# What is the best vocal jazz album of all time?

> The greatest jazz voices turned pop songs into emotional masterpieces — Ella's flawless technique, Billie's heartbreaking phrasing, Sarah's operatic range. Which vocal album is the definitive jazz singing record?

*By YPB Team · Published April 21, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-vocal-jazz-album-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook**
   Ella Fitzgerald's 1956 masterpiece — the first and finest of her Songbook series.
2. **In the Wee Small Hours**
   Frank Sinatra's 1955 ballad album — arguably the first true concept album.
3. **Lady in Satin**
   Billie Holiday's 1958 late-career album — heartbreaking, raw, unforgettable.
4. **Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown**
   Sarah Vaughan's 1954 date with the trumpet master — vocal jazz at its most elegant.
5. **Little Girl Blue**
   Nina Simone's 1958 Bethlehem debut — a stunning introduction to her genius.
6. **Chet Baker Sings**
   Chet Baker's 1954 whispered vocal debut — melancholic and hypnotic.
7. **Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album**
   Tony Bennett and Bill Evans's 1975 duet album — piano and voice, intimate as can be.
8. **Cassandra Wilson - Blue Light 'Til Dawn**
   Cassandra Wilson's 1993 Blue Note debut — contemporary vocal jazz reimagined.
9. **Nat King Cole - After Midnight**
   Nat King Cole's 1957 jazz trio album — the singer returning to his pianist roots.
10. **Carmen McRae - Carmen Sings Monk**
   Carmen McRae's 1990 album of Monk tunes with lyrics — late-career triumph.
11. **Shirley Horn - Close Enough for Love**
   Shirley Horn's 1988 Verve comeback — unhurried, intimate vocal jazz mastery.
12. **Abbey Lincoln - A Turtle's Dream**
   Abbey Lincoln's 1994 Verve album — vocal jazz with political fire and poetry.
13. **Mark Murphy - Rah**
   Mark Murphy's 1961 Riverside album — one of vocalese's essential documents.

Tags: music, jazz, 60s, classic, 50s