Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) 180g LP

TAS Super LP List! Special Merit: Informal

Stereophile: Performance 5/5 Stars / Sonics 3.5/5 Stars

This 1954 self-titled album recorded for EmArcy was later reissued as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown to denote the involvement of one of the top trumpeters of the day. Vaughan sings nine intimate standards. Brown almost matches her with his bop virtuosity. The band includes Herbie Mann (flute) and Paul Quinichette (tenor).

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets.

"We are excited to launch our Acoustic Sounds series," said Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of UMe. "Verve and UMe have one of the richest jazz catalogs ever recorded and our goal is to give vinyl and music lovers the best possible versions of classic albums. The Acoustic Sounds series is designed to appeal to today's most discriminating fans, and those discovering this treasured legacy for the first time, looking for the very finest in both artistic content and audio quality."

Good sound? The sound here, better than you might expect from 66-year-old mono tapes, is more than good enough. Vaughan is particularly present - up close, full-blooded, and detailed - as are the horns when they solo... The reissue sounds markedly better than the original pressing. A must-have.