- Sarah Vaughan – American singer and pianist
- Select Discography
- Download the best Jazz sheet music and transcriptions from our Library.
- Best of Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan – American singer and pianist
Sarah Vaughan, long considered one of America’s greatest
vocalists, was known for her incredible range, the power
and throaty richness of her voice, and the exceptional
control she had over her instrument. Her performances
and recordings influenced countless singers around the
world, even during her lifetime. In the pantheon of great
jazz singers, Vaughan is in the uppermost firmament
along with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, according
to many music lovers and critics.
“Her voice had wings: luscious and tensile, disciplined
and nuanced, it was as thick as cognac, yet soared off
the beaten path like an instrumental solo … that her
voice was a four-octave muscle of infinite flexibility
made her disarming shtick all the more ironic,” wrote
music critic Gary Giddins.
Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey on March 27, 1924.
Her father was a carpenter and her mother worked
as a laundress. Music permeated their daily lives as both
of her parents were skilled amateur musicians. From an
early age, Vaughan learned how to sing and play piano
and organ. Initially, her prodigious talents were directed
towards sacred worship at Newark’s Mount Zion Baptist
Church, which is still flourishing at 208 Broadway. She is
probably the church’s most famous member, according
to the church website.
But Vaughan was itchy to get out of the church pews and into
the limelight. She got her first taste of stardom when she took
part in an amateur night contest at the famous Apollo
Theater. She won the competition with her version of the song
“Body and Soul” in 1942, instantly marking her for greater
things. Earl Hines, a big band leader, hired her to be a pianist
and singer after her performance. In 1944, she joined the
band of vocalist and bandleader Billy Eckstine.
From there, she began a steady climb in her career as
a soloist, notching performances with some of the greatest
jazz artists in the 20th century. These performers included
Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Benny Carter,
Frank Foster and Quincy Jones. It was her connection
with Parker and Gillespie that gave Vaughan her entrée
into bebop. She adopted the inventive sounds of bebop
and incorporated it into her singing, especially in the
scatting for which she best known.
Vaughan toured widely across the world, showcasing her
irrepressible vocal stylings. She performed in both intimate
cabaret settings and large scale concerts with prestigious
orchestral ensembles such as the Boston Pops, Cleveland
Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, just to name a
few. Additionally, Vaughan performed at Newport Jazz
Festival several times and worked with festival producer,
George Wein on concerts all over the world.
Vaughan also expanded her audience greatly when she
started singing pop songs. As she grew older, Vaughan’s
voice became deeper and darker, which prompted music
lovers to say her voice was reaching its peak like fine wine.
Vaughan gave her last concert in 1989 at the Blue Note,
a legendary New York City jazz club. The following year,
Vaughan died at 66 years old on April 3rd of lung cancer.
She died at her home in Hidden Hills, just outside of Los
Angeles, California and a world away from her humble
beginnings in Newark.
Her 1990 obituary from the Los Angeles Times stated
that she passed away with her mother Ada and
adopted daughter Paris Deborah at her bedside.
In her obituary, music critic Martin Bernheimer said:
“Sarah Vaughan had a voice of extraordinary sweetness,
flexibility and purity, and she used it with uncanny
insinuation throughout a wide range. She could have
taught many an opera diva lessons in breath control,
in legato phrasing and in expressive communication.
She was a great singer. Period.”
For her funeral, Vaughan’s family held the service at the
same place where people got to hear her talents first:
Mount Zion Baptist Church in Newark.
″A Newark girl comes home, having gone full circle,″ said
the Rev. Granville E. Seward, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist
Church at the time, ″and what a circle that has been.″
“I just sing,” Vaughan once said of herself.
“I sing whatever I can.”
Select Discography
• Send in the Clowns, with Count Basie Orchestra
• Irving Berlin Songbook, with Billy Eckstine
• At the Blue Note
• In a Romantic Mood
• I Cover the Waterfront
• Lover Man, with George Treadwell Orchestra, Richard
Maltby String Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker
• The Divine Sarah Vaughan: the Columbia Years
• Sarah Vaughan in Hi-Fi, with Miles Davis
• Sarah Vaughan, with Clifford Brown
• Sassy Swings the Tivoli
Download the best Jazz sheet music and transcriptions from our Library.
