Showing posts with label Dinah Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dinah Washington. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Dinah Washington - The Fabulous Miss 'D': The Keynote, Decca and Mercury Singles 1943-1953 (4-Disc Set)

A four-CD box set containing 107 tracks, The Fabulous Miss D! The Keynote, Decca and Mercury Singles 1943-1953 traces the first decade of Dinah Washington's recording career on 78s and 45s with a song on either side, starting with her stint with Lionel Hampton and continuing through the early years of her solo career. The album title implies an equivalence among the three labels for which Washington recorded in this period, but that is just a way of assuring the potential customer that those early Hampton sides -- the Keynote singles "Evil Gal Blues"/"Homeward Bound" and "Salty Papa Blues"/"I Know How to Do It" featuring a Hampton sextet, and Hampton's Decca single "Blow Top Blues" are included.

In fact, most of this material comes from Mercury, and that means her string of solo R&B hits starting with 1948's "Ain't Misbehavin'" and running through 1953's double-sided "TV Is the Thing (This Year)"/"Fat Daddy," with the chart toppers "Am I Asking Too Much" and "Baby Get Lost" in between, along with all the B-sides (some of which also charted) and plenty of non-chart items, all in chronological order. That sequencing allows an appreciation of Washington's development from the bluesy jazz and big-band efforts of the early recordings through jump blues to a mixture of ‘50s R&B and lush pop efforts. It's clear that Mercury hoped to cross Washington over to the pop charts, and every now and then, strings and a hearty backup chorus signal an attempt to push her toward the sound of Patti Page. But only "I Wanna Be Loved" made an impression on the pop chart in this period, and the poppier efforts tended to miss the R&B charts, where Washington otherwise scored consistently in the Top Ten. Sometimes, she did so by going gutbucket and gritty, such as on "Long John Blues," perhaps the most salacious song ever written about dentistry ("You thrill me when you drill me") and a number three hit in 1949. But Washington got to the same chart peak with her version of Hank Williams' "Cold Cold Heart," which suggests both her versatility and the range of Mercury's demands on her. Indeed, she was frequently called upon to cover pop hits for the R&B market during this period, and succeeded with such reverse crossover hits as "Harbor Lights," "My Heart Cries for You," "Wheel of Fortune," and "Tell Me Why," which, just earlier, had been pop chart entries for Sammy Kaye, Guy Mitchell, Kay Starr, and the Four Aces, respectively. And she occasionally undertook pop standards, such as "Embraceable You" and "How Deep Is the Ocean," or dipped into the Bing Crosby ("Just One More Chance") or Frank Sinatra ("I'm a Fool to Want You") catalogs, always with satisfying results. ~William Ruhlmann

Album: The Fabulous Miss 'D' (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:16
Size: 172.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, R&B
Year: 2010

[2:51] 1. Evil Gal Blues
[2:46] 2. Homeward Bound
[3:01] 3. Salty Papa Blues
[3:09] 4. I Know How To Do It
[3:17] 5. Blow Top Blues
[2:43] 6. I Can't Get Started
[2:45] 7. Joy Juice
[2:52] 8. Embraceable You
[2:53] 9. When A Woman Loves A Man
[2:39] 10. Oo Wee Walkie Talkie
[2:38] 11. A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)
[2:51] 12. Postman Blues
[2:50] 13. That's Why A Woman Loves A Heel
[2:50] 14. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:58] 15. Stairway To The Stars
[2:46] 16. Mean And Evil Blues
[2:30] 17. Fool That I Am
[2:37] 18. Since I Fell For You
[2:40] 19. You Can Depend On Me
[2:32] 20. There's Got To Be A Change
[2:32] 21. Early In The Morning
[2:35] 22. I Love You, Yes I Do
[2:51] 23. Don't Come Knocking At My Door
[2:46] 24. Ain't Misbehavin'
[2:45] 25. No More Lonely Gal Blues
[2:55] 26. West Side Baby
[2:31] 27. Walkin' And Talkin'

Album: The Fabulous Miss 'D' (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:26
Size: 165.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, R&B
Year: 2010

[3:08] 1. I Want to Cry
[3:14] 2. Resolution Blues
[2:36] 3. Tell Me So
[2:52] 4. In the Rain
[2:47] 5. Am I Asking Too Much
[3:05] 6. I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
[2:40] 7. It's Too Soon to Know
[3:01] 8. I'll Wait
[2:47] 9. Why Can't You Behave
[2:34] 10. It's Funny
[2:46] 11. You Satisfy
[2:29] 12. Laughing Boy
[2:35] 13. (What Can I Say) After I Say I'm Sorry
[2:20] 14. Pete
[2:48] 15. Baby Get Lost
[3:07] 16. Long John Blues
[2:53] 17. Am I Really Sorry
[3:11] 18. I Challenge Your Kiss
[2:22] 19. Good Daddy Blues
[2:50] 20. Richest Guy in the Graveyard
[2:24] 21. I Only Know
[1:55] 22. New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles
[3:01] 23. It Isn't Fair
[3:07] 24. Journey's End
[2:47] 25. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:52] 26. Love (Me) With Misery

The Fabulous Miss 'D'(Disc 1) (Disc 2)

Album: The Fabulous Miss 'D' (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:54
Size: 171.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, R&B
Year: 2010

[2:42] 1. I'll Never Be Free
[2:39] 2. Big Deal
[2:59] 3. How Deep Is the Ocean
[2:28] 4. Why Don't You Think Things Over
[3:00] 5. Harbor Lights
[2:57] 6. I Cross My Fingers
[3:17] 7. Time Out for Tears
[2:54] 8. Only a Moment Ago
[3:21] 9. My Kind of Man
[2:24] 10. If I Loved You
[2:11] 11. Fast Movin' Mama
[2:40] 12. Juice Head Man of Mine
[2:43] 13. My Heart Cries for You
[3:19] 14. I Apologize
[3:20] 15. I Won't Cry Anymore
[3:13] 16. Don't Say You're Sorry Again
[3:01] 17. Please Send Me Someone to Love
[3:04] 18. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
[2:29] 19. Fine Fine Daddy
[3:08] 20. I'm So Lonely I Could Cry
[2:40] 21. If You Don't Believe I'm Leaving (Count the Days I'm Gone)
[2:37] 22. I'm a Fool to Want You
[3:18] 23. Cold, Cold Heart
[2:56] 24. Mixed Emotions
[2:54] 25. Be Fair to Me
[2:25] 26. Saturday Night

