Customer Reviews

Swingin Miss D

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD was given a renaissance when Doubletree Hotels used 'Relax Max' in one of its commericals. When I heard Dinah insouciantly bend the word 'Reeelax' on TV, I knew there would be people under 60 all over the country surfing the 'net to find the source of that extraordinary voice. Dinah is cozily ensconced in Quincy Jones' cheeky arrangement and the result is the sophisticated sound the record companies stopped making decades ago.

But that's not all. Dinah's saucy 'Is You Is, or Is You Ain't, My Baby?' is a must have in the Miss D. canon. Tack on the rarely sung Ellington/Tizol standards 'Perdido' and 'Caravan', and you have one of Dinah's best CDs. (Though the lyrics for these last two are fatuous, the compositions and the performances overcome those flaws.) Highly recommended.

This Dinah Washington recording from 1957, produced by Quincy Jones (who helped Sarah Vaughan with the "Misty" album produced in France in 1958) is everything a Dinah Washington album should be: fiesty, swinging, bloozy, and unique. Dinah Washington (who died much too early--in 1963) is a truly American voice--what does that mean? There are no words to describe it. This is why you must listen. Dinah Washington must be an auditory experience. No words are descriptive enough to capture who she is or what she does. No other voice rings as loudly or as clearly as hers does; no other voice ever will. Her performances here are spectacular and swinging. "Perdido" and "Relax Max" are marvelous. Washington is in control of her music, yet the spirits soar so freely around her--this is what she captures. If you're new to Dinah Washington, then start with this one!

Dinah Washington has THE voice! She is so cool, and this album swings! Quincy Jones helped to produce this album, and his influence shows. The songs are familiar, but have her style and sass. I love her renditions of "Perdido," and "Makin' Whoopee," and "Relax Max" gets my fingers snapping. This album is perfect for your cozy cocktail and dinner parties; it puts everyone in a good mood. The CD box itself isn't shown here yet, but if it is the same version/release that I have, the production of the case is unique. It's a fold-over package with cool 50's design, and the pictures and liner notes are excellent.

If it's possible to wear out a CD, I'll find out with this one. I never tire of hearing this music. Two of the tracks -- "They Didn't Believe Me" and "Perdido" have become my Official Favorite vocal performances of those songs.

Quincy Jones's arrangements are loose and jazzy, and show Dinah at her best: a top-notch musician working with other top-notch musicians.

The final seven tracks (which were not included on the original LP) may be too much of a good thing (it's best to skip "I Know" altogether,) but even they have some moments ("Relax, Max" is a hoot.) A must-have CD.

I am listening as I write, will try to get through the whole album before I finish this review. The sound on this album is very rich for an old, restored album...amazing, really; the sound is as good as a newly produced album. It has 18 songs on it; the original only had 12. Has anyone seen the Doubletree ad with the wonderful graphics...and Dinah singing "Relax Max". Well, that's what got me onto this album, and it was not a mistake...this album is truly a winner. Lots of foot-tapping joy, with some nice ballads to calm you along the way. I'm so glad my mother wasn't a fan of Quincy and Dinah, so I can enjoy this as new, with no offending memories attached. I will not name a song that is better than any other...they are ALL good. Well, on second thought, "i'll drown in my tears" is a very old fashioned bluesy song, so great! "you let my love grow cold" is very swingy, irresistable. I must stop my review at this point, but this album is a winner. The songs on it are ALL winners. The best of the best of this genre.

Dinah Washington remains one of the greatest entertainers of the twentieth century. Dinah sang beautifully; and her audiences loved her for it. She improvised well and her excellent diction enhanced her performances. This CD gives us a glimpse into Dinah's fantastic style.

The track set begins with "They Didn't Believe Me." The bass, percussion and horns start the number well; and when Dinah comes in this number stuns me with its beauty. Dinah never sounded better; Quincy Jones & His Orchestra make wonderful music to be the backdrop for Dinah's vocals. "Makin' Whoopee" gives Dinah the chance to take an older standard and infuse it with a jazzy style to make this ballad all her own. The percussion and horns bolster "Makin' Whoopee," too. Great! "But Not For Me" sports a slightly more upbeat melody than usual; and Dinah sings a rarely heard opening verse to make "But Not For Me" a very special number. Dinah swings and gives us a particularly jazzy rendition of "But Not For Me."

"Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" gets the royal treatment from Dinah as she sings this to perfection; and the musical arrangement by Quincy Jones & His Orchestra never misses a beat. Dinah delivers this number so well; it sounds fresh and almost upbeat rather than the more traditional renditions--Dinah's excellent command of this number lets her deliver "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" with a powerful punch.

"Somebody Loves Me" showcases Dinah as she swings and sways, belting out this joyful tune with all her might. Quincy Jones provides a great arrangement for the horns midway through this number--awesome! You will enjoy "Somebody Loves Me" very, very much. "Relax Max" sports a Latin beat that Dinah infuses with a flair that nobody could ever duplicate. Strong! "The Kissing Way Home" has a wistful yet jazzy beat to it as Dinah performs this flawlessly. Dinah makes this romantic ballad shine like pure gold!

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The last track is entitled simply "I Know." After a beautiful horn flourish, Dinah comes in strong and sure of herself. Dinah sings this optimistic number with panache; and her excellent diction enables her to accentuate certain syllables to make this song fly higher than the sky! "I Know" provides a strong ending for this album.

The liner notes include replicas of the original record album artwork and the original liner notes by John Wilson. Brian Priestley contributes an informative essay as well. We get a great photo of Dinah and Quincy Jones working together on an arrangement--a rare photo indeed!

Dinah Washington remains a legend in the entertainment industry; her CDs still sell very well to this day. I highly recommend this for Dinah's fans; and people who enjoy classic jazz vocals will enjoy this album for years to come, too.

I stipulate to all the other comments already made in previous reviews... but since I didn't see this information on this page... thought I'd pass it along. Dinah's performance is indeed incredible... not a bad song on the entire CD... but the orchestra (big band) that backs her up is also incredible... and is it any wonder... with Quincy Jones (conductor); Hal McKusick (alto saxophone, flute); Anthony Ortega (alto saxophone); Jerome Richardson, Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone); Danny Bank (baritone saxophone); Don Elliott (trumpet, mellophone, vibraphone, xylophone, bongo); Bernie Glow, Jimmy Maxwell, Ernie Royal, Doc Severinsen, Charlie Shavers, Clark Terry, Nick Travis, Joe Wilder (trumpet); Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Quentin Jackson (trombone); Tommy Mitchell (bass trombone); Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Jimmy Crawford, Osie Johnson (drums). This was recorded in 1956 with 23-year-old Quincy Jones arranging. Nothin' like the sound of a real BIG BAND and a singer who's got the pipes to compete with all the horns... fantastic...

Untill I heard "Relax Max" on a commercial I didn't know this CD existed. Being a fan of both Dinah and "Q" Quincy Jones to non jazz fans I had to buy it. I'm glad I did, it has a lot of great music on it.

This is a very good CD and and the hotel chain TV ad introduced me to Miss Washington.

I bought this CD just for the song on the DoubleTree commercial, Relax Max. What a great song, makes you feel happy!!! The whole CD is good, but I listen to "Relax Max" over & over.