Newly remixed for greatly improved sound, this intimate 1961 session with Sarah backed only by Mundell Lowe's guitar and George Duvivier's bass is one of the finest musical statements of her career.
Newly remixed for greatly improved sound, this intimate 1961 session with Sarah backed only by Mundell Lowe's guitar and George Duvivier's bass is one of the finest musical statements of her career.
"This collection of songs from 1961 shows the quiet and meditative side of MizzSassyVaughan--as if someone told her finally to tone it down after her somewhat over-the-top early recordings. She croons here with only a bass and guitar, and although at first I was skeptical, I soon became delighted and began to marvel at the control she so easily exhibits. I'm not a fan by any means of "The Sound of Music," but "My Favorite Things" is handled moodily and in the most sophisticatedly suspended jazz style I've yet heard. This is certainly a marvelously quiet collection for the after-hours, those desperate stretch of hours some of us know at 3 a.m. Sass will keep you more than company. She will warm you more than your flask will. This is a contented collection. A must for any jazz fan and certainly any Vaughan fan.--dan"
Sarah Vaughan, unadorned.
Mary Whipple | New England | 03/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In this most unusual album, Sarah Vaughan conjures up images of after hours performances in smoke-filled clubs, where a few sad and lonely people nurse their drinks and listen to a solitary singer crooning softly. Here Vaughan sings "pure," without a big band behind her, without sharing the stage with a jazz superstar, and without any restrictions on her own interpretations. Accompanied only by a guitar (Mundell Lowe) and a bass (George Duvivier), both of which play quietly in the background, Vaughan turns in a remarkable performance, recording her most intimate album, one in which she makes the listener feel as if each song is sung for him/her and no one else.
Her famous versatility is on display here, but it is far more subtle than in most of her other albums, since nearly all these songs are slow and lacking in pyrotechnics. Changes in mood are controlled totally by Sarah and not by her accompanists. In "My Favorite Things," a surprising introduction to this album, she sounds like an ingénue, singing in a light soprano without any hint of the deeper register for which she is famous--until halfway through, when the beat picks up and the real Sarah starts to emerge. "Every Time We Say Goodbye," a melancholy song, has a swing beat, and "Easy to Love" is sung almost a capella, with her finger snapping audible in the background. In "Sophisticated Lady," slowly paced and contemplative, she sounds like the great jazz singer we know, but quieter than usual, and in "Great Day," the fastest song on the album, she dances across her notes, improvising as she goes.
The "real" Sarah Vaughan is totally in charge here, singing the mellowest, smoothest, and most intimate album ever, but it is a moody, blue Sarah in many songs--and the album is for quiet times, not celebrations. If you are a lover of Sarah Vaughan and ever fantasized about having her sing a private concert for you alone, this is your chance. Mary Whipple
"
A real caldron of emotions
Winston Smith | Bosnia i Herzegovina | 08/08/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've never in my 26 years been an expert on jazz (although Ellington, Miles, Dinah, Ella and Billy Holiday aren't strangers to my cd player), for I come from a rock-ish, punk-ish, gothic-rock background. But tonight, when I first spun 'After Hours' I was reminded that jazz has so much to offer to anyone who doesn't mind music ravishing him violently and making his deep emotions and memories seep through and paint the room with vivid imagery of past-century romance. As I listened to each fold of Sarah's satin-n-silk voice, i shivered over and over again. Almost every song, yes. Jeez, i don't remember getting this many goosebumps since listening to Sade Adu in eighth grade after I broke up with my sweet Natasha :-{} Ms. Vaughn's lucent voice, contrasted with the smoky echo of a double bass and muted guitar cords, is so unpretentious, yet so sure of itself. So experienced. So adult. I don't know how old She was when She sang this, but She seems so profound. Things her voice does are amazing, but it doesn't sound like a studio-chiseled professional acrobatics. Not at all; maybe it has to do with the minimal (and perfect) arrangement, but you feel like you're left alone on a stage with her, face to face. She sounds so honest, so spontaneous, so innocent. Well, enough of it, the poignant 'Through The Years' has come on, and I'm shivering again. What, you haven't clicked "Add to Shopping Cart" yet ????"
Less is more
David K. Bell | Portland, Oregon United States | 03/16/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"These sessions, recorded in 1961, have spare arrangements for guitar (Mundell Lowe), bass (George DuVivier) and voice. They are almost all slow, sinuous ballads, except for Cole Porter's "Easy to Love," that swings with its walking bass, and "Great Day," with its hyperkinetic bass line and gymnastic improvisation by the great Miss Sarah (contrast this version with the big band sound on the "Benny Carter Sessions," and I think you will feel this version is more virtuosic and swings more, even with only two accompanying musicians.) The album does have a quiet "after hours" feel. It's 2:00 am, just you and your honey are left in the place, and Sarah is staying late just to sing to you.The really wonderful thing about these arrangements is how they allow you to just luxuriate in the peerless, sensuous pleasure of Sarah Vaughan's voice. She is given great freedom here to display her phrasing, dynamic control and nuance. Her rhythmic interplay with the guitar and bass is intricate, subtle, effortless, masterful.I didn't care for the version of "My Favorite Things." It's not just that I'm hopelessly spoiled for life on this one by Coltrane's renditions. This version just sounded kind of straight and tedious to me, with no real interest to the phrasing or rhythmic treatment. But even that song features Sarah's matchless voice. And all the other songs are gems.I think this is the most intimate of Sarah Vaughan's records. Its subtlety rewards careful listening. Play it at home with your honey. After hours."
Sassy Breaks Your Heart
Peter | East of Los Angeles | 08/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't think of another album or CD where Sassy the Divine One sounds so relaxed and low-key, she is simply in remarkable form. She's backed by just a guitar and bass so it's a fairly relaxed affair. Perhaps she had been told to "cool it" by producers for going over the top on her previous recordings because this is a big departure for her. Her singing is simply elegant, personable and heartbreakingly moving on almost all the songs. My favorites were the lesser-known songs "I Wonder Why" "Vanity" and "Through the Years" where her voice takes center stage but never overwhelms her surroundings or accompanists. She simply breaks your heart on these songs; her singing is tender, moving, and sincere. This CD ranks among the top 2 or 3 recordings I have of Sarah, and I own over 50 of her CDs and albums!!"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