Album: The Fabulous Miss 'D' (Disc 4)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:25
Size: 172.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. Out in the Cold Again
[2:41] 2. Hey, Good Looking
[2:50] 3. Just One More Chance
[3:02] 4. Baby Did You Hear
[2:15] 5. Wheel of Fortune
[2:56] 6. Tell Me Why
[2:48] 7. Trouble in Mind
[2:37] 8. New Blowtop Blues
[2:57] 9. Mad About the Boy
[2:45] 10. I Can't Face the Music (Without Singing the Blues)
[2:54] 11. Pillow Blues
[2:44] 12. Double Dealing Daddy
[2:54] 13. My Song
[2:31] 14. Half as Much
[3:00] 15. Stormy Weather
[2:56] 16. Make Believe Dreams
[2:25] 17. I Cried for You
[3:13] 18. Gambler's Blues
[2:54] 19. You Let My Love Grow Cold
[2:53] 20. Ain't Nothin' Good
[2:15] 21. Lean Baby
[2:13] 22. Never, Never
[2:24] 23. TV Is the Thing This Year
[2:25] 24. Fat Daddy
[2:20] 25. Silent Night
[2:40] 26. The Lord's Prayer
[2:30] 27. My Man's an Undertaker
[2:02] 28. Since My Man Has Gone and Went

The Fabulous Miss 'D'(Disc 3) (Disc 4)

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Brook Benton - Best Of Brook Benton

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:37
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:26] 1. It's Just A Matter Of Time
[2:19] 2. Endlessly
[2:28] 3. Thank You Pretty Baby
[2:33] 4. So Many Ways
[2:47] 5. Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
[2:40] 6. Kiddio
[2:29] 7. A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)
[2:26] 8. Fools Rush In
[2:38] 9. The Boll Weevil Song
[2:13] 10. Lie To Me
[2:42] 11. Hotel Happiness
[3:49] 12. Rainy Night In Georgia

This collection contains most of Brook Benton's biggest hits, including the later "Rainy Night In Georgia", a late 60's soul classic that cemented his place in the genre. The few that are missing aren't nearly as significant as the classics that are here. This a disc made to push play on and listen to all the way through. Not a substandard tune anywhere to be found. The sound quality is admirable. No sonic wonder, it is remastered and certainly and improvement over what came before. So buy it, play it, and be prepared to sit back and snap your fingers. ~Jack the Beatlegeezer

A dozen selections, each of which was a Top 15 pop hit, and six of them reached #1 on the R&B charts! Hear these silky-smooth favorites: The Boll Weevil Song; Hotel Happiness; It's Just a Matter of Time; Rainy Night in Georgia; Kiddio; Lie to Me; Fools Rush In; Baby (You've Got What it Takes) (with Dinah Washington), and more.

Best Of Brook Benton

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Dinah Washington - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

( 2:08) 1. If I Were A Bell
( 2:23) 2. You Do Something To Me
( 2:30) 3. What A Difference A Day Made
( 2:19) 4. Sometimes I'm Happy
( 2:39) 5. Caravan
( 2:47) 6. Teach Me Tonight
(10:57) 7. Blue Skies
( 5:22) 8. I've Got You Under My Skin
( 3:04) 9. Invitation
( 2:59) 10. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?
( 2:37) 11. Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You
( 2:53) 12. Bargain Day
( 3:22) 13. Goodbye
( 3:25) 14. Perdido
( 2:09) 15. There'll Be A Jubilee
( 3:57) 16. I'll Close My Eyes

Dinah Washington has a lot in common with another fine singer Carmen McRae, they were both tough cookies who you didn’t mess with, they were both divas in the true meaning of the word and both played piano. The other thing that they shared, was the misfortune of being around at the same time as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan!

This CD gives an excellent feel for the outstanding talents of Ms Washington, although regarded as a blues singer by some, she was much more than that. This album demonstrates her ability across a wide range of settings from big band to small jazz group and she excels in all of them. There is also some fine jazz solos, listen to the trumpets on Under My Skin.

The opening track, If I Were A Bell gives notice of the excitement to follow. Dinah had everything, perfect diction, perfect intonation, a wonderful jazz feel and the ability to turn every song into something special, listen to her interpretation of Invitation as an example. Even the jokey, Is You Is, is made into something far from ordinary. The Quincey Jones Arrangements helps a lot as well with Milt Hinton’s bass laying down a good line and a fine trombone solo (Quentin Jackson?).

Some of these tracks were no doubt made with a view to the Top 20 of the day, if it were the same today, I would be a ‘Top of the Pops’ man! Bargain Day is new to me, but again Dinah delivers and the song turns into something special again.

Perdido is another swinging Quincey Jones arrangement, beautifully played by his band. There are also short, but interesting solos from muted trumpet and alto. Dinah’s timing on this track is very reminiscent of Ella on ‘The Song Books’. Jubilee has some nice alto from Cannonball Adderley and this track is another real swinger. The unaccompanied verse on Close My Eyes is a real gem.

Unless you own most of the original albums these tracks come from, this is a must buy CD. Dinah Washington only lived to be 39, which is not long enough; such a talent should have been spared. By Don Mather
http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2003/sept03/dinah_washington.htm

The Diva Series

Friday, June 17, 2022

Dinah Washington - Dinah Washington Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:08
Size: 70,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:13) 1. Out In The Cold Again
(2:45) 2. Hey, Good Looking
(3:00) 3. Tell Me Why
(2:17) 4. Wheel Of Fortune
(3:08) 5. Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own
(1:59) 6. New York, Chicago & Los Angeles
(2:44) 7. You Can Depend On Me
(3:08) 8. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
(2:59) 9. West Side Baby
(2:49) 10. Why Can't You Behave?

The versatile vocalist Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa Alabama on August 29th 1924. She grew up in Chicago where her family moved in 1928.

