Sarah Vaughan - The Divine One (2026 Repress) Sarah Vaughan

2026 repress of Pure Pleasure's acclaimed reissue of vocalist Sarah Vaughan's 1961 Roulette album, The Divine One.

Remastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London, this audiophile edition is pressed on 180g vinyl and housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve.

Recorded shortly after Vaughan joined the Roulette label, The Divine One finds her in ideal surroundings for one of the finest vocal performances of her career. Arranged by Jimmy Jones, who also performs on piano, the intimate small-group setting is perfectly complemented by the warm, lyrical trumpet of Harry "Sweets" Edison, creating an effortless musical dialogue throughout the album.

Primarily a collection of beautifully interpreted ballads, the record also introduced several songs to Vaughan's repertoire, including Have You Met Miss Jones?, When Your Lover Has Gone, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, and Jump for Joy. One of the album's most inspired moments is her elegant reimagining of the R&B classic Ain't No Use, transforming it into a deeply expressive torch song.

Although Roulette would soon showcase Vaughan across a wide variety of musical settings, The Divine One remains one of the jewels of her catalogue, highlighting the intimacy, warmth and emotional depth of her voice in a perfectly judged ensemble.

As John Bush of AllMusic noted, this small-group session is "a gem."

Writing for HiFi+, Dennis Davis described the album as "one of the singer's most exceptional records," praising both the outstanding musicianship and superb sound quality.

Ken Kessler of Hi-Fi News called it "a masterpiece," adding that the interplay between Vaughan and the ensemble "defines intimate jazz vocals," with performances that are both quietly moving and effortlessly swinging.