Customer Reviews

Essential - Great Songs

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After listening to this CD and reading about Dinah Washington's infamous big ego, I think to myself if that woman was conceited, then so what? That's a small price to pay for such a big talent. This CD collection is FABULOUS! I'm continuously boggled by what a versatile artist she was and this CD is a stunner! It shows off every facet of Dinah talent---big bands, orchestras, string ensembles, jazz trios, studio cuts and live concerts---Dinah does it all. All her big jazz and pop dates are captured here with her equally talented sidemen. Verve did a great job picking out the spectacular sides from her vast catalog (there's no way ONE CD can do Dinah justice). Contrary to what some listeners said, I think the recordings are remastered clearly, there's no evidence of hisses here. And Dinah is not a forgotten woman. Her many fans still hold her dearly in their hearts and cherish her recordings. No wonder Broadway did a show based on her life!

Reknowned for a straight-forward, powerhouse voice and a knock-out stage presence, Dinah Washington is one of the great vocalists of the 20th Century--but is today little known outside the circle of serious jazz fans. This is a great pity, for the lady was a remarkable talent, as this Verve release makes abundantly clear.

Washington had a rather limited range, but like Billie Holiday she carefully sculpted her voice to maximum effect--and her instrument is a knock-you-flat one, with many of her vocals relying on her ability to strike and hold a high, intensely voiced tone. But if Washington's vocal range was limited, her material was not: she is as at home with hard jazz and blues as she is with sleek orchestral arrangements and throw-away numbers, and this collection presents examples of it all: from the funky jazz of "I've Got You Under My Skin," in which she offers a completely unexpected interpretation of the Cole Porter classic, to the more orchestrial scored "Blue Gardenia," a personal favorite, these cuts are winners all the way.

If you've heard about Dinah Washington but never actually encountered her music, this compilation is a perfect place to start. But be forewarned: the lady's music is addictive, and once you begin to explore it you're likely to leap feet first into every available recording. For once, the title THE ESSENTIALS is dead-on accurate; strongly recommended.

...maybe it will wake my generation up to respect this woman. Her music and life is truly a discovery of wonder, love, comedy, and heartaches. If you thought Whitney's life is a mess, you need to research Dinah's. At least Dinah had fun, right? The one thing I can say about Dinah is that all her trials, happiness and misfortunate she always put them into her songs. This woman was not shy about being real when it came to her music and it didn't matter whether it was pop, jazz, blues or r&b. And unlike Whitney and today's singers, she was a TRUE professional singer. She never allowed her personal problems to affect her music. I wish somebody will do a movie about her life and get Jill Scott to play her. Until then, I will continue to listen to this woman's amazing music and dreaming of the day that she gets some respect. If you are new to Dinah, this is the collection you need to start with.

The Essential Dinah Washington: The Great Songs has a wonderful collection of excellent songs performed by the immortal Dinah Washington. Dinah doesn't get the recognition she deserves; but hopefully as her CDs continue to sell this will change. The artwork is very good; and the sound quality is excellent.

"I Get A Kick Out Of You" starts the CD with Dinah singing her heart out; her excellent timing impresses me and she never misses a beat! I love the sound of Dinah's voice and this jazzy rendition of "I Get A Kick Out Of You" really flies high as a jet! "My Devotion" is a classic tune Dinah loved to sing; and here you can truly enjoy the full richness of Dinah's vocal talents. Dinah's voice enchants me and I love every minute of it. There's also "What A Diff'rence A Day Made;" Dinah loved this song also and it helped her cross over from jazz to mainstream pop music in the late 1950s. "What A Diff'rence A Day Made" gets the royal treatment from Dian who sings this with all her heart and soul.

"I've Got You Under My Skin" works very well; Dinah sings this brilliantly and the drums enhance the natural beauty of this timeless ballad. "I Wanna Be Loved" features Dinah front and center with a big band style arrangement; this number holds its own very well. "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" has Dinah teaming up with brook Benton. They may not have liked each other personally; but you'll never guess it when you hear this fine tune. Brook Benton and Dinah Washington sing this so well to make "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" a smash hit number!" "Lover, Come Back To Me" gets a swift, jazzy tempo and Dinah sings this without a superfluous note.

"No More" stuns me with its beauty; Dinah's voice works so well to deliver this ballad more beautiful than I've ever heard it. "This Bitter earth" is another classic Dinah Washington hit that sends chills up and down my spine when I hear it--it's THAT good.

Dinah Washington truly was one of the best female vocalists of her time; and this CD proves it. I highly recommend this for fans of Dinah Washington. People who are new to Dinah will really love this album--it leaves you wanting more.

Thank you, Dinah! We will never forget you!

There are some great, classic songs on this CD but after a few times through, I was disappointed with the sound. It is nothing you would notice during a crowded party, but something you would pick up on while listening through headphones at work or other quiet environment. Still, if you're in need of background mood music, this is a great CD.

Dinah Washington is one of the great neglected voices of the blues/soul movement. For anyone who aspires to have a c.d. collection worthy of any party crowd or mood, this record is a must. It is unfortunate that, in the time she created her albums, topics like boozing, drugging, lusting, loosing, and sexing had to be kept under careful double-entendre wraps. Her voice can shoot off sparks in the soul. This record is utterly brilliant - it's the sort that people can always recall their first listening to. Please remember, viewers, conoisseurs, and consumers, just because a person isn't remembered doesn't mean she didn't EXIST.

Before buying this CD, I knew Dinah Washington best for her couple of top 10 hits such as What A Difference A Day Made and This Bitter Earth, and for her duets with Brook Benton. As this CD proves, there is so much more to her, and her 50s recordings found here show that she ranks among the blues, jazz and R&B greats. She gets some fine smokey arrangements as well on many of the cuts, with players such as Jimmy Cleveland and Wynton Kelly. Only one song here doesn't work for me and it's one I'd thought would be a killer, I've Got You Under My Skin. Powerful as the whole CD is, I think it peaks at the end, beginning with the Birth of the Blues/Don't Hurt Any More. This CD is for anyone with an interest in the history of mid-20th century jazz and blues and it's a just tribute to a wonderful singer.

Dinah Washington is truly a Singer's Singer.She understood the power of Lyrics&the Importance of allowing the feeling&emotions come through.She is a Great Stylish Artist who had no limits.Her take on "I've got you under my skin" alone is worth the full Price to Me overall.She knew how to Swing&Connect with Her Music.

I don't know what to say because my English is not very good but not bad enough to prevent me from telling you that I'm always very happy to find with Amazon.com all the CD I can't buy in France. It's really a pleasure and I enjoy this last purchase

This CD brings back so many memories for me. I was always a fan of Dinah, and this was a great example of why.