Her mother was heavily involved in church community centered around St Luke’s Baptist and Dinah was surrounded by gospel and church music since her early childhood. She exhibited musical talents at an early age and was part of the church choir playing the piano and singing gospel in her early teens. At age 15, enamored by Billie Holiday, she started playing and singing the blues in local clubs and made quite a name for herself. In 1942 Lionel Hampton heard her and hired her for to front his band. Hampton claims that it was he who gave her the name Dinah Washington but other sources disagree.

Some suggest the talent agent Joe Glaser suggested the new name and others cite the manager of the bar where she was performing at the time as the person who recommended it. This was also the year when she married her firs husband; John Young (she would marry 6 more times). She remained with Lionel Hampton from 1943-1946 and during this tenure made her recording debut, a blues session produced by Leonard Feather for Keynote records. She became quite popular both as the band singer for Hampton and as a solo artist. She used her new found financial success to buy a home for her mother and sister. She left Hampton’s orchestra early 1946 while she was living in LA and shortly afterwards recorded blues sides for the small Apollo label. Her big break came very shortly afterwards when she signed with Mercury label on January 14 1946. During her stay with Mercury she recorded a number of top ten hits in a multitude of genres including blues, R&B, pop, standards, novelties, even country. She never was strictly a jazz singer but did record number of jazz sessions with some of the most influential musicians of the day including Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, and Ben Webster. Her most memorable jazz recording is with Clifford Brown; the classic Dinah Jams from 1955.

After the unexpected commercial success of “What a Diff'rence a Day Makes,” in 1959, which marked Washington’s breakthrough into the mainstream pop and won her a Grammy; she stopped recording blues and jazz songs and concentrated on more easy listening tunes characterized by lush orchestrations. The critics decried this shift in her career but it did bring her music more widespread exposure and commercial success. She started having problems with her weight so she became dependant on diet pills and on Dec. 14, 1963 she died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and diet pills in a hotel room in Detroit. She was buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Chicago. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/dinah-washington

Dinah Washington Sings

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Dinah Washington - September In The Rain

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:09
Size: 75,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:05) 1. September In The Rain
(3:05) 2. Without A Song
(2:24) 3. This Heart Of Mine
(1:58) 4. As Long As I'm In Your Arms
(3:51) 5. With A Song In My Heart
(2:31) 6. Softly (Baby)
(2:47) 7. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(2:25) 8. I Was Telling Him About You
(3:13) 9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
(2:30) 10. I'll Never Kiss You Goodbye
(2:30) 11. I'll Come Back For More
(2:47) 12. Tell Love Hello

Dinah Washington was at once one of the most beloved and controversial singers of the mid-20th century beloved to her fans, devotees, and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Hers was a gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing. Washington's personal life was turbulent, with seven marriages behind her, and her interpretations showed it, for she displayed a tough, totally unsentimental, yet still gripping hold on the universal subject of lost love. She has had a huge influence on R&B and jazz singers who have followed in her wake, notably Nancy Wilson, Esther Phillips, and Diane Schuur, and her music is abundantly available nowadays via the huge seven-volume series The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury.

Born Ruth Lee Jones, she moved to Chicago at age three and was raised in a world of gospel, playing the piano and directing her church choir. At 15, after winning an amateur contest at the Regal Theatre, she began performing in nightclubs as a pianist and singer, opening at the Garrick Bar in 1942. Talent manager Joe Glaser heard her there and recommended her to Lionel Hampton, who asked her to join his band. Hampton says that it was he who gave Ruth Jones the name Dinah Washington, although other sources claim it was Glaser or the manager of the Garrick Bar. In any case, she stayed with Hampton from 1943 to 1946 and made her recording debut for Keynote at the end of 1943 in a blues session organized by Leonard Feather with a sextet drawn from the Hampton band. With Feather's "Evil Gal Blues" as her first hit, the records took off, and by the time she left Hampton to go solo, Washington was already an R&B headliner. Signing with the young Mercury label, Washington produced an enviable string of Top Ten hits on the R&B charts from 1948 to 1955, singing blues, standards, novelties, pop covers, even Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." She also recorded many straight jazz sessions with big bands and small combos, most memorably with Clifford Brown on Dinah Jams but also with Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Wynton Kelly, and the young Joe Zawinul (who was her regular accompanist for a couple of years).

In 1959, Washington made a sudden breakthrough into the mainstream pop market with "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a revival of a Dorsey Brothers hit set to a Latin American bolero tune. For the rest of her career, she would concentrate on singing ballads backed by lush orchestrations for Mercury and Roulette, a formula similar to that of another R&B-based singer at that time, Ray Charles, and one that drew plenty of fire from critics even though her basic vocal approach had not changed one iota. Although her later records could be as banal as any easy listening dross of the period, there are gems to be found, like Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," which has a beautiful, bluesy Ernie Wilkins chart conducted by Quincy Jones. Struggling with a weight problem, Washington died of an accidental overdose of diet pills mixed with alcohol at the tragically early age of 39, still in peak voice, still singing the blues in an L.A. club only two weeks before the end.~ Richard S. Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dinah-washington-mn0000260038/biography

Personnel: Ernie Freeman, Joe Zawinul (piano) Rone Hall, Barney Kessel (guitar) Red Callender, Jimmy Rowser (bass) Earl Palmer (drums) Dinah Washington (vocals)

September In The Rain

Friday, October 11, 2019

Dinah Washington - The Good Old Days

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:25
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Record Ban Blues
(2:43)  2. What's The Matter With Baby
(2:42)  3. I'm Crying
(2:23)  4. Shuckin' And Jivin'
(2:19)  5. When The Sun Goes Down
(2:30)  6. Set Me Free
(3:09)  7. My Devotion
(3:10)  8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(2:25)  9. Go Pretty Daddy
(2:39) 10. I Ain't Goin' To Cry No More
(2:36) 11. Old Man's Darlin'
(2:29) 12. One Arabian Night

Dinah Washington was at once one of the most beloved and controversial singers of the mid-20th century beloved to her fans, devotees, and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Hers was a gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing. Washington's personal life was turbulent, with seven marriages behind her, and her interpretations showed it, for she displayed a tough, totally unsentimental, yet still gripping hold on the universal subject of lost love. She has had a huge influence on R&B and jazz singers who have followed in her wake, notably Nancy Wilson, Esther Phillips, and Diane Schuur, and her music is abundantly available nowadays via the huge seven-volume series The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury. Born Ruth Lee Jones, she moved to Chicago at age three and was raised in a world of gospel, playing the piano and directing her church choir. At 15, after winning an amateur contest at the Regal Theatre, she began performing in nightclubs as a pianist and singer, opening at the Garrick Bar in 1942. Talent manager Joe Glaser heard her there and recommended her to Lionel Hampton, who asked her to join his band. 