Best of Sarah Vaughan
Browse in the Library:
Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
---|---|---|
Bach J.S. Cello Suite No. 6 arr. piano solo by Joachim Raff | ||
Bach J.S. Cello Suite No.1 arr. for piano solo | ||
Bach J.S. Das Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1070 | ||
Bach J.S. Fifield Transcription Cantata BWV 147 Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring piano solo | ||
Bach J.S. Harpsichord Concerto A-major arr. 2 pianos | ||
Bach J.S. J.S.- Das Wohltemperierte Klavier I (Urtext) | ||
Bach J.S. Marcello – BWV 974 Concert no. 3 | ||
Bach J.S. My First Book of Bach favorite pieces in easy piano arrangements by D. Dutkanicz | Bach J.S. My First Book of Bach favorite pieces in easy piano arrangements by D. Dutkanicz | |
Bach J.S. Parodi Siciliano from BWV 1031 Piano solo transcription | ||
Bach J.S. Prelude XXIV | ||
Bach J.S. Ricercar 6 BWV 1079 from “The Musical Offering | ||
Bach J.S. Sarabande for cello | ||
Bach J.S. Siciliano from BWV 1031 Piano solo transcription by Eugen D’Albert | ||
Bach J.S. Ten Choral Preludes KiV B 27 | ||
BACH J.S. The Art Of Fugue Bach Fugues For Keyboard, 1715 1750 | ||
BACH J.S. The little music book of Anna Magdalena (20 easy pieces) | ||
Bach J.S. Toccata & Fugue Dminor for Piano | ||
Bach J.S. Two Transcriptions Of St. Matthew Passion For Piano Solo | ||
Bach J.S. Two-Voice Inventions | ||
Bach J.S.-Busoni BVB36 Prelude Fugue and Allegro BWV998 | ||
Bach J.S.-Busoni BWV 933-938 | ||
Bach J.S.-Busoni Prelude in C minor BWV 999 | ||
Bach J.S.-BWV 1055 4 hands | ||
Bach J.S.-Choral-BWV-639-Transcr-Busoni | ||
Bach J.S.-Lipatti – Two Transcriptions of Bach J.S.’s Cantatas 208 | Bach-Lipatti – Two Transcriptions of Bach’s Cantatas 208 | |
Bach J.S.-Petri – Cantata 208 “Sheep May Safely Graze” Piano solo arr. | Bach-Petri – Cantata 208 Sheep May Safely Graze | |
Bach J.S.-Siloti- Andante from Sonata for Solo Violin BWV 1003 | ||
Bach JS “Sheep May Safely Graze” from Cantata 208 (easy piano) | ||
Bach Liszt Prelude & Fugue In A Minor, Bwv 543 | ||
BACH Master Musicians Series by Malcom Boyd (eBook) Biography | ||
Bach Prelude Iv Bwv 849 Wtc I (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach The Goldberg Variations Cambridge Music Handbooks (eBook) | ||
Bach The Goldberg Variations Cambridge Un. Press (Book) | ||
Bach The New Bach Reader A Life Of Johann Sebastian Bach In Letters And Documents (Arthur Mendel Hans T. David Christoph Wolff) Book | ||
Bach Toccata And Fugue In D Minor (Piano Solo) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 (Piano solo arr.) | ||
Bach Toccata And Fugue In D Minor Bwv 565 (Piano Solo Arr.) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach Two Part Inventions (No. 1 Bwv 772) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach-Bauer Die Seele Ruht..Cantata 127 for piano solo | ||
Bach-Busoni – Chaconne D minor arr. piano solo | ||
Bach-Busoni Ich Ruf’ Zu Dir Herr Bwv 639 Piano Solo Arr. (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach-Gouin – Harpsichord Concerto in F Minor (Arioso) BWV1056 piano | ||
Bach-Rummel Ertodt-Uns BWV22 | ||
Bach-Siloti – Praeludium In B Minor BWV 855a | Bach-Siloti – Praeludium In B Minor Bwv 855a | |
Bach-Siloti – Praeludium In B Minor Bwv 855a (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Bach-Siloti Transcription of Bach’s Air from Suite for String Orchestra No.3, BWV 1068 | ||
Bach-Stradal Trio Sonata No 4 in E minor BWV 528 | ||
Bach, Johann Sebastian – Complete Lute Music (transcribed for Guitar) | ||
Bach, J. S. Concert In D Minor Bwv 1043 For Two Violins And Piano Musescore File.mscz | ||
Bach, J.S. Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude Easy Guitar Arr. Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring Cantata Nr. 147 | Bach, J.S. – – Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude Guitar arr. | |
Bach, J.S. Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude Guitar Arr. Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring Cantata Nr. 147 | Bach, J.S. Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude Guitar Arr. Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring Cantata Nr. 147 | |
Bach, J.S. Orchestral Suite No. 1 In C Major Bwv 1066 Passepied (Easy Piano Solo) | ||
Bach, J.S. Arioso For Piano Solo BWV 156 | ||
Bach, J.S. For Electric Guitar [Guitar SongBook] | Bach, J.S. For Electric Guitar | |
Bach, J.S. Myra Hess Chorale from Cantata 147 Jesu Joy Of Man’s desiring Hess Myra piano solo Arrangement | ||
Bach, J.S. – Jesus bleibet meine Freude Guitar arr. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Cantata Nr. 147.mscz | ||
Bach, J.S. – Jesus_bleibet_meine_Freude_Cantata_Bwv147_10_Choral SATB with Piano by Johann_Sebastian_Bach.mscz | ||
