Reviews (10)

LET'S START IT OFF CLASSY! LET'S START IT OFF SASSY!
For me, after Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington comes Sarah Vaughan, and this testament to her life and career reveals the sassy power she wielded as a performer and as a human being. Highlights include clips from some of her interviews (such as with Dick Cavett), and from some of her live performances--we see her sing "Misty," "After You've Gone," and "Send in the Clowns." More tracks from her sprawling career, however, would have made this production more palpable. At the end of the video, we still feel that there is much left unsaid and untouched about this talented jazz performer. From the sound clips we're given, we don't have much of a sense of Vaughan's vocal range. We need to hear tracks from the "Live From Mr. Kelly's" album; from the superb Copenhagen concert at the Tivoli Gardens in 1963; and from her marvelous work with Count Basie and Ben Webster. There are revealing intimate moments with Vaughan's daughter, Paris (who, with bitterness, it seems, shares with us about her mother's doubts and fears as a performer), and with Vaughan's mother (who humorously unfolds the story of Vaughan's winning the amateur contest at the Apollo Theatre as a teen); as well, we learn the most from Vaughan's musical colleagues, Joe Williams and Roy Haynes, among others (we learn that Sassy could swear like a sailor and loved to drink). This video construction of Vaughan's life, while good, is not excellent. We needed more of Sass's sass. But overall, it is an adequate introduction to a great jazz songstress.

Sarah Is Simply Divine!
Sarah Vaughan-The Divine One. The illustrious career of "Sass" is chronicled in this one hour video featuring interviews with The Divine One herself, family members and professional acquaintances. The interviews offering the more personal, poignant and perceptive perspectives full of professional praise, come from long time accompanying pianist George Gaffney, Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams. Other revealing insights are offered by drummer Roy Haynes and daughter Paris Vaughan.

There are film and video tape excerpts of performances from every decade of her career. The producers and researchers are to be commended for their acquisition of footage of Sarah from the late 40's and early 50's, considering the media focus during those times was otherwise placed. The juxtaposition of interviews offer a sober, cogent journal of this unparalleled vocal talent and her career. We learn that Sarah, although a tremendously talented artist, had insecurities and disappointments relating to her professional accomplishments.

Any lover of her music will be slightly disappointed more time was not spent on extended clips of her performances. What we are shown however, allows the viewer to observe the maturation of a phenomenal voice that is all at once, heartwarming and compelling. Earlier cuts like, "Cherokee," "Over The Rainbow" and "You're Not The Kind," give an ample display of Sarah's musicianship, unique vocal stylings and fluidity. The fabled two and a half octave vocal range is heard in the all too brief opening excerpt of "A Foggy Day In London Town," "Send In The Clowns" and "Once In A While" [Sarah accompanies herself here on piano and more adequately demonstrates her keyboard ability.]

The major bonus to this production is the loving remastering of the musical tracks. The voice, piano, bass and drums are intelligently mixed which allows the music to stand on its own. Even if your VCR is not connected to your stereo set-up, the music still sounds great.

For the record, my favorite female vocalists in order, are, Sarah, Betty Carter and Billie Holliday [although Diana Krall is making inroads!]. Sarah Vaughan-The Divine One, offers a penetrating look at a talent on the genius level that, unfortunately like Billie, Betty and Ella, are lost to us forever. Billy Eckstine spoke for this reviewer when he said, "We all have our favorites [female singers], and she was mine,...but if she wasn't your favorite, I want to know who was."

MY IDOL..MY MENTOR... Sassy Sarah
This DVD retains the life of Sarah in the presence of audiences worldwide. Notice how smooth she appears and how graceful she is as she performs. SMOOTH as fine chocolates and wine! Sass' vocal range is well over the five octaves found on a 88-key piano! What a fine singer Sarah (Sass) Lois Vaughan was. Sass will always be my idol and mentor forever in spirit; she is well missed. And, this DVD highlighting the Divine One's life from start to end is a long-lasting treasure for those (like me) who adored Ms. Sarah Lois Vaughan known also as Sassy Sarah. This is from a fan forever. **Angie**

Great!
Good, solid overview of Sass' professional life, with just enough personal info to give you a sense of who she was as a person and to put her artistry in context. Interesting commentary by some of the key musicians and others who worked with her and knew her best, e.g. Joe Williams, Billy Eckstine, and her daughter Paris Vaughan. A 'must-have' for Sarah Vaughan fans.

Sassy Is The Best Of The Best!
This DVD brings out the quality of Sassy's unmistakeable sound. I had the privlage of spending time with her on the road with Count Basie and his Orchestra. I was fortunate enough to hear her live on many occasions. Sass is the greatest! Don't miss this DVD!!!... ... Read more

Description

Sarah Vaughan ranked with Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Holiday as one of the very best female jazz singers of the past century. She was one of the first vocalists to incorporate bop phrasing into her singing, as her splendid performances with jazzmen as diverse as Lester Young, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington or Clifford Brown eloquently proved. Besides compiling different clips showcasing the great Sarah Vaughan, this video is completed with additional clips featuring Lena Horne, Bessie Smith (singing her superb "Saint Louis Blues" from 1929), Mamie Smith, Ida Cox, Ethel Waters and the International Sweethearts Of Rhythm, the legendary all female orchestra from the swing era. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sarah is fantastic
This DVD is such a delight. The musicians on it are totally incredible. The DVD can be watched forever because the perfection of these artists will definitely be difficult to beat. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BILLIE IS BEYOND!
I haven't purchased this DVD yet, so I can't give you a report
on the quality or all the performances.What I can tell you,
if you're a Billie Holiday fan, is that the two performances
included here are the BEST video footage of Lady I have ever
seen.I have them on an old VHS compilation called "Swing".
Billie sings "God Bless The Child" and "Now Or Never" with
Count Basie's Orchestra.She sounds great and looks STUNNING.
This was recorded, I believe in the late 40's, and was a first-
class "Movie Quality" short.If the only video clips you've
ever seen of Billie are from the end of her career ("Fine And
Mellow" etc) you must see this, an artist at the peak of her
powers.She is just dazzling!