Hampton says that it was he who gave Ruth Jones the name Dinah Washington, although other sources claim it was Glaser or the manager of the Garrick Bar. In any case, she stayed with Hampton from 1943 to 1946 and made her recording debut for Keynote at the end of 1943 in a blues session organized by Leonard Feather with a sextet drawn from the Hampton band. With Feather's "Evil Gal Blues" as her first hit, the records took off, and by the time she left Hampton to go solo, Washington was already an R&B headliner. Signing with the young Mercury label, Washington produced an enviable string of Top Ten hits on the R&B charts from 1948 to 1955, singing blues, standards, novelties, pop covers, even Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." She also recorded many straight jazz sessions with big bands and small combos, most memorably with Clifford Brown on Dinah Jams but also with Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Wynton Kelly, and the young Joe Zawinul (who was her regular accompanist for a couple of years). In 1959, Washington made a sudden breakthrough into the mainstream pop market with "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a revival of a Dorsey Brothers hit set to a Latin American bolero tune. For the rest of her career, she would concentrate on singing ballads backed by lush orchestrations for Mercury and Roulette, a formula similar to that of another R&B-based singer at that time, Ray Charles, and one that drew plenty of fire from critics even though her basic vocal approach had not changed one iota. Although her later records could be as banal as any easy listening dross of the period, there are gems to be found, like Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," which has a beautiful, bluesy Ernie Wilkins chart conducted by Quincy Jones. Struggling with a weight problem, Washington died of an accidental overdose of diet pills mixed with alcohol at the tragically early age of 39, still in peak voice, still singing the blues in an L.A. club only two weeks before the end. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dinah-washington-mn0000260038/biography

The Good Old Days

Friday, June 1, 2018

Various - The Very Best Of Cole Porter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Easy Listening
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Ella Fitzgerald - Too Darn Hot
[2:07] 2. Peggy Lee - My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:24] 3. Tony Bennett - Begin The Beguine
[3:59] 4. Sarah Vaughan - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:06] 5. Jeri Southern - It's De-Lovely
[2:30] 6. Dean Martin - True Love
[3:50] 7. Shirley Horn - Love For Sale
[3:05] 8. Helen Merrill - Anything Goes
[8:40] 9. Ella Fitzgerald - Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
[3:27] 10. Eartha Kitt - Let's Misbehave
[2:59] 11. Billie Holiday - Easy To Love
[2:54] 12. Mel Tormé - What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:05] 13. Anita O'day - Just One Of Those Things
[6:18] 14. Dinah Washington - I Get A Kick Out Of You
[4:47] 15. Aaron Neville - In The Still Of The Night
[3:01] 16. Carmen Mcrae - Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
[4:58] 17. Fred Astaire - Night And Day
[2:21] 18. Ella Fitzgerald - You Do Something To Me

The Very Best Of Cole Porter

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Dinah Washington - Dinah Washington's Finest Hour

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:12
Size: 147.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[ 2:51] 1. Evil Gal Blues
[ 3:22] 2. Blow Top Blues
[ 2:55] 3. West Side Baby
[ 3:10] 4. Long John Blues
[ 2:55] 5. Baby Get Lost
[ 2:51] 6. Trouble In Mind
[ 3:18] 7. Cold Cold Heart
[ 2:23] 8. T.V. Is The Thing This Year
[11:52] 9. I'll Remember April
[ 2:48] 10. Teach Me Tonight
[ 2:58] 11. I Just Couldn't Stand It No More
[ 4:24] 12. I Could Write A Book
[ 5:16] 13. Blue Gardenia
[ 2:26] 14. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
[ 2:41] 15. Unforgettable
[ 2:42] 16. Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
[ 2:25] 17. This Bitter Earth
[ 2:46] 18. Mad About The Boy

From the late 1940s until her death in 1963, Dinah Washington was a dominant presence among the women who sang R&B, with an unequalled emotional power and a voice that mingled highs and lows, rough and smooth, like raw silk. While she often sang R&B, though, her mastery of the idiom drew on her ability to sing all its constituent parts and musical relations--blues, jazz, and pop. This hourlong survey of her Mercury recordings covers all the bases that she touched in her career. Beginning with a 1947 session with backing from Lionel Hampton, Washington's Finest Hour extends to the pop sessions that brought her greater successes more than a decade later, both alone and with fellow singer Brook Benton. Washington the blues singer is equally effective on the bawdy "Long John Blues" and the traditional lament "Trouble in Mind," while her jazz-rooted mastery of standards is apparent on such songs as "I'll Remember April" and the profound "Blue Gardenia." She could even cover a country song like Hank Williams's "Cold, Cold Heart" or the light pop of "Teach Me Tonight" and make it convincingly her own, while her version of "Unforgettable" can stand comparison with Nat "King" Cole's. This is a terrific introduction to one of the essential singers, whatever genre claims her. ~Stuart Broomer

Dinah Washington's Finest Hour mc
Dinah Washington's Finest Hour zippy

Friday, November 24, 2017

Dinah Washington - For Those In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:39
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:21] 1. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[5:17] 2. Blue Gardenia
[4:59] 3. Easy Living
[4:01] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:49] 5. This Can't Be Love
[3:04] 6. My Old Flame
[4:28] 7. I Could Write A Book
[5:36] 8. Make The Man Love Me
[3:13] 9. Ask A Woman Who Knows
[4:45] 10. If I Had You

Dinah Washington cut a lot of sides in two decades of recording. However, her straight jazz sessions were few and far between because of the mass popular and commercial appeal that she had as a pop singer. Still, the versatile Dinah thrived in just about any setting and the one provided here in 1955 by the gifted Chicago producer Bob Shad showcases her intimate side to perfection.

