How come we don't have a Sarah Vaughan thread? Anyway, shall we search and destroy?

I'd also recommend How Long Has This Been Going On -- a date with Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, and Louie Bellson - smokin!

I seem to have amassed 4 SV records without ever listening properly to any of them - this weekend though, her version of Lush Life (on a budget phillips comp. called Cool Baby) has been on constant repeat: the old 'using the voice like a instrument' cliche seems to apply, but not through wild melisma or wordless wailing. It's more that she presents the tune in a way ornamented as an instrumentalist would, in a way that interestingly disregards the emotional demands of the words and instead inserts herself in the music with a full awareness of the harmonic structure.

In the Blossom Dearie RIP thread, someone described BD as delivering the words like a typeface: in some way this fits SV too, though not the same typeface - but the way she lets the vocal melody work as music, the way she lets meaning emerge from the music rather than 'autobiograph-ise' the words is lovely.

So, the real question.....what do I need to hear by her?

I recall my Dad playing Sarah V around the house growing up, but I don't remember which specific records...I can't really help you re SV or BD. Helpful post from me, ha.

If anyone's still wondering, In The Land Of Hi-Fi, Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown and After Hours with Sarah Vaughan would all be very good, more jazz-oriented starting points. There are other, overtly poppier titles later. She goes in both directions quite easily and with gusto. All depends on your preference.

¡Viva! Vaughan from 1964, produced by Quincy, where she does songs with a bit of latin feel, is remarkable. Just discovered it last night.

Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown

Basically any album that's called _____________ with Clifford Brown is worth hearing imo.