First, don't assume you have this recording even if you do. For these many years I was satisfied that I was in possession of Sarah's admired "After Hours" session, only to be shaken (just a little) by the discovery that the song list on this new Mercury (now Verve) reissue didn't agree with the one on my LP. Turns out Sarah recorded two albums entitled "After Hours"–and mine was the "other" one, the one on Roulette. Rate this Mercury session as the slightly better bet, if only because of the presence of Thad Jones and Frank Wess. ~ Amazon Customer's Review
Sarah Vaughan recorded frequently during her three years with Roulette, and all 16 albums she completed for them plus five previously unissued tracks are included in this comprehensive eight-CD boxed set from Mosaic. The gifted singer is heard in a variety of settings, from superb small-group sessions to big-band settings and various dates bordering on easy listening; the sessions omitting the often syrupy string sections are the cream of this bumper crop.
Possessor of one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century, Sarah Vaughan ranked with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday in the very top echelon of female jazz singers. She often gave the impression that with her wide range, perfectly controlled vibrato, and wide expressive abilities, she could do anything she wanted with her voice. Although not all of her many recordings are essential (give Vaughan a weak song and she might strangle it to death), Sarah Vaughan's legacy as a performer and a recording artist will be very difficult to match in the future…