Since Dinah Washington just about invented gospel-based soulful singing, it's thrilling to hear her at the peak of her powers backed by a small group that includes trumpeter Clark Terry and pianist Wynton Kelly. The session is also graced by Quincy Jones' tidy arrangements. With such expert support, the singer's powerful phrasing, precise diction, and pitch-perfect intonation draw as much emotion and meaning possible out of her chosen material, including Billie-associated tunes like "Easy Living" and "My Old Flame." Dinah Washington was first and foremost a musician--not a showboat. And part of her genius was that she could make her formidable presence actually underscore her own vulnerability, as in the lilting "Blue Gardenia" and blues-tinged "You Don't Know What Love Is." ~AllMusic

For Those In Love

Friday, September 22, 2017

Dinah Washington - Queen: The Music Of Dinah Washington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:33
Size: 99.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. I Don't Hurt Anymore
[2:25] 2. If I Loved You
[2:59] 3. I Thought About You
[7:57] 4. A Foggy Day
[3:07] 5. I'll Drown In My Tears
[2:25] 6. You Let My Love Grow Cold
[2:46] 7. Cry Me A River
[2:26] 8. Sunny Side Of The Street
[3:04] 9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[9:08] 10. Trouble In The Lowlands (Back Water Blues)
[2:39] 11. A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)
[1:21] 12. Dinah Tells A Joke

The 2004 Verve release Queen: The Music of Dinah Washington was compiled by Nadine Cohodas to coincide with her biography of the troubled singer. For a performer with such a large discography, these 12 tracks don't even begin to scratch the surface, but it gives a good idea of the eclectic nature of her material waxed between 1946 and 1961 for the Mercury label. These cuts equally sample Dinah's embrace of R&B, traditional blues, sappy string sections, and Broadway tunes, while swinging with cozy small combos or fronting large orchestras led by Hal Mooney, Teddy Stewart, Tab Smith, and Quincy Jones and featuring a plethora of high profile soloists. For novices or casual fans, the disc isn't a bad way to become acquainted with her Mercury recordings; however, it contains nothing for aficionados. ~Al Campbell

Queen: The Music Of Dinah Washington

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Dinah Washington - In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:17
Size: 117.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/1991
Art: Front

[2:27] 1. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
[2:26] 2. You're A Sweetheart
[2:45] 3. Our Love
[2:44] 4. Love Is The Sweetest Thing
[2:49] 5. I'll Close My Eyes
[3:04] 6. I Didn't Know About You
[3:34] 7. If It's The Last Thing I Do
[2:18] 8. Do Nothing 'til You Hear From Me
[2:38] 9. My Devotion
[2:51] 10. That's My Desire
[2:37] 11. Was It Like That
[2:57] 12. Me And The One That I Love
[3:41] 13. What's New
[3:20] 14. I Used To Love You But It's All Over Now
[2:24] 15. Somebody Else Is Taking My Place
[2:20] 16. That Old Feeling
[2:44] 17. He's Gone Again
[3:28] 18. These Foolish Things

Don Costa and Dinah...sometimes it works and sometimes it all sounds the same but it is an interesting attempt to marry two diverse artists to see if a new sound and tone could be produced. It seems that Dinah is phoning it in a lot of the time here and her talk singing seems to predominate her vocals, but Don Costa, like Billy May and Peter Matz could make Jackie Moms Mabley sound good. Not quite the gem that Billie's LADY IN SATIN is when it comes to a legit effort to produce commercially successful records, but knowing Dinah's history it isnt a bad effort. I once asked Jonathan Schwartz why she had imploded so young he told me that a new sound was coming up, mainly Nancy Wilson and Dinah couldnt or wouldnt adapt to the public taste in music. He said simply that she was scared. Another woman of color from humble beginnings who can tear your heart out and continues to generate new fans but had so many demons that she couldnt manage to love herself the way we did. Sometimes I feel guilty for listening to these divas and getting such and emotional charge from them, but beileve me, they are the losers here...give and give and give and make millions adore you but cant get yourself together. It seems that way with all truly great artists. RIP Dinah. ~Frank S. Stewart

In Love

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Dinah Washington - I Wanna Be Loved

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:12
Size: 73.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:29] 2. Don't Explain
[2:28] 3. Everybody's Somebody's Fool
[3:01] 4. Invitation
[3:28] 5. You're Crying
[2:06] 6. Let's Fall In Love
[2:09] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:15] 8. A Stranger In Town
[2:44] 9. God Bless The Child
[3:19] 10. Blue Gardenia
[3:22] 11. I Can't Face The Music (Without Singing The Blues)
[2:04] 12. Sometimes I'm Happy

Hal Mooney (arranger) Joe Newman, Clark Terry (trumpet) Ernie Wilkins (trumpet, arranger) Jimmy Cleveland, Kai Winding (trombone) Billy Byers (trombone, arranger) Al Cohn (tenor saxophone, arranger) Patti Bown (piano) George Barnes (guitar) Art Davis (bass) Stu Martin (drums) Dinah Washington (vocals) The Dells (doo wop group) and others unidentified in orchestra, Quincy Jones (conductor). Recorded: in NYC, August 15th 1961 and NYC, September 13th 1961 and Chicago, IL, December 4th 1961.

