The Divine One
Sarah Vaughan · 1961
33 min · 12 tracks · jazz
A lush tapestry of jazz standards, woven with Sarah Vaughan's powerful vocals and intricate emotional nuances.
Top tracks — play these first
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Gloomy Sunday — This haunting ballad showcases Vaughan's ability to convey deep sorrow and longing, highlighted by her rich vibrato and emotive phrasing.
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Have You Met Miss Jones? Start here — Vaughan's playful interpretation breathes new life into this standard, illustrating her mastery over tempo and swing while engaging listeners with her charm.
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Ain’t No Use — This track stands out for its engaging rhythm and Vaughan's sultry delivery, blending elements of bebop with a narrative that captivates the listener.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Vaughan's powerful vocals and intricate arrangements create a distinctive jazz experience.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album maintains a consistent mid-tempo feel, while the second half introduces more ballads that slow the overall pace.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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9/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- gentle peaks of emotional warmth
- short tracks for quick enjoyment
- steady flow with rich vocals
- evocative moments of deep longing
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy excitement
- prefer lengthy immersive albums
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified Vaughan's status in the jazz realm and expanded her recognition.
- Career context
- In 1961, Sarah Vaughan was at a pivotal point in her career, having already established herself as a leading figure in jazz. This album came shortly after her critically acclaimed works in the late 1950s and marked her continued evolution as an artist, showcasing her ability to interpret classic standards with profound depth.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Ella Fitzgerald· Billie Holiday· Nancy Wilson
Tracklist
- 1 Have You Met Miss Jones? Start here 2:21
- 2 Ain’t No Use 3:53
- 3 Everytime I See You 3:01
- 4 You Stepped Out of a Dream 2:20
- 5 Gloomy Sunday 3:26
- 6 What Do You See in Her 2:51
- 7 Jump for Joy 2:27
- 8 When Your Lover Has Gone 2:18
- 9 I’m Gonna Laugh You Out of My Life 2:50
- 10 Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams 2:33
- 11 Somebody Else’s Dream 2:24
- 12 Trouble Is a Man 3:18
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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