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Sarah Vaughan

Sarah Vaughan is an NEA Jazz Master

In the 1940s, when most women singers adorned big bands as stage attractions rather than legitimate members of jazz ensembles, Sarah Vaughan, along with her predecessor Ella Fitzgerald, helped elevate the vocalist's role as equal to that of the jazz instrumentalist. A woman known for her many vicissitudes, Vaughan's outspoken personality and artistic eloquence brought her the names "Sassy" and "The Divine One.” A talented pianist, she joined the ranks of the 1940s bebop movement and became, as a member of the Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine bands, one of its most celebrated vocalists. Her dynamic vocal range, sophisticated harmonic sense, and horn-like phrasing brought Vaughan million-selling numbers and a stage and recording career that spanned half a decade.

Sarah Lois Vaughan was born the daughter of Asbury and Ada Vaughan on March 27, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. As a youth Vaughan took piano lessons and attended the Mount Zion Baptist Church, where she served as a church keyboardist. At home Vaughan played the family's upright piano and listened to the recordings of jazz artists Count Basie and Erskine Hawkins. After discovering Newark's numerous theaters and movie houses, she skipped school and left home at night to watch dances and stage shows. By age 15, she performed at local clubs, playing piano and singing.

Not long after, Vaughan took the train across the river to Harlem to frequent the Savoy Ballroom and the Apollo Theatre. One evening, in 1943, she sat in at the Apollo amateur show, a fiercely competitive contest that often exposed lesser talents to the harsh criticism of the theater's audience. Vaughan's moving performance of "Body and Soul" not only brought a fever of applause from the crowd, it also caught the attention of singer Billy Eckstine. Eckstine informed his bandleader Earl "Fatha" Hines about the young singer. Hines then allowed Vaughan to attend the band's uptown band rehearsal. At the rehearsal, Vaughan's singing won immediate praise from Hines and his musicians. One of the premiere modern big bands of the era, Hines's ensemble included such talents as trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro, saxophonist Charlie Parker, and trombonist J. J. Johnson. As the only female bandmember, Vaughan shared the vocal spotlight with Eckstine and played piano, often in duet settings with Hines. Vaughan debuted at the Apollo with Hines's band on April 23, 1943.

Not long after, most of Hines's modernist sidemen, including Gillespie, Parker, and Eckstine, gradually left the band. Vaughan remained briefly with Hines's band until she accepted an invitation to join Eckstine's newly-formed bebop big band in 1944. In December of that year, she cut her first side "I'll Wait and Pray," backed by the Eckstine band, which included Dizzy Gillespie, saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons, and pianist John Malachi.

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Radio & Podcasts

Opulence: Grenache Blanc Meets Sarah Vaughan

Read "Opulence: Grenache Blanc Meets Sarah Vaughan" reviewed by Kristen Lee Sergeant


Join Kristen for an exploration of opulence through a white Priorat and Sarah Vaughan's later work with the Count Basie Orchestra, discovering what makes something 'extra' in just the right way. ...

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Jazz & Juice

Opulence: Grenache Blanc Meets Sarah Vaughan

Read "Opulence: Grenache Blanc Meets Sarah Vaughan" reviewed by Kristen Lee Sergeant


Welcome to 2022's first Jazz & Juice--I'm excited to journey with you into the realm of wine and song in this new year! I think you'll enjoy this month's hedonistic theme no matter what you've resolved for the new year. Opulence Opulence brings to mind abundance, ornamentation, wealth and, well, muchness. A profusion or abundance of something can hazard gratuitousness, yet it also may lead to the delightfully decadent. Opulence brings us past the point of necessity and ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Sarah Vaughan, Petter Eldh, Artifacts, Immanuel Wilkins and More New Releases

Read "Sarah Vaughan, Petter Eldh, Artifacts, Immanuel Wilkins and More New Releases" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


A lil' dive in the 1970's world of soul—or funk-tinged jazz, then some adventurous large ensembles; a focus on Scandinavian artists and the first single from Immanuel Wilkins' sophomore release. It's a set with lots of interesting facets.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Sarah Vaughan “Inner City Blues" Mainstream Funk Revisited (WEWANTSOUNDS) 0:16 Host talks 4:23 Julien Lourau “Red Clay" Power of Soul, the Music of CTI (Komos) ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Wrapping Up Womens History Month With New Releases and Birthday Shoutouts To Aretha Franklin And Sarah Vaughan

