Details

Field of Interest

Jazz

Content Type

Music recording

Duration

38 mins

Format

Audio

Sub Genre

Piece, Vocal Jazz

Label

Universal Classics & Jazz

Performer

Sarah Vaughan, 1924-1990, Frank Wess, 1922-, Thad Jones, 1923-1986, Wendell Culley, 1906-1983, Henry Coker, Ronnell Bright, 1930-, Richard Davis, 1930-, Roy Haynes, 1925-

UPC (Physical)

00602498819043

Release Date

2005-07-26

Review

Seven months after Mercury recorded Sarah Vaughan in a live setting for the surprisingly successful At Mr. Kelly's, the label planned another date with the microphones for the night of March 7, 1958. This time, however, instead of setting up at Mr. Kelly's (although she was booked for three shows that night), the producers invited a small group of friends and well-wishers to another Chicago club, London House, for an after-hours session. Vaughan expanded her trio with a quartet of Count Basie titans, including trumpeter Thad Jones and tenor Frank Wess, and as if the settings weren't challenging enough already, decided to record a set that, in true after-hours fashion, was completely improvised. (The cover photo even shows her studying a sheet as she sings.) Although the results are certainly far looser and more relaxed than a studio date, Vaughan and the instrumentalists don't shine as expected. Vaughan in particular plays it safe with this material, drawing out her cozy ballads with interpretive ease, but never taking them as far as she could in a more stable setting. The format breaks down completely on the final song, "Thanks for the Memory," when Vaughan misreads a lyric, puzzles over it for a few seconds, restarts the number, flubs it again, starts over one more time, and finally wraps up after seven minutes by declaring the session -- while still singing, of course -- "the most craziest, upsettin', down-sided recording date I ever had in my life." ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Subject

Jazz, Music & Performing Arts, Vocal Jazz, Jazz Vocal

Keywords and Translated Subjects

Jazz Vocal