Dinah Washington - Back To the Blues

180g High Quality Pressing!
Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering!

Limited Edition!

Dinah Washington performs music arranged and conducted by Fred Norman, including "The Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man'.

"During the 1950s she had been regarded as an R&B performer but arranger and band-leader Fred Norman wrote these fine 1962 jazz settings for her shortly before her death. The material is strong and Washington soars and swings, her voice reaching many of the potent climaxes for which she was so highly regarded..." - Steve Voce

"Prior to her 1959 hit "What a Difference a Day Makes," nearly every Dinah Washington recording (no matter what the style) was of interest to jazz listeners. However, after her unexpected success on the pop charts, most of Washington's sessions for Mercury and Roulette during the last four years of her life were quite commercial, with string arrangements better suited to country singers and Washington nearly parodying herself with exaggerated gestures. Fortunately, this 1963 LP is an exception, a blues-oriented collection that features Washington returning to her roots, backed by a jazz-oriented big band (with occasional strings and background voices). Eddie Chamblee and Illinois Jacquet have some tenor solos, guitarist Billy Butler is heard from, and the trumpet soloist is probably Joe Newman. In general, this is a more successful date than Washington's earlier investigation of Bessie Smith material, since the backup band is more sympathetic and the talented singer is heard in prime form. Dinah Washington clearly had a real feeling for this bluesy material." - Scott Yannow/AMG

Produced by Henry Glover. Recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York, March - November 1962.

Features:
• Limited Edition
• 180g High Quality Pressing
• Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

Musicians:
Dinah Washington, vocals
Fred Norman, arranger, conductor
Illinois Jacquet, tenor saxophone
Eddie Chamblee, tenor saxophone
Jack Wilson, piano
Patti Bown, piano
Jimmy Sigler, organ
Everett Barksdale, guitar
Billy Butler, guitar
George Duvivier, bass
Jimmy Thomas, drums
Osie Johnson, drums

Selections:
Side A:
1. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man
2. Romance In the Dark
3. You've Been A Good Old Wagon
4. Let Me Be the First To Know
5. How Long, How Long Blues
6. Don't Come Running Back To Me
Side B:
1. It's A Mean Old Man's World
2. Key To the Highway
3. If I Never Get To Heaven
4. Duck Before You Drown
5. No Hard Feelings
6. Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning