Search - Dinah Washington :: Complete on Mercury 3

Best "Jazzy Dinah" Collection

Peter | East of Los Angeles | 02/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mercury has done an incredible job compiling Dinah Washington's work and issuing them as box sets during her most productive years as a recording artist. While owning two previous box sets in this massive collection, I decided to purchase this one. After listening, I must say this particular set covering the years 1952-54 simply blows the other two out of the water. In terms of inspiration and improvisation alone, this set captures a peakish Dinah and her 1st class, cream-o-the crop group of sidemen. The names of her famous group should give you an idea---Maynard Ferguson, Max Roach, Nat Adderly, Wynton Kelly---what an inspired combination of great music and creativity this 3-CD set has. These songs were done around the time Dinah was making that transition from blues to jazz, and as a result, captures both elements in her singing. She finds a way to phrase that reminds one of Billie Holiday, but has the power and emotive control to back it up. Compared to her work in later years when the effects of pills and alcohol were starting to take its toll, these recordings capture a fresh and buoyant Dinah. I must point out there are 4 tracks on this set that is a MUST OWN by any lover of Dinah and jazz music: "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" "Foggy Day" "Bye Bye Blues" and "Blue Skies". Each of these tracks easily tops 6-7 minutes because in addition to Dinah, the tracks allow ample solo space for her dynamic group of sidemen with turns at bat, whether being blowing the sax, piano solos, drumming, etc. You are in jazz heaven! The box set also shows a mischievous Dinah singing tongue-in-cheek double entendres cuts such as "Long Sliding Thing" "Long John Blues". The casual jazz listener can decipher what she is singing about with a smile. This 3-CD set is worth every penny by the joy Dinah and her once-in-a-lifetime band bring to the listener."