All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.
“Here on Garden State Sound we often share with you a cornucopia of music hailing from New Jersey. This week, however, we dig into one particular album and enjoy the whole thing, from beginning to end. The album—of course—must have NJ ties, which Sarah Vaughan’s 1981 release, Songs of the Beatles does.
Born in Newark in 1924, Sarah Vaughan became not only one of the greatest jazz singers in America, but one of the greatest singers, period. The story goes that Songs of the Beatles was recorded in 1977, yet was not released until 1981.
The album stands as a tribute to both Vaughan and the Beatles. Of course, you know the tunes and could probably use a nice refreshing listen to them in different arrangements, but if you’re not all that familiar with Vaughan, you’ll surely enjoy her vocal treatments. The record just works, and that’s why it’s being featured—as a whole—this week on Garden State Sound. —EZT
