Sarah Vaughan – Sarah Sings Soulfully (Pure Pleasure)

Sarah Vaughan's years on the Roulette label (1960-64) are generally considered the legendary singer's best, a time when her musicianship merged exquisitely with her boundless firepower to achieve vocal sublimity. "Sarah Sings Soulfully", recorded at the end of this period, is a stunning testament to this ambition - a divine compilation of tracks that reveal an artist who gives her soul to making each note present, as well as the silence between them

Seductively sparse, luxuriously touching and achingly honest, all at the same time, Sarah Vaughan's white-hot voice is heard here in 12 standards, possessive, sighing and euphoric with an intensity unmatched to this day. Just listen to her interpretation of the "Just Let Our Love Take Wing" line from Monk's "'Round Midnight," the fat, juicy drop of the word "just," the long fermata of "love," and the ebb and flow that pushes the phrase forward on "take." It's a moment of revelation - and incredibly, just one of many that shine out of this compilation.