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Dinah Washington

Gwyneth Herbert joins Alyn Shipton to pick the essential recordings by the great jazz diva Dinah Washington, including her bluesy mid-1940s repertoire and American popular song.

Dinah Washington was only 39 when she died of an accidental overdose of barbiturates in 1963. Yet in her short life she was one of the most successful of all jazz singers, also crossing into blues and pop territory. Gwyneth Herbert joins Alyn Shipton to pick the essential recordings by Dinah, starting with her bluesy repertoire of the mid-1940s and tracing her career as she became one of the finest interpreters of American popular song. The programme includes her collaborations with Quincy Jones and with the fourth of her eight husbands, Eddie Chamblee.

1 hour

Last on

Sat 26 Feb 2011 16:00

Clip

Music Played

  • Dinah Washington

    Pacific Coast Blues

    Composer: Mingus / Baranco Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Karl George, t; Lucky Thompson, ts; Jewel Grant, as; Gene Porter, bar; Wilbert Baranco, p; Charles Mingus, b; Lee Young, d. Dec 1945.

    • Mellow Mama.
    • Delmark.
    • DD451.
  • Dinah Washington with Tab Smith鈥檚 Orchestra

    A Slick Chick on the Mellow Side

    Composer: Brooks Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Frank Galbraith, Russell Royster, tp; Tab Smith, as; Johnny Hicks, ts; Larry Belton, bs; Red Richards, p; Johnny Williams, b; Walter Johnson, d. 3 Oct 1946. [NB also on Volume 1 of Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury set.]

    • Greatest Hits 1946-53.
    • Fabulous.
    • FACD 2000 CD1.
  • Dinah Washington with the Dave Young Orchestra

    Am I Asking Too Much

    Composer: Whitman / Miller Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Harry Jackson, tp; Andrew Gardner, as; Dave Young, ts; Rudy Martin, p; Bill Settles, b; Curtis Walker, d. Chicago, 1947.

    • Greatest Hits 1946-53.
    • Fabulous.
    • FACD 2000 CD1.
  • Dinah Washington with Jimmy Cobb鈥檚 orchestra

    Wheel of Fortune

    Composer: Benjamin / Weiss Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; unknown, tp; unknown, as; Wardell Gray, unknown; Ben Webster, ts; unknown, bs; Wynton Kelly, p; unknown, b; Jimmy Cobb, d. Los Angeles, CA, 18 Jan 1952. [NB also found on the Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury set.]

    • Greatest Hits 1946-53.
    • Fabulous.
    • FACD 2000 CD2.
  • Dinah Washington

    New York, Chicago and Los Angeles

    Composer: Mitchell Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; unknown, ts; Wynton Kelly, p; Percy Heath, b; Al Jones, d. Birdland, 21 Jul 1951.

    • The Birdland Broadcasts.
    • Giant Steps.
    • GSCR 024.
  • Dinah Washington with Quincy Jones and His Orchestra

    Perdido

    Composer: Tizol, Drake, Langsfelder Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Ernie Royal, Charlie Shavers, Clark Terry, Joe Wilder, tp; Don Elliott, tp, mel, vib, bgo; Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Quentin Jackson, tb; Tom Mitchell, btb; Anthony Ortega, as; Hal McKusick, as, fl; Jerome Richardson, Lucky Thompson, ts; Danny Bank, bs; Sleepy Anderson, p; Barry Galbraith, g; Milt Hinton, b; Jimmy Crawford, d. Quincy Jones, arr, cond. NYC, 4 Dec 1956.

    • The Swinging Miss D.
    • Essential Jazz Albums.
    • 041.
  • Dinah Washington

    This Can't Be Love

    Composer: Rodgers / Hart Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Clark Terry, tp; Jimmy Cleveland, tb; Paul Quinichette, ts; Cecil Payne, bs; Wynton Kelly, p; Barry Galbraith, g; Keter Betts, b; Jimmy Cobb, d; Candido, perc; Quincy Jones, cond. Capitol Studios, NYC, 16 Mar 1955.

    • For Those In Love.
    • Emarcy.
    • 514 073-2.
  • Dinah Washington with Ernie Wilkins Orchestra

    T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do

    Composer: Williams / Grainger / Prince Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Ray Copeland, Reunald Jones, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Charlie Shavers, Clark Terry, tp; Jimmy Cleveland, Rod Levitt, Julian Priester, Sonny Russo, tb; Jerome Richardson, fl, as; Sahib Shihab, as; Eddie Chamblee, Benny Golson, Frank Wess, ts; Charles Davis, bs; Jack Wilson, p; Richard Evans, b; Charlie Persip, d; Ernie Wilkins, arr, dir. NYC, 20 Nov 1957.

    • Sings Fats Waller.
    • Fresh Sound.
    • CD 576.
  • Dinah Washington

    Back Water Blues

    Composer: Smith Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Fortunatus Fip Ricard, tp; Julian Priester, tb; Eddie Chamblee, ts; Charles Davis, bs; Jack Wilson, p; Robert Lee Wilson, b; James Slaughter, d. Universal Recorders, Chicago, IL, 20 Jan 1958.

    • Sings Bessie Smith.
    • Fresh Sound.
    • 577.
  • Dinah Washington

    Lover Come Back To Me

    Composer: Romberg / Hammerstein Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Blue Mitchell, tp; Melba Liston, tb; Harold Ousley, ts; Sahib Shihab, bs; Wynton Kelly, p; Paul West, b; Max Roach, d. "Newport Jazz Festival", Newport, RI, 6 Jul 1958. (NB also found on the Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury set.)

    • Sings Bessie Smith.
    • Fresh Sound.
    • 577.
  • Dinah Washington

    Make The Man Love Me

    Composer: Schwartz / Fields Performers: Dinah Washington, voc; Clark Terry, tp; Jimmy Cleveland, tb; Paul Quinichette, ts; Cecil Payne, bs; Wynton Kelly, p; Barry Galbraith, g; Keter Betts, b; Jimmy Cobb, d; Candido, perc; Quincy Jones, arr. Capitol Studios, NYC, 16 Mar 1955.

    • For Those In Love.
    • Emarcy.
    • 514 073-2.

Broadcast

  • Sat 26 Feb 2011 16:00

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