audrey Whitaker | Spring Creek, NY United States | 03/09/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know that musical tastes are subjective and based on personal taste..... but to compare one of the greatest voices of all time .. the inimitable Sarah Vaughan to a new comer like Diane Krall (A fan from Switzerland) borders on being sacrilegious.Sarah has always been mentioned with her contemporaries, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae and Dinah Washington, and even then no comparison was made because she was one of a kind.Had to get that off my chest."
Blessed with a voice to melt the Coldest of hearts....
fetish_2000 | U.K. | 10/29/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A phenomenal female vocalist, and arguably one of the finest female voices to date...to rank alongside "Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald", as a truly unique and distinguished vocalist. With this 1997 Verve label collection, it not some much collates all her work, but concentrates on the hit singles that steered her 40 or so year career.....so you be right in to expect her biggest (and most covered hit) "Summertime" that still now sounds like a glorious, glorious song. But for those just wanting the hits....."The Sweetest Sounds/ Misty / Little Girl Blue / My Man's Gone Now" have (rightly) made their way onto the disc..but it the sentimentally melodic piano breakdown of "Broken Hearted Melody" that requires multiple listens, if ever there was a track to describe blissed out Hot summer afternoons, this must surely be it, and taken as a compilation disk, this must rank amongst the Jazz music's finest."
Good introduction, or a one-disc representation...
William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 01/10/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Although Sarah was still active and important in the late '50's when I began to pay attention to good music, I never got much beyond her pop hit "Broken Hearted Melody" which came out in 1958. As I discovered girl jazz singers, I fell for Ella, and Julie London, Peggy Lee and Anita O'Day and for awhile, Carmen McRae. Recently this compilation came into my collection, and taught me how versatile Sarah really was. This has 16 songs recorded between '54 and '67 in a variety of settings. Next to "Broken Hearted Melody" I like "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" best, but really, it's all good. I'm not enchanted, but I enjoy her. If you already like Sarah but don't own most of these songs by her, you won't be disappointed with this purchase."
Sassy, Versatile Sarah
Peter | East of Los Angeles | 12/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The title is a misnomer, how could 16 songs be called "Ultimate" when it comes to Sarah Vaughan? It would take A LOT more songs to really show off all sides of this truly talented artist. The songs do show how amazing and equally comfortable she was in a variety of settings---jazz trio, concert stage, orchestra, strings, or just a piano. My personal favorite is to hear her in an intimate setting with minimal accompaniment, and this CD has 'em as well. It gives the casual Sassy fan an idea how she sounded under various settings and make the choice what the preference is. What's amazing is how little Sarah's voice changed or deteriorated over the years---what a remarkable instrument she had, the likes we might never see again. This CD would give you an idea of her range and versatility, but the songs taken from her concerts---"I'll Be Seeing You" "Detour Ahead" and jazzy sides "Shulie A Bop" where she gets to improvise---are personal favorites."
ONLY ONE SARAH VAUGHAN
ALAIN ROBERT | ST-HUBERT,QUEBEC | 11/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Very hard to dislike the best of SASSY ,because this greatest hits album is simply without a false note.Perfectly displays SARAH's incredible wide range, from the sensual SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES that make THE PLATTERS sound like boring old fashion crooners to SUMMERTIME and THE SWEETEST SOUNDS who were never better. Listen closely when SARAH VAUGHAN is singing, and you'll see the little girl in her playing with her toys.It is not surprizing that she was also a great live singer like all truely greats artists.There is no doubt that SASSY will never be forgotten by her fans.We'll perpetuate her memory."