Sarah Vaughan - Send in the Clowns: The Very Best of Sarah Vaughan:

The Very Best of Sarah Vaughan? There's respectable music on the 13 tracks selected for this compilation, Send in the Clowns: The Very Best of Sarah Vaughan, but no knowledgeable jazz fan would find that an accurate label. Considering her recording career spanned more than 40 years, the selections cover ridiculously fragmentary slices of her body of work for something bearing a "very best of" title. There are just two cuts predating the early '70s ("Black Coffee" and "Vanity," from the late '40s and early '50s); most of the rest was done between 1972 and 1974, with three '80s recordings closing the disc. Nor would many fans consider her mainstream pop cover of "Send in the Clowns" a Vaughan highlight. Though not as unpalatable, her live 1982 cover of "I've Got a Crush on You/Foggy Day," and the two cuts from her 1987 Brazilian Romance album, likewise are hardly close to the most essential tracks she laid down. Otherwise, the material's taken from live 1973 Tokyo performances and her lushly orchestrated 1972 Sarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand record. There are, of course, some good songs on this disc, and excellent vocals from Vaughan on most of the numbers. Just know that it's probably not going to fulfill your expectations of her very best work. Also note that the liner notes are exceptionally brief, though they still manage to misprint her birthdate as 1964 instead of 1924. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Name Credits Abe Luboff Bass Abe Vélez Project Manager Al Aarons Trumpet Alex Murray Violin Alex Nieman Viola Allan Harshman Viola Allan W. Thompson Trombone Alphonso Johnson Bass Anatol Kaminsky Violin Andy Simpkins Bass Arnold Belnick Violin Arnold Koblentz Oboe Arthur Maebe French Horn Arthur Zadinsky Violin Artie Kane Keyboards Babe Russin Saxophone Barry Socher Violin Bernard Fleischer Woodwind Bernard Kaufman Saxophone Bernie Kundall Violin Bill Hinshaw French Horn Bill Hood Woodwind Bill Hybel Violin Bob Cooper Woodwind Bob Haggart Bass Bob Knight Trombone Bob Magnusson Bass Bob Shad Producer, Original Recording Producer Bud Shank Woodwind Buddy Childers Trumpet Carl LaMagna Violin Carl Schroeder Piano Carlos Vega Drums Charles Loper Trombone Chuck Berghofer Bass Chuck Findley Trumpet Chuck Rainey Bass (Electric) Connie Kupka Violin Conte Candoli Trumpet Dan Huff Guitar Dave Grusin Keyboards David Speltz Cello Dick Macker French Horn Don Lodice Saxophone Dori Caymmi Guitar, Arranger Dorothy Remsen Harp Dorothy Wade Violin Edgar Lustgarten Cello Elmer Smithers Trombone Emmet Sargeant Cello Ernie Watts Sax (Tenor), Sax (Alto) Erno Neufeld Violin Frank Fletcher-Beach Trumpet Frank Rosolino Trombone Fred Seykoura Cello Fred Stulce Saxophone Frederick Buldrini Violin Gareth "Garry" Nuttycombe Viola Gary Barone Trumpet Gayle Levant Harp George Berres Violin George Duke Keyboards George Gaffney Piano George Kast Violin George Price French Horn George Roberts Trombone George Van Eps Guitar Glen Dicterow Violin Gordon Griffith Trumpet Gordon Marron Strings Violin Grover Mitchell & His Orchestra Trombone Harold Feldman Saxophone Harold Jones Drums Harry Lawson Saxophone Harry Terrill Saxophone Henry Roos Saxophone Henry Rowland Piano Herman Clebanoff Violin Howard Fritzson Art Direction Howard Kay Violin Irving Geller Violin Isadore Zir Viola Israel Baker Violin Jay Rosen Violin Jean Hugo Violin Jeremy Holiday Artist Coordination Jerome Richardson Woodwind Jesse Ehrlich Cello Jimmy Cobb Drums Jimmy Maxwell Trumpet Joe Stepansky Violin John d'Agostino Trombone John Fell Ryan Bass John Gianelli Bass John Guerin Drums Joseph Goodman Violin Kenneth Burward-Hoy Viola Larry Bunker Percussion Larry Corbett Cello Leonard Hartman Saxophone Lloyd Ulyate Trombone Marie Fera Cello Marilyn Baker Viola Marilyn Graham Violin Mark Larson Design Marty Paich Arranger Marvin Limonick Violin Mary Newkirk Viola Maurice Brown Cello Melvin "Red" Solomon Trumpet Meyer Bello Viola Michael Tilson Thomas Conductor Michel Legrand Conductor, Arranger Mickey Nadel Bass Mike Wofford Keyboards Milt Raskin Piano Milton Kestenbaum Bass Milton Thomas Viola Mort Herbert Violin Muni Morrow Trombone Nick Fatool Drums Norris Shawker Drums Paul Griffin Conductor, Arranger Paul Weston Conductor, Arranger Paulinho Da Costa Percussion Pete Christlieb Woodwind Peter Mercurio Bass R. Hill Violin Ralph Pyle French Horn Ralph Schaeffer Viola Ray Brown Bass Ray Kramer Cello Ray Siegel Bass Richard Perissi French Horn Richard Seidel Compilation Producer Robert Ostrowsky Viola Robert Sanov Violin Rollice Dale Viola Ron Cooper Cello Ronald Folson Violin Rubin Zarchy Trumpet Sam Freed Violin Sergio Mendes Producer, Original Recording Producer Seth Rothstein Project Director Shari Zippert Violin Shelly Manne Drums Shirley Cornell Violin Sinclair Lott French Horn Stacey Boyle Artist Coordination Steven Berkowitz A&R Steven Epstein Original Recording Producer, Producer Suzie Katayama Cello Sylvan Shulman Violin Thelma Beach Violin Todd Hemmenway Cello Tom "Curly" Ruff Digital Remastering Tommy Johnson Tuba Tommy Tedesco Guitar Verlye Mills Harp Vincent DeRosa French Horn Virginia Majewski Viola Wilbert Nuttycombe Violin William Schaefer Trombone Wolfe Taninbaum Saxophone Zelly Smirnoff Violin Ziggy Elman Trumpet