz: here are a few, not strictly in the right order: Louis Armstrong (listen especially1929-32: I think during that time period he established himself as the greatest cornet or trumpeter EVER (the human lip can't take what he put his thru);favorite contemporary trumpeter is auturo Sandoval; my pick for best ever trombone: Frank Rosolino. Best Alto Sax ever: Mr. Charles Parker. Best Tenor sax, Dexter Gordon; Best Clarinetists: Artie Shaw then Jimmy Dorsey; Best Pianist, Erroll Garner; Best drummer, Art Blakey, Best bass. Jaco Pastorius. My choice for best male vocalist: Bing Crosby (during time spent with Paul Whiteman, then Gene Goldkette & afterwards till WWII. Those are my long-term favorites but I've been swayed at times by what I listen to. Still as to vocalists (male or female) , since the time I was barely able to walk as a baby, my favorite has always come back to Sarah. My comment is made in loving memory of Sarah V., Ella, Louis, Chud, Diz., Ted Navarro, Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Maynard Ferguson, Jack Teagarden, Frank Rosolino, J. J. Johnson, Trummy Young, Carl Fontana, Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Erroll Garner, and Mr. Charles Parker & many other jazz musicians that did miracles on your particular instrument: (voice included): Practice made these guys and gals perfect, but God gave them strength to carry on & the talent (IN jazz MUSIC MAJORS, that means being able to play the changes & play outside what's written). May you ultimately intelligent, & ultimately talented people mentioned by name, STILL much loved by millions for eternity RIP.