Bach, J.S. – Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Piano Solo) | ||
Bach, J.S. Arioso (Guitar) from Cantata BWV 156 Guitar arr. by Per Orlov Kindgren | ||
Bach, J.S. Awake, tu us the Voice is calling – Wachet Auf, ruft uns die Stimme Piano solo arr. (Borwick) | ||
Bach, J.S. Chorale from Cantata 147 Jesu Joy Of Man’s desiring Easy piano solo Arr. | ||
Bach, J.S. Dinu Lipatti Pastorale in F ( Piano solo transcription) | ||
Bach, Johann Sebastian (bio book LUX-Lesebogen) (Deutsch-German) Biography | ||
Bach, JS Partitas Partita 1 | ||
Bach’s Well-tempered Clavier The 48 Preludes and Fugues (Book ) David Ledbetter | ||
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (Heitor Villa-Lobos) | ||
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (Heitor Villa-Lobos) 2 pianos | ||
Back To The Future Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack Piano Vocal guitar | Back To The Future | |
Backstreet Boys – All I Have To Give | ||
Backstreet Boys – As Long As You Love Me | ||
Backstreet Boys – Drowning | ||
Backstreet Boys – How Did I Fall In Love With You | ||
Backstreet Boys – I Need You Tonight | ||
Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way | ||
Backstreet Boys – Incomplete | ||
Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games With My Heart | ||
Backstreet Boys – Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely | ||
Backstreet Boys As Long As You Love Me | ||
Backstreet Boys Backstreets Back | ||
Backstreet Boys Black Blue | ||
Backstreet Boys Drowning | ||
Backstreet Boys Everybody | ||
Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way | ||
Backstreet Boys Shape Of My Heart | ||
Baden Powell Manha De Carnaval Guitar Tablature Tabs | ||
Baden Powell – So Por Amor (Guitar arr. sheet music with TABs) | Baden Powell – So Por Amor (Guitar arr. sheet music with TABs) | |
Baden Powell – Samba Do Aviao (Jobim) Guitar arr | ||
Baden Powell – Samba Em Preludio Guitar TAB | ||
Baden Powell – Serenata Do Adeus Guitar TABs | ||
Baden Powell Complete Brazil On Guitar transcriptions with Tablature | Baden Powell complete sheet music | |
Baden Powell Contemporary solo guitar (Book In Japanese) | ||
Baden Powell Prelude In A Minor (guitar) | ||
Baden Powell Retrato Brasileiro Choro Lento (Guitar) | ||
Baden Powell Songbook – Volume 1 (Guitar) | Baden Powell 1 | |
Baden Powell Songbook – Volume 2 (Guitar) | Baden Powell 2 | |
Baden Powell Songbook Volume 3 (Guitar) | Baden Powell songbook 3 | |
Badfinger – No Matter What | ||
Baghdarsaryan, Eduard 24 Preludes For Piano | ||
Baker’s Biographical Dictionary Of Popular Musicians 1990 Complete Vol 1 A L and Vol 2 M Z | ||
Balada Para Alessandro (Raul Di Blasio) | ||
Balázs Havasidom Freedom Piano Solo Sheet Music | ||
Ballad No Name (William Joseph) | ||
Ballade No. 1 In G Minor (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Ballads Big Book Of Ballads 2nd Edition Piano Vocal Guitar | Ballads Big Book Of Ballads 2nd Edition Piano Vocal Guitar | |
Ballads For Classical Guitar | Ballads For Classical Guitar | |
Ballads Really easy piano (24 great songs) | Ballads Really easy piano (24 great songs) | |
Ballads The Big Book Of Ballads 3rd Edition Piano Vocal Guitar | Ballads The Big Book Of Ballads 3rd Edition Piano Vocal Guitar | |
Bambina (Lara Fabian) | ||
Banana Boat Day-O – Guitarr Arr. With Tabs (Traditional Jamaican Folk Song (Sheet Music) | ||
Banana Boat Day-O – Guitarr Arr. With Tabs (Traditional Jamaican Folk Song (Sheet Music)) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Banana phone (Raffi) | ||
Bangles – Eternal Flame | ||
Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 1 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 1 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | |
Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 2 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 2 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | |
Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 3 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 3 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | |
Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 4 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano Susi’s – Band 4 – Swing Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | |
Bar Piano Susi’s Merry Christmas by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano Susi’s Merry Christmas by Susi Weiss | |
Bar Piano, Susi’s – Band 5 – Swing, Evergreens and Pop Classics by Susi Weiss | Bar Piano, Susi’s – Band 5 – Swing, Evergreens and Pop Classics | |
Barbara Livre D’or 18 Chansons Partition Musicale | Barbara Livre D’or 18 Chansons Partition Musicale | |
Barbara Arens Moonbeams |