The Sara Vaughn Centennial
Flashing in stage light, be-sequined Dee Dee Bridgewater launches into a soaring “Nothing Will Be As It Was” (Milton Nascimento/Rene Vincent/Ronaldo Bastos). “Sassy always said it was the sound of the horns that inspired her,” Bridgewater tells us. Tonight we celebrate the iconic Sarah Vaughn through past and present winners of The Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Competition.
Host Dee Dee Bridgewater
At 16, Sarah Vaughn entered the Apollo Theater’s weekly talent competition on a dare. “Within a week she was a member of The Earl Hines Band.” The 2012 competition winner Cyrille Aimée also tried her hand at the Apollo. “I got booed off the stage by 1500 people. Lessons? Nothing worse could happen and the people we look up to also fell down. They got back up.”
Left: This public domain work is from the William P. Gottlieb collection at the Library of Congress and has been restored by Adam Cuerden. Right: 1978 Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
Aimée presents a mid tempo “Close Your Eyes” (Bernice Petkere) during which she savors lyrics, a stirring version of “Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered” (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart), whose effectively hushed piano and brushes were for a moment unnecessarily rattled by horns, and a seriously up-tempo, parenthetically freeform “Undecided” (Aimée/Adonis Rose). The performer infectiously bends, slides, sashays, pumps, and bounces playing her voice like a horn. Alas, she never looks at audience while singing.
Cyrille Aimée
Tyreek McDole, the 2023 winner offers flannel volume and deep throat vibrato with “Won’t You Open Up Your Senses?” (Horace Silver), Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” “which I get closer to understanding,” pushing the vocal as if trying out styles, and an evangelistic “Precious Energy” (Leon Thomas/Pharoah Sanders), during which his tambourine upstages the solo trumpet. “It’s important to hold onto things that hold our humanity,” he notes, referring to the lyric of his last song.
Tyreek McDole
Bridgewater (accompanied only by piano) ends Act One with Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in The Clowns.” A master class in technique, it proffers no emotional impact.
2017’s winner, Quiana Lynell sings a playful “You Hit the Spot” (Mack Gordon/Harvey Revel), part sung, part hummed, with a bright, swinging chorus. “La Vie En Rose” (Louiguy/Edith Piaf/Mack David) follows in English showcasing range. The set finishes with “Tweedley Dee,” during which the performer gets the audience to clap. Though the last is spirited, it’s difficult to understand lyrics and music becomes dissonant. The artist is appealing.
Quiana Lynell
Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso, the 2022 winner-about to release her first album, begins with “Gentleman Friend” (Arnold B. Horwitt/Richard Lewine), displaying fine command of her vocal instrument. “Alfonsina Y El Mar” (Ariel Ramirez), arrives a beautiful, heartfelt Spanish ballad whose phrases have undulating tails. If only she’d shared some translation. “What a Difference a Day Makes” (Maria Grever/Stanley Adams) finds the artist at first prancing, then actually doing something of a flamenco excerpt on a wooden platform. Audience collectively grins.
Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso
Bridgewater comments on the honoree: “Sassy lived her life unapologetically. She partied down and she could cook. She sang in a lot of smoky clubs that didn’t affect her voice, which is surprising. Her instrument was smooth as Dexter Gordon’s horn. She earned her nickname because of a wicked sense of humor.” More about Sarah Vaughn’s life would have been interesting and appropriate.
Jazzmeia Horn, the 2013 winner, already has three Grammy-nominated albums to her credit. “On a Clear Day” (Burton Lane/Allan Jay Lerner) is bubbly. Melody wanders beyond recognition. “I’m Glad There is You” (Paul Madeira/ Jimmy Dorsey) seems loud and harsh for the wistful love song. Sarah Vaugn’s own “Shulie-A-Bop” emerges predominantly excellent scat.
Jazzmeia Horn
Jazz lives on with young people enamored of the greats and cutting their own paths.
The young Jazz House Legacy Band is made up of alumni from Jazz House Kids – in its 21st year (Artistic Director Christian McBride).
The Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Competition
Photos by Nathalie Schueller for Jazz at Lincoln Center
The Sara Vaughn Centennial
Dee Dee Bridgewater- Host/Vocals
The Jazz House Legacy Band- MD/Piano Caelan Cardello
Vocal Guests: Cyrille Aimée, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso, Jazzmeia Horn, Quiana Lynell, Tyreek McDole
