Day 30: The Explosive Side of Sarah Vaughan - Sarah Vaughan
Arranged and Conducted by Benny Carter
Note: This post is part of a series where I listen to an album each day in December. Past posts can be found on my substack. All hyperlinked songs go to Spotify links, Youtube links can be found at the end of the post.
The Explosive Side of Sarah Vaughan is near and dear to my heart. I love big band vocal albums, and Benny Carter's high-energy arrangments on this record are truly explosive.
I’m partial to the B-side of the record. If you’re listening on Spotify the track list is extended to include The Lonely Hours session. Today, I listened to the LP, which is only tracks 1-12, side B starts with track 7 “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love.” The liner notes by Teddy Reig make note of Vaughan’s recent recordings leading up to the Explosive Side saying, “her recordings have leaned toward the warm, lush, enveloping sounds…as she tenderly wends her way through the soft caress of a ballad. We all know this lady can swing, but her swingin’ moments on records have been few and far between.” This record is a dynamic change that demonstrates Vaughan’s ability to float over uptempo songs like “Trolley Song, “After You’ve Gone,” and “I’m Gonna Live Until I Die”. It is something to marvel over. She is graceful and energetic and sure to put a smile on your face. On “Falling in Love with Love,” Vaughan begins the tune with a slow waltz, just as Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart penned it for their musical The Boys from Syracuse. Quickly she brings it to a mid-tempo swing in 4 to finish her first chorus. The second time around the band breaks into double time for the first half of the melody, then back to mid-tempo and eventually to the waltzing home base. It’s more than the best of both worlds. The entire album shows Vaughan’s great abilities to swing at a cool grown tempo or glide over a barn burner. “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” has been a favorite of mine since I first heard the record, I’ve always felt she sounded so effortlessly cool on the melody.
After a few listens, I decided to try my hand at making another collage. It is a fun way to combine all of the thoughts I have while listening and incorporate imagery that sometimes feels out of place in writing. This collage features The Divine One herself, arranger Benny Carter, and an important scene at a Woolworth lunch counter.
My favorites are as follows,
Until Tomorrow,
Emily
Listen to The Explosive Side of Sarah Vaughan on YouTube (This link includes The Lonely Hours)