SR-80011: Dinah Washington Sings Fats Waller

	Label Type :	blue Mercury/EmArcy type D (large oval)
	Matrix Number :	SIDE-A	SR80011A FR1    A1    I
		SIDE-B	SR80011A FR1    A1    I

Comments

Equivalent release: EmArcy MG-36119 (mono).

Later reissued as Mercury MG-20525 (mono) and Mercury SR-60202 (stereo).

FR pressing: true 1st pressing from 1st lacquer/mother/stamper - sounds nice!

Inside The Groove

Dinah sings Fats Waller-related songs, being backed up with gorgeous ensembles.

Personal Impression (and brief notes)

Dinah Washington's Mercury era (1940s thru early 1960s) was really awesome. Legendary blues recordings in the 1940s thru early 1950s, magnificient jazzy sessions with jazz greats in the early-middle 1950s, and refreshing popular sessions in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Very difficult to say which era is better, but many may agree all of her singings and recordings are far above the avarage.

One of the best sessions in her mid-late 1950s is (I believe) MG-36065 and MG-36104. Dinah sings so emotionally on every song. Even she had to sing corny popular tune, she tried to sing as if the tune was a great evergreen melody - actually it really sounded so.

On this album, Dinah sings famous tunes remembered in connection with the great Jazz giant, Fats Waller. Her singing, as well as wild, driving and swinging all-star big band (arranged by Ernie Wilkins) is so amazing like her other album. BTW Eddie Chamblee (Dinah's husband at the time) presents his vocal duets with Dinah on track B-3 and B-5.

Yet another Dinah's great album in her Mercury/EmArcy era.

Strictly Personal Rating (to what extent I could enjoy this album)

9 out of 10

Track Listing

Personnel

Personnel/recorded date/master numbers confirmed with the Ruppli's discography.
(“The Mercury Labels - A Discography” by Ruppli and Novitsky, Greenwood Press, 1993)

B-1, B-5:
Dinah Washington (vo) with:
Ernie Royal (tp), Johnny Coles (tp) Joe Newman (tp), Reunald Jones (tp),
Chauncey Welsch (tb), Melba Liston (tb), Julian Priester (tb), Rod Levitt (b-tb),
Jerome Richardson (as, fl), Sahib Shihab (as),
Frank Wess (ts), Benny Golson (ts), Eddie Chamblee (ts, vo on B-5), Charlie Davis (bs),
Jack Wilson (p), Freddie Green (g), Richard Evans (b), Charlie Persip (ds),
Wesley Landers (perc),
Ernie Wilkins (arr, dir).
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City on October 1, 1957.

B-4, B-6:
same personnel as B-1, except:
Clark Terry (tp) replaces Reunald Jones,
Jimmy Cleveland (tb) replaces Chauncey Welsch.
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City on October 2, 1957.

B-2, B-3:
same personnel as B-1, except:
Sonny Russo (tb) replaces Welsch,
Eddie Chamblee (vo).
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City on October 4, 1957.

A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-6:
Dinah Washington (vo) with:
Charlie Shavers (tp), Ray Copeland (tp), Doc Severinsen (tp), Reunald Jones (tp),
Chauncey Welsch (tb), Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Julian Priester (tb), Rod Levitt (b-tb),
Jerome Richardson (as, fl), Hal McKusick (as),
Benny Golson (ts), Eddie Chamblee (ts), Charlie Davis (bs),
Jack Wilson (p), Sebastian Muro (g), Richard Evans (b), Charlie Persip (ds),
Wesley Landers (perc),
Ernie Wilkins (arr, dir).
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City on November 20, 1957.

The Artist Also Appears on...

Jackets

Front	Back

Labels

Side A	Side B