Read "Wrapping Up Womens History Month With New Releases and Birthday Shoutouts To Aretha Franklin And Sarah Vaughan" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


This broadcast wraps up Womens History Month featuring new releases from Bill Cunliffe, Jeff Coffin & Helen Gillet, vocalists Joanie Pallatto, Hannah Baiardi and Georgia Mancio plus birthday shoutouts to Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin, Meredith D'Ambrosio, Renee Rosnes, Hiromi, Mimi Jones and Stacey Kent, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by purchasing their music during this time of lockdown.Playlist Artemis “ Big Top" from Artemis (Blue Note) 00:00 Joanie Pallatto “My Original ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Jazz Singers in the 1950s – Sarah Vaughan, Helen Merrill, Dinah Washington and Abbey Lincoln (1954 - 1962)

Read "Jazz Singers in the 1950s – Sarah Vaughan, Helen Merrill, Dinah Washington and Abbey Lincoln (1954 - 1962)" reviewed by Russell Perry


Many jazz singers of the 1950s continued the tradition of recording with major instrumentalists who were given the space to improvise, feeding off the collaboration. In 1954, EmArCy records matched three of their singers, representing the wide range of their offerings--Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and Helen Merrill--with jazz ensembles featuring their rising star, trumpeter Clifford Brown. Brown's quintet partner, Max Roach anchored several outings that featured his wife, Abbey Lincoln with the all-star ensembles including trumpeter Booker Little, trombonist Julian ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Celebrating Sarah Vaughan And A New Betty Carter Recording

Read "Celebrating Sarah Vaughan And A New Betty Carter Recording" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


The final Sunday of Womens History Month includes new releases from Bob Dorough, Gabrielle Stravelli, Patricia Barber plus a first listen to Betty Carter's first posthumous recording of a live 1992 concert in the early days of Jazz at Lincoln Center, with birthday shout outs to legendary vocalists Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin, Astrud Gilberto, and Pearl Bailey, blues guitarist Etta Baker and saxophonist Ben Webster, among others. Playlist Ben Webster “Weep for Me" from Ballads (Phoenix) 00:00 Dave's ...

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Building a Jazz Library

Vocal Jazz: 1969-2001

Read "Vocal Jazz: 1969-2001" reviewed by Mathew Bahl


The Dark Age followed by the Renaissance. The tumultuous changes of the 1960s radically changed the American musical landscape. Jazz fell off the American cultural radar, nightclubs closed their doors and record companies moved on to rock. With few opportunities to work and little money to be made, jazz became a music played by the dedicated for the devoted. Jazz singers, who had always acted as a bridge between the jazz and non-jazz audience, found that the middle ...

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Award / Grant

Tyreek McDole Wins 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

Tyreek McDole Wins 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

Source: AMT Public Relations

As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival and Year-Round Centennial Celebrations Honoring Sarah Vaughan As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced Tyreek McDole as the winner of the annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. This marks the second time a male vocalist won in the contest’s 12-year history. Hosted by WBGO Radio’s Pat Prescott, Sunday’s“The SASSY Awards” presented the Top Five Finalists on the iconic NJPAC ...

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Contest

The 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Announces Top Five Finalists

The 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Announces Top Five Finalists

Source: AMT Public Relations

As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival and Year-Round Centennial Celebrations Honoring Sarah Vaughan Tickets are now on sale. Sunday, November 19 @ NJPAC, 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ. Reserve online at NJPAC.org or by calling 888.466.5722. As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 3-19), the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced the top five finalists of the 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Pulled from a record 280+ submissions representing ...

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Performance / Tour

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center Hosts Year-Round Celebrations In Honor Of The 100th Birthday Of Newark’s Own Sarah Vaughan 

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center Hosts Year-Round Celebrations In Honor Of The 100th Birthday Of Newark’s Own Sarah Vaughan 

Source: AMT Public Relations

Sarah Vaughan Centennial Concert Hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater Known as the anchor cultural institution for the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced its year-round celebrations in honor of the centennial of Sarah Vaughan’s birth. Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 27, 1924, Sarah Vaughan became one of the most successful jazz vocalists in the history of American music. The power, range, and flexibility of her voice ...

