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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 /TiVo
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Lionel Hampton, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Hampton & His Sextet, Ensemble - Harry Lim, Producer
℗ 1944 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Hampton & His Sextet, Ensemble
℗ 1944 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Hampton & His Sextet, Ensemble
℗ 1944 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Hampton & His Sextet, Ensemble
℗ 1944 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Herbie Fields, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - GEORGE JONES, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, ComposerLyricist - Arnett Cobb, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Charles K. Harris, Upright Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Wendell Culley, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Lionel Hampton and His Septet, MainArtist - Jane Feather, ComposerLyricist - Johnny Mehegan, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Billy Mackell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1945 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Vernon Duke, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Chappell Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1946 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dave Young, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gus Chappell Orchestra, Orchestra - Willie Cook, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Harry Jackson, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Holmes Daylie, ComposerLyricist - Bill Settles, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Chappell, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Oliver Coleman, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Martin, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1946 UMG Recordings, Inc.
George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Chappell Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1946 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Bernie Hanighen, ComposerLyricist - Gordon Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Gus Chappell Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1946 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Claude Demetrius, ComposerLyricist - Gerald Wilson Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1946 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Harvey Brooks, ComposerLyricist - CLYDE OTIS, Producer - Quincy Jones, Producer - Johnny Williams, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Hal Mooney, Producer - Bob Shad, Producer - Leonard Feather, Producer - Walter Johnson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Red Richards, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1946 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tab Smith & His Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Toni Smith, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1946 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jeanne Burns, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Tab Smith & His Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1946 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Savannah Churchill, ComposerLyricist - Chubby Jackson Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Mitchell Parish, ComposerLyricist - Frank Signorelli, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Matty Malneck, ComposerLyricist - Chubby Jackson Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Claude De Metrius, ComposerLyricist - Irene Higginbotham, ComposerLyricist - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Floyd Hunt, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Buddy Johnson, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Martin Trio, Ensemble, FeaturedArtist - Buddy Woodrow Johnson, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Louis Dunlap, ComposerLyricist - Earl Hines, ComposerLyricist - Charles Carpenter, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Robinson, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - McRay, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dallas Bartley, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Wood, ComposerLyricist - Henry B. Glover, ComposerLyricist - Edward Seiler, ComposerLyricist - Sally Nix, ComposerLyricist - Teddy Brannon Quartet, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Sacks, ComposerLyricist - Friedlander, ComposerLyricist - Teddy Brannon Quartet, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Andy Razaf, ComposerLyricist - Fats Waller, ComposerLyricist - Harry Brooks, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Bob Shad, Producer - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist - Sacks, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Cameron, ComposerLyricist - Dallas Bartley, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Martin Trio, MainArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Leo Hickman, ComposerLyricist - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 2
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Randall, ComposerLyricist - Cootie Williams Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Pirone, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Swain, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Cootie Williams Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Chester, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1948 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Helen Miller, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Fay Whitman, ComposerLyricist - Dave Young's Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Leon Rene, ComposerLyricist - Otis Rene, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Deborah Chessler, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Mitch Miller, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
ALEC WILDER, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Mitch Miller, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1948 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Cole Porter, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Helen Miller, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Fay Whitman, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1948 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Baxter, ComposerLyricist - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - JACK SEGAL, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1949 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Walter Donaldson, ComposerLyricist - ABE LYMAN, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rudy Martin Trio, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Young's Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1947 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Leonard Feather, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
CLYDE OTIS, Producer - Quincy Jones, Producer - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Hal Mooney, Producer - Bob Shad, Producer - Leonard Feather, Producer - Tommy George, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Mitch Miller Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1949 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Unknown, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Mitch Miller Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1949 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Leonard Feather, Producer - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Anna Spencer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1949 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hodges, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Dalmer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1949 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Richard Johnson, ComposerLyricist - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Mitchell, ComposerLyricist - Dinah Washington, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, FeaturedArtist
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dinah Washington, MainArtist - Teddy Stewart Orchestra, Orchestra, FeaturedArtist - Richard Himber, ComposerLyricist - Sylvester Sprigato, ComposerLyricist - Frank Warshauer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1950 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
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 /TiVo
About the album
- 4 disc(s) - 107 track(s)
- Total length: 04:59:06
- Main artists: Dinah Washington
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Verve Reissues
- Genre: Jazz
© 2010 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2010 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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