AMG Review of First Issue: The Dinah Washington Story (The Original Recordings)

All Music Guide

First Issue, which coincided with the United States Postal Service's issue of a stamp bearing the image of Dinah Washington, is a two-disc, 46-song anthology of her recordings for Keynote, Mercury, Verve, Wing, and EmArcy from 1943-1961. The set chronicles Washington's evolution from a strictly jazz and blues vocalist in the Bessie Smith tradition to an important crossover artist who could appeal equally to the pop audience. The collection is not entirely hit-oriented -- although it rounds up her important R&B and pop singles, including the crossover hits "What a Diff'rence a Day Made" and "Baby, You've Got What It Takes" (a duet with Brook Benton), there is also an early bluesy session with Lionel Hampton and a few notable album tracks that show the variety of material she handled. Some of her Top Ten R&B hits are omitted, but Washington was a prolific hitmaker beyond that which a two-disc set can contain. Washington recorded nearly 500 sides during the period covered by First Issue, and this generous survey is an excellent compromise for buyers wanting a thorough anthology but who are unwilling to commit to the expensive series of box sets that comprise The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury, Rovi