Sarah Vaughan

Roulette, the same label that brought the world Jimmie F. Rodgers' "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and Joey Dee's "Peppermint Twist," also recorded some wonderful vocal sessions on Joe Williams, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan. While most of these were dates for ballads and lush strings, they also allowed their artists latitude for a variety of settings. When a Sarah Vaughan album titled After Hours sold better than others -- despite featuring only guitar and bass accompaniment -- they replicated the formula for 1962's wonderful Sarah + 2. Only the personnel changed; Barney Kessel took over from Mundell Lowe, while Joe Comfort stood in for George Duvivier on bass. The results are excellent, highlighting the power of Vaughan's voice, whether she's singing a rosy "All I Do Is Dream of You" or one of the most turgid torch songs, "All or Nothing at All." Her best feature is "When Sunny Gets Blue," a spotlight for her dynamic range. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide