Although
Count Basie gets top billing, he actually doesn't even appear on this set.
Basie's Orchestra and pianist
Kirk Stuart are purely in a supporting role behind the magnificent voice of
Sarah Vaughan, other than a couple of short spots for trumpeter
Joe Newman and
Frank Foster's tenor. Sometimes
Vaughan sounds overly mannered and seems to give little weight to the words she is singing, but her wide range and impeccable musicianship carry the day. Highlights include "Perdido," "Mean to Me," and "You Go to My Head," and the set is understandably recommended more for
Sarah Vaughan fans than
Count Basie collectors. [Some reissues add a pair of charming
Vaughan duets with
Joe Williams, "Teach Me Tonight" and "If I Were a Bell," that were originally released as a single, plus an alternate take of "Until I Met You."] ~ Scott Yanow