A torch song date recorded between Dinah Washington's commercial breakthrough in 1959 and her death in 1963, I Wanna Be Loved flaunts a large cast of talented collaborators -- plus, to be sure, Washington's regal readings of 12 great songs -- but, unfortunately, the musical side is overwhelmed by the heavy strings in attendance. Working with Quincy Jones, Washington found her studio cast to include Joe Newman and Clark Terry on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland and Kai Winding on trombone, and Al Cohn on tenor. However, the arrangements (from Ernie Wilkins and Quincy Jones) rarely leave room for the musicians -- and, in fact, rarely feature them at all -- preferring instead to concentrate on strings and the occasional wordless vocal chorus. As usually happened in these circumstances, Washington appears unfazed by the treacle surrounding her; although she doesn't improvise, her performances of "Blue Gardenia," "Don't Explain," and the title track (originally an R&B hit for her 12 years earlier) are elegant and bewitching. The larger big band makes its presence felt on the two side-closers, both of them ("Let's Fall in Love," "Sometimes I'm Happy") more uptempo material. Although Washington's latter-day Mercury material is often derided, she always succeeded despite her surroundings, and this date is no different. ~John Bush

I Wanna Be Loved

Friday, March 3, 2017

Dinah Washington - The Definitive Dinah Washington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:09
Size: 156.0 MB
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Evil Gal Blues
[2:52] 2. Embraceable You
[2:35] 3. New Blowtop Blues
[2:29] 4. Love Is Here To Stay
[2:55] 5. Big Long Slidin' Thing
[7:56] 6. A Foggy Day
[3:10] 7. I Don't Hurt Anymore
[2:44] 8. Teach Me Tonight
[5:17] 9. Blue Gardenia
[2:18] 10. My Ideal
[3:56] 11. I'll Close My Eyes
[5:28] 12. All Of Me
[2:26] 13. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
[2:42] 14. Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
[2:42] 15. Unforgettable
[2:25] 16. This Bitter Earth
[3:01] 17. Invitation
[3:28] 18. Drinking Again
[3:31] 19. Me And My Gin
[3:12] 20. For All We Know

This 20-track compilation released as a joint venture by Verve and Blue Note, covers a lot of ground - from 1943 to 1962 but then, so did Dinah Washington. She sang down and dirty blues, lush ballads, romantic standards, sophisticated R&B, swinging jazz, and even country, and this disc gives a taste of each style. Her earliest recordings were rooted in the blues and are represented by 1943's low-down and nasty "Evil Girl Blues," 1951's "New Blowtop Blues," and the filthy and funny "Big Long Slidin' Thing" from 1954. By the mid-'50s Washington had segued into a more sophisticated jazz style. Her version of "Teach Me Tonight" from 1954 featuring Hal Mooney's orchestra is seminal, her recording of "White Gardenia" from 1955 nothing short of heartbreaking. She also did an incredible cover of Hank Snow's country hit "I Don't Hurt Anymore" in 1954. A nice inclusion is a live recording of "All of Me" from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival that finds Washington commandeering Terry Gibbs' vibraphone and banging out a solo. By time the late '50s rolled around, Washington had begun recording R&B and pop under the guidance of Belford Hendricks. In 1959 he teamed her up with Brook Benton and they had an R&B hit with the sassy "Baby, You've Got What It Takes." Washington had a hit on her own with a silky and very smooth version of "What a Difference a Day Makes" in 1960. She jumped to Roulette in the early '60s and recorded pop songs, three of which are included here. Washington was an unforgettable singer and The Definitive Dinah Washington shows just why that is so. Highly recommended. ~Tim Sendra

The Definitive Dinah Washington   

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Various - Capitol Sings Duke Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:57
Size: 164.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 5:04] 1. Duke Ellington - Duke's Place
[ 2:20] 2. Nancy Wilson - Satin Doll
[ 3:49] 3. Sarah Vaughan - Solitude
[ 3:20] 4. Nat King Cole - Mood Indigo
[ 2:53] 5. June Christy - Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[ 4:46] 6. Annie Ross - I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[ 2:44] 7. Lou Rawls - Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[ 3:06] 8. Dinah Washington - I Didn't Know About You
[ 3:49] 9. Dinah Shore - I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
[ 3:08] 10. Nat King Cole - Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[ 2:54] 11. Hank Jones - In A Sentimental Mood
[ 3:04] 12. Harry James & His Orchestra - I'm Beginning To See The Light
[ 5:31] 13. Duke Ellington - I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[ 2:10] 14. Peggy Lee - Jump For Joy
[ 2:15] 15. Dinah Washington - Do Nothing 'til You Hear From Me
[ 2:43] 16. June Christy - I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[ 2:42] 17. Nat King Cole - Caravan
[ 2:29] 18. Nancy Wilson - Sophisticated Lady
[ 2:42] 19. The King Sisters - Take The A Train
[10:17] 20. Duke Ellington - It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

If you like Duke Ellington's music, you will love this collection. The disc includes some very well known versions of Ellington's big hits. As expected from the title, all the versions are from the Capitol Records' vault. I miss Ella Fitzgerald. A few cuts from her would have made this album perfect. But that's a minor point as the overall collection of artists represented here is outstanding. The artists range from Duke's own orchestra to Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, Lou Rawls and the King Sisters. The title track, "Mood Indigo" is performed by Nat King Cole - simply the best.

The songs have been digitally remastered and the sound is as close to perfect as modern technology can make it. The music is as clean and bright on this album as it was when it was originally recorded. Great songs; great artists; excellent sound -- so, turn up the volume and swing the house! Highly recommended! ~Penumbra

Capitol Sings Duke Ellington

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Dinah Washington - Dinah Sings Bessie Smith

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:47
Size: 125.4 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues, Big band
Year: 1958/1999
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. After You've Gone
[3:17] 2. Send Me To The 'lectric Chair
[3:09] 3. Jailhouse Blues
[3:34] 4. Trombone Butter
[4:02] 5. You've Been A Good Old Wagon
[3:37] 6. Careless Love
[4:55] 7. Backwater Blues
[2:47] 8. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight
[3:13] 9. Me And My Gin
[3:03] 10. Fine Fat Daddy
[3:35] 11. Trombone Butter
[4:01] 12. Careless Love
[3:53] 13. Send Me To The 'lectric Chair
[3:20] 14. Me And My Gin
[4:38] 15. Backwater Blues

Dinah Washington, Composer, Vocals; Eddie Chamblee, Arranger, Sax (Tenor); Melba Liston, Guest Artist, Trombone; Quentin Jackson, Julian Priester, Trombone; Sahib Shihab, Charles Davis, Guest Artist, Sax (Baritone); McKinley Easton, Sax (Baritone); Harold Ousley, Sax (Tenor); Blue Mitchell, Clark Terry, Guest Artist, Trumpet; Flip Ricard, Trumpet; Wynton Kelly, Guest Artist, Piano; Jack Wilson, James Craig, Piano; Robare Edmonson, Arranger, Bass; Paul E. West, Robert Lee Wilson, Bass; Max Roach, Guest Artist, Drums; James Slaughter, Drums.

