Search - Sarah Vaughan :: The Complete Sarah Vaughan: Live In Japan

This in an astounding live performance of Sarah's.

Sarah's Avid Collector | New Orleans | 12/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some of Sarah's best & live material is on this.Masterpieces on this are Lamp Is Low,'Round Midningt,Wave,Summertime and listen to her three octave range all in one song singing My Funny Valentine.With the exception of 3 all selections are beautifly arranged & performed Sarah,Bob Magnesend on Bass,Jimmy Cobb on drumbs and the genious piano player Carl Schroeder who talked with me & took me back to meet & talk with Sarah in New Orleans.The only thing that can compare with this is a CD of Sarah's titled"I've Got It Good" recorded in France in 3 different places 63-76.Sarah does a fantastic version of"Everything Must Change","Feelings","Close To You"about 20 songs(no mess ups)in a relaxed non-commercial bandwagon setting.It is on a Harmonia/Mudndi label & hard to find.The French seem to appreciate Sarah more & she felt relaxed & more refined knowing that overdramitization would just not go over with the French People.Sarah has 3 different sets of backing musicians on all these live sets.One had to know who Sarah was at a concert because she would never tell who she was.I have a live Gerschwin concert at Wolftrap with the National Symphony Orchestra where Sarah introduces"Just In Case You Don't Know Who I Am My Name Is Della Reese,Sometimes I'm June Carter,you never know".SV Line In Japan & I've Got It Good are both unique performances & complement each other.I collect all Sarah's recordings & these two are worth having and on the top of the list."

Vaughn at the height of her powers

Avid Reader | Franklin, TN | 07/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"She is alternatively sexy, earthy, funny, sultry, lyrical and showy - a tour de force of entertainment. Many of the songs are familiar and have been given new interpretations ("Over The Rainbow", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "The Nearness of You") and some are rarely heard gems. All are performed with such class and professionalism it makes the event seem unrehearsed, a spontaneous rise from the audience for a song or two that becomes a night to remember. One is most impressed by her range - that throaty low almost guttural growl to those lofty notes that seem effortless in their delivery. This CD is unfortunately no longer available except through third parties but the pleasure is certainly worth the effort.One should not forget the great job by the accompaniests who seem to understand intimately her quirks and strong points. This is a recording for the ages."

Contains Sarah's finest & worst performances.

Richard Meyer | Woodbridge,VA | 11/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Overall this is an excellent live outing.Sarah had been out of the recording business for a while & she came back in a very humble & warming live way on this.Songs that will blow you away are 'Round Midnight,My Funny Valentine (5 minutes of pure soprano delight),Summertime,Where Do I Begin,Poor Butterfly,Lamp is Low. Sarah had great repor with her pianist Carl Schroeder & the combination of these two along with the bass vile & drumer is all that true talent needed for this spendid occasion.Most all selections are splendid with the exception of 4 selections that should have never have been on there and probably contributes to this being out of print.Willow Weep For Me,Misty(a lower octave version),Blues,Bye Bye Black Bird could absolutely be deleted from this and never missed.Sarah's humor is delightful on this and the a majority of the arrangements are sheer excellence.Comparing like outings Sarah's 85 Paris Concert "In The City Of Lights"cannot hold a dim candle to Live In Japan.Sarah jumped on that commercial band wagon and the humble & thankfullness are missing;some of the same material but the arrangements aren't near as good, done in a very brisk slipshod manner compared to 73 in Japan.SV Live In Japan is one of my favorite CD's of Sarah's.Beg,borrow or whatever on this CD it is a classic that you will NOT be sorry of playing over & over again."