Buy It For Sarah-Watch it for Billie....
Two cuts stand out from this well recorded DVD. There is one of Sarah singing "Over The Rainbow" in which she plays a piano solo (I love to hear her play piano). The other, and the most outstanding on the DVD is Billie Holiday singing a blues entitled "Now, Baby or Never". Billie is about 35 years old in the 8 minute performance and I have never heard her sound better. She swings like nobody's business and is superbly accompanied by the Count Basie Big Band. Sarah start off the program with 3 selections "Hot and ColdRunnig Tears", Somewhere Over the Rainbow", and " The Nearness of You". Ella Fitgerald comes next withtwo duets, "Dancing on the Ceiling" with Nat Cole and Why Can't We Be Friends" with Frank Sinatra. Then Billie Holiday with "God Bless the Child" and " Now, Baby or Never".Lena Horne sings "The Man I Love" and "From This Moment On" . Dorothy Dandridge sings "You Do Something To Me"and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". Then Sarah retuns with "S'Wonderful", Experience Unecessary", and "You're Mine You.. Most of the material is from a 'pop variety' approach, seemingly taped for mainstream television or movies, except for Billie with Count Basie and maybe two of Sarah's ( Over the Rainbow and The Nearness of You). They don't stretch any of the numbers out and Sarah's piano solo is the only instrumental solo on the disk. Still it is well filmed for the time and an excellent representation of the artists that were included. ... Read more

Description

Monterey Jazz Festival - Place Miles first on the bill.He wants those "fresh ears."And how about the time Jon Hendricks stepped on stage still jotting down the composition he was to perform?"Aren't you ready" musical director John Lewis asked."Never" Hendricks laughed.Yet the result was perfection in progress:the legendary debut of Evolution of the Blues.And what about Ella, Louis, Dizzy, Sarah, Dave, Monk, Clark Terry, even Lady Day?They're also part of the lore that one weekend every year makes Monterey synonymous with jazz. Hosted by contemporary favorites Joshua Redman and Patrice Rushen and featuring archival performance footage plus on-camera commentary from notables (including lifetime jazz buff Clint Eastwood), this compendium of the Monterey Jazz Festival sings, swings and syncopates with joy.Like eggs and bacon and romance and roses, some things just go together.Things like Monterey and jazz, going together now for 40 magical, musical years. Year:1998Director:William Harper - Starring:Joshua Redman, Patrice Rushen ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Please let me rate this ZERO!
Just want to add my two bits as a warning to anyone who may not have got the point from the other reviewers (unlikely). Thia can only have been some kind of ego trip for Clint - it doesn't score as either a jazz performance compilation or as a documentary of the festival.

What hurts - heartbreakingly, gutbustingly hurts - is that there ARE hours of performance footage extant from Monterey (and, no, I don't mean 2 minutes of Cannonball in "Play Misty For Me"). Surely someone could buy the rights to this stuff and make a REAL Monterey DVD?

TOTAL JIVE (...)
NO STARS!!This review will be totally redundant as it's all been said but I'm actually enjoying joining in trashing this bogus pomp more than watching it! Sure wish I had read just a couple of these reviews (the first all negative reviews I've seen on a topic I'm interested in)before I picked this turkey up. A lot of very uninteresting, boring, behind the scenes stuff that drags on forever! It says "vintage performances" HA! A few seconds of footage with elevator "jazz" instead of what you're glimpsing. It also says "And What about Ella, Louis, Dizzy, Sarah, Dave, Monk, Clark Terry even Lady Day?" THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW CLINT. Forget this and get Bert Stern's Excellent "Jazz On A Summer's Day".

I wish it were possible to give this DVD 0 stars
I echo everyone else's sentiments about this DVD. It's not
for Jazz fans. I don't know who the intended audience is. But if
you're expecting to see some complete performances from this legendary festival, look elsewhere. If you want informative commentary about the music, look elsewhere.

A Total Waste Of Money
This disc was a monumental disappointment. I was expecting not only great live clips, but also some good structured commentary. Instead, this disc is packed with short, unrevealing clips and weak, poorly scripted commentary. This is one DVD I really regret buying--and that says a lot for me. Seeing Jon Hendricks as a guest lecturer in a jazz history class at my University was more interesting than the footage they provided of him on this disc. What a TOTAL waste of money and time. Stay away from this DVD if you can help it. For a much better example of what a jazz performance/documentary should be like, check out Monk's "Straight No Chaser", available on both VHS and DVD. Cheaper and a much better way to spend your money.

DECEIVING
A commercial. A long commercial. 'Nuff said. ... Read more