Gifted with a strong, beautiful voice and very precise phrasing, Dinah Washington translated Bessie Smith's irrepressible spirit and flair even better than Billie Holiday, Smith's most famous devotee. For her tribute album, Washington avoided Smith's best-known songs ("'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do," "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," "Baby Won't You Please Come Home"). Instead, she wisely concentrated on the more defiant standards from "The Empress of the Blues," including "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair," "Jailhouse Blues," and "You've Been a Good Ole Wagon." Washington sounds simply glorious, focused on alternating Smith's phrasing to emphasize her own gospel roots. The accompaniment, by Eddie Chamblee and His Orchestra, emphasizes the vaudeville and Dixieland sound of early-century blues, heavy on the slide trombone, growling trumpet, and skeletal, rickety percussion. Reissued several times (occasionally under the title The Bessie Smith Songbook), Dinah Washington Sings Bessie Smith charts a perfect balance between tribute and genuine artistic statement. A Verve master edition reissue added alternate takes of "Trombone Butter" and "Careless Love," plus three songs taken from a Newport performance later in 1958. ~John Bush

Dinah Sings Bessie Smith

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Various - The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (3-Disc Set)

This is not and cannot be the Complete Cole Porter Songbooks, but it's a marvelous collection of 48 timeless jazz interpretations drawn from the Verve catalog. Recorded between 1951 and 1988, these standards, ballads and show tunes are rendered by some 15 vocalists, many of whom appear twice, and about 13 instrumental groups. In addition to the usual suspects (Ella, Louis, Sarah, Dinah, and Lady Day) there are fine performances by Abbey Lincoln, Anita O'Day, Billy Eckstine, Mel Tormé, Blossom Dearie, Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Helen Merrill, Morgana King and Fred Astaire. The instrumentalists -- and this is most fulfilling because Cole Porter's music is an essential strand in the DNA of swing, bop, and mainstream jazz -- include Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Tal Farlow, and Jim Hall. That makes this a portable jazz library of considerable potency, pungency and depth. Also quite valuable as a tool for learning and appreciating some of Porter's very best songs. First prize for both artistic magnitude and friendly intimacy goes to Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson for their fabulously relaxed, nearly nine-minute rendition of "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love." ~arwulf arwulf

Album: The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:04
Size: 153.6 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz
Year: 1990

[5:26] 1. Dinah Washington - I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:50] 2. Shirley Horn - Love For Sale
[8:41] 3. Louis Armstrong - Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
[3:20] 4. Ella Fitzgerald - Anything Goes
[2:54] 5. Mel Tormé - What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:17] 6. Helen Merrill - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:27] 7. Oscar Peterson Trio - At Long Last Love
[1:57] 8. Anita O'day - I Love You
[4:01] 9. Louis Armstrong - Just One Of Those Things
[2:42] 10. Sarah Vaughan - It's De-Lovely
[2:48] 11. The Russell Garcia Orchestra - Always True To You In My Fashion
[2:42] 12. Fred Astaire - I Concentrate On You
[6:17] 13. Dinah Washington - I Get A Kick Out Of You
[3:47] 14. Billy Eckstine - In The Still Of The Night
[2:59] 15. Billie Holiday - Easy To Love
[3:03] 16. Ella Fitzgerald - Night And Day
[5:47] 17. Betty Carter - Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 1)

Album: The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:41
Size: 127.5 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz
Year: 1990

[4:16] 1. Louis Armstrong - I Get A Kick Out Of You
[2:52] 2. Anita O'day - My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:10] 3. Ella Fitzgerald - I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:02] 4. Helen Merrill - How's The World Treating You
[4:23] 5. Dinah Washington - So In Love
[2:44] 6. Mel Tormé - Too Darn Hot
[2:29] 7. Sarah Vaughan - Just One Of Those Things
[2:49] 8. Shirley Horn - Get Out Of Town
[2:55] 9. Billie Holiday - Love For Sale
[3:09] 10. Anita O'day - From This Moment On
[4:56] 11. Fred Astaire - Night And Day
[2:37] 12. Blossom Dearie - Give Him The Ooh-La-La
[3:14] 13. Morgana King - Ev'rything I Love
[3:53] 14. Ella Fitzgerald - Miss Otis Regrets
[3:29] 15. Helen Merrill - All Of You
[2:29] 16. Louis Armstrong - You're The Top
[3:04] 17. Betty Carter - Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love

The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 2)

Album: The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:08
Size: 146.8 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Charlie Parker - What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:57] 2. Al Cohn - Love For Sale
[2:53] 3. Art Tatum - Begin The Beguine
[5:58] 4. Dizzy Gillespie - My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[4:49] 5. Max Roach Sextet - Get Out Of Town
[4:43] 6. Sonny Stitt - Easy To Love
[7:36] 7. Max Roach Quintet - I Get A Kick Out Of You
[6:44] 8. Stan Getz - Night And Day
[3:48] 9. Bud Powell - Just One Of Those Things
[4:15] 10. Coleman Hawkins - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:08] 11. Tal Farlow Trio - Anything Goes
[2:35] 12. All Star Big Band - I Love You
[3:21] 13. Jim Hall - I've Got You Under My Skin
[4:41] 14. Max Roach Sextet - I Concentrate On You

The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks (Disc 3)

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Dinah Washington - Back To The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:35
Size: 118.1 MB
Styles: Soul/Jazz/R&B
Year: 1963/2015
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man
[2:11] 2. Her Man
[3:49] 3. In The Dark
[2:38] 4. Let Me Be The First To Know
[4:58] 5. You've Been A Good Old Wagon
[2:22] 6. Don't Come Running Back To Me
[3:10] 7. It's A Mean Old Man's World
[2:39] 8. The Key To The Highway
[3:44] 9. If I Never Get To Heaven
[2:11] 10. Duck Before You Drown
[2:33] 11. No Hard Feelings
[8:39] 12. Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning
[2:34] 13. Don't Say Nothing At All
[2:04] 14. No One Man
[4:13] 15. Me & My Gin