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Contest

Registration For The 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Is Now Open

Registration For The 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Is Now Open

Source: AMT Public Relations

As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced the opening of the 12th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The search is on for the next great jazz singer! Solo vocalists from around the world are encouraged to submit their entries before September 5, 2023, by visiting SarahVaughanCompetition.com. In the Fall 2023, the Top Five Finalists will be announced followed by a star-studded final performance on the iconic NJPAC ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Sarah Vaughan

Jazz Musician of the Day: Sarah Vaughan

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Sarah Vaughan's birthday today!

In the 1940s, when most women singers adorned big bands as stage attractions rather than legitimate members of jazz ensembles, Sarah Vaughan, along with her predecessor Ella Fitzgerald, helped elevate the vocalist's role as equal to that of the jazz instrumentalist. A woman known for her many vicissitudes, Vaughan's outspoken personality and artistic eloquence brought her the names “Sassy" and “The Divine One.” A talented pianist, she joined the ranks of ...

Video / DVD

Celebrating Sarah Vaughan at 99

Celebrating Sarah Vaughan at 99

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Today is the 99th anniversary of Sarah Vaughan's birth—March 27, 1924. She was the first post war female vocalist shaped by the bebop movement of the mid-1940s, not the swing era of the 1930s and early 1940s. And her stylistic phrasing probably had a greater influence on female vocalists who followed her than any other singer who preceded her. Sarah Vaughan died in 1990. Her first recording was I'll Wait and Pray, with Billy Eckstine's orchestra in 1944 at age ...

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Award / Grant

Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso Is The Winner Of The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso Is The Winner Of The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

Source: AMT Public Relations

As part of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival At a star-studded, sold-out performance held yesterday afternoon on the NJPAC stage, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso was announced the winner of the 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Hosted by WBGO Radio’s Gary Walker, “The SASSY Awards” featured performances by the competitions top five finalists as well as special appearances by previous winners Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim and Gabrielle Cavassa. Recipient of a $5,000 cash award and winner of The SASSY Awards ...

3

Award / Grant

The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Selects Top Five Finalists As Part Of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival

The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Selects Top Five Finalists As Part Of NJPAC’s TD James Moody Jazz Festival

Source: AMT Public Relations

A world of jazz just minutes from home, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced the top five finalists of the 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Pulled from over 200 submissions from over 25 countries, these gifted young contestants from around the world represent the next generation of great jazz singers. The Top Five finalists comprise two international singers Kristin Lash of Bratislava, Slovakia, and Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso of Mexico, and three Manhattanites: Harlem-based Allan ...

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Recording

Exciting Jazz-Vocal Discovery Tawanda, Winner of the 2021 Sarah Vaughan Competition, Releases Much-Awaited Debut Album 'Smile' on Resonance Records

Exciting Jazz-Vocal Discovery Tawanda, Winner of the 2021 Sarah Vaughan Competition, Releases Much-Awaited Debut Album 'Smile' on Resonance Records

Source: DL Media

On October 28, 2022, Resonance Records, the acclaimed jazz label, will issue the first album by one of the most promising young jazz singers to emerge in years: Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, known simply as Tawanda. The Los Angeles-based vocalist, 26, sings in a cloudless alto with a crystalline shimmer, effortless but unfussy jazz feeling, immaculate musicianship, and a maturity that few of her contemporaries possess. In June of 2021, Tawanda tied for first place with Gabrielle Cavassa in the 9th Annual ...

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Contest

Registration For The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Is Now Open

Registration For The 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Is Now Open

Source: AMT Public Relations

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced the opening of the 11th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The search is on for the next great jazz singer! Solo vocalists from around the world are encouraged to submit their entries before September 6, 2022, by visiting SarahVaughanCompetition.com. In the Fall 2022, the Top Five Finalists will be announced followed by a star-studded final performance on the iconic NJPAC stage. The Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, also known as ...

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trombone
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Ken Slavin
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Lisa Rich
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Jackie Ryan
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Beata Pater
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Ori Dagan
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Kate Curran
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Lucia Fodde
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Mary Cross
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Karina
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Jamile
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The Jazz Bastards
band / ensemble / orchestra
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Stardust Big Band
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Eva Fox
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Maurice Lynch
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Jessa V Salerno
guitar and vocals
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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

I Magnifici 3CD

Sony Music
2018

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If This Isn't Love

Intakt Records
2010

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Sarah Vaughan...

Intakt Records
2010

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Mystery Of Man / Long...

Intakt Records
2010

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On the Radio: The...

Acrobat Music
2009

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The Great American...

Intakt Records
2007

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