Prior to her 1959 hit "What a Difference a Day Makes," nearly every Dinah Washington recording (no matter what the style) was of interest to jazz listeners. However, after her unexpected success on the pop charts, most of Washington's sessions for Mercury and Roulette during the last four years of her life were quite commercial, with string arrangements better suited to country singers and Washington nearly parodying herself with exaggerated gestures. Fortunately, this 1963 LP is an exception, a blues-oriented collection that features Washington returning to her roots, backed by a jazz-oriented big band (with occasional strings and background voices). Eddie Chamblee and Illinois Jacquet have some tenor solos, guitarist Billy Butler is heard from, and the trumpet soloist is probably Joe Newman. In general, this is a more successful date than Washington's earlier investigation of Bessie Smith material, since the backup band is more sympathetic and the talented singer is heard in prime form. Dinah Washington clearly had a real feeling for this bluesy material. ~Scott Yanow

Back To The Blues

Friday, June 10, 2016

Various - At Last: The Blues Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:25
Size: 156.6 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Mighty Mo Rodgers - Have You Seen The American Dream
[2:57] 2. Marlena Shaw - Anyone Can Move A Mountain
[4:15] 3. Nina Simone - Don't Explain
[2:58] 4. Etta James - At Last
[7:40] 5. James Brown - (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
[4:43] 6. Susan Tedeschi - Lord Protect My Child
[4:36] 7. Labelle - Miss Otis Regrets
[6:01] 8. Larry Carlton - Cold Day In Hell
[3:04] 9. Peggy Lee - Black Coffee
[3:04] 10. Queen Latifah - I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
[7:32] 11. Robben Ford - Life Song
[6:03] 12. Diane Schuur - Someone To Love
[4:52] 13. Lizz Wright - I Idolize You
[4:14] 14. Nina Hagen - What It Is
[2:36] 15. Dinah Washington - A Bad Case Of The Blues

The term blues ballad is used to refer to a specific form of popular music which fused Anglo-American and Afro-American styles from the late 19th century onwards. Early versions combined elements of the European influenced "native American ballad" with the forms of African American music. From the 20th century on it was also used to refer to a slow tempo, often sentimental song in a blues style.

At Last: The Blues Ballads

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

VA - Jazz On A Summer's Day OST

Size: 176,8 MB
Time: 75:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1960/2006
Styles: Jazz: Vocal Jazz, Swing, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Jimmy Giuffre - Train And The River (4:37)
02. Thelonious Monk - Blue Monk (3:29)
03. Sonny Stitt - Loose Walk (2:54)
04. Anita O'Day - Sweet Georgia Brown (4:26)
05. Anita O'Day - Tea For Two (3:43)
06. George Shearing Quintet - Rondo (2:15)
07. Dinah Washington - All Of Me (4:17)
08. Gerry Mulligan - Catch As Catch Can (3:50)
09. Big Maybelle - I Ain't Mad At You (3:46)
10. Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen (3:53)
11. Chico Hamilton - Chico's Chiquittas (5:48)
12. Louis Armstrong - Up A Lazy River (3:06)
13. Louis Armstrong - Tiger Rag (2:02)
14. Louis Armstrong - Rockin' Chair (3:33)
15. Louis Armstrong - When The Saints Go Marching In (1:44)
16. Mahalia Jackson - Everybody's Talkin' (1:59)
17. Mahalia Jackson - Didn't It Rain (3:24)
18. Mahalia Jackson - The Lord's Prayer (4:14)
19. Unknown - Intro Rehersal Interview (2:39)
20. Eli's Chosen Six - When Saints Go Marching (0:50)
21. Chico Hamilton Quintet - Rehersal (0:45)
22. Eli's Chosen Six - Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home (2:01)
23. Nathan Gershman - Rehersal (2:12)
24. Eli's Chosen Six - Maryland, My Maryland (Version 1) (1:12)
25. Louis Armstrong - Interview With Louis Armstrong (2:15)
26. Eli's Chosen Six - Maryland, My Maryland (Version 2) (0:53)

Jazz On A Summer’s Day is one of the greatest jazz movies ever made.

Filmed over the four days of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival the film not only captured inspired performances from the biggest names in jazz at the time, but also the style and fashions of late Fifties America.

Includes performances by Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, Gerry Mulligan and concludes with the peerless gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

Jazz On A Summer’s Day was the only film made by leading stills photographer Bert Stern (Vogue magazine, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn), his photographer’s eye for the subject matter and his picture composition being apparent in the film’s series of unforgettable images of the performers, the audience and the picturesque setting of Rhode Island.

This set includes an hour long CD of music highlights from the movie. This soundtrack CD was recently chosen as one of the all-time classic albums by Mojo magazine in its compendium, The Mojo Collection.

Jazz On A Summer's Day

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Dinah Washington - Dinah '62

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:46
Size: 93.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals
Year: 1962/2003
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Drinking Again
[2:32] 2. Destination Moon
[3:36] 3. Miss You
[3:22] 4. A Handful Of Stars
[3:21] 5. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
[2:43] 6. You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You
[2:31] 7. Red Sails In The Sunset
[2:12] 8. Where Are You
[2:55] 9. Coquette
[2:41] 10. Take Your Shoes Off, Baby
[3:03] 11. Make Believe Dreams
[2:31] 12. Something's Gotta Give
[2:13] 13. I'll Never Stop Loving You
[3:31] 14. Me And My Gin

The first of five LPs Dinah Washington recorded for Roulette during her last year and a half of life, Dinah '62 finds one of the foremost interpreters in vocal jazz treading merrily through a set of standards informed by Fred Norman's modern and commercially slanted big-band arrangements. Despite a few trad vocal backgrounds, most of these charts never overwhelm the songs or Washington's performances, and sometimes add to them; this version of the decades-old "Red Sails in the Sunset" benefits from its earthy electric guitar and organ. The singer brings a lifetime of experience to these songs, carrying the soporific world-weariness of Johnny Mercer's "Drinking Again" but then skating rompishly over the light novelty "Destination Moon." Washington is far more willing to indulge in histrionics than earlier in her career, but still exhibits remarkable control over her vocalizing, whether light or forceful. ~John Bush

Dinah '62