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For Those In Love ~ Dinah Washington | By Eddie Carter

To the singer of jazz ballads, standards, or contemporary hits, a song is comprised of three essential parts, melody, harmony, and rhythm. When all three elements are mixed, and enhanced by great arrangements and musicians, the result is an enriching music experience. This morning’s choice from the library is by Dinah Washington, a vocalist who sang the blues, jazz, pop, and R&B proficiently. The album is For Those In Love (EmArcy MG 36011), recorded and released in 1955. She’s joined on this date by Clark Terry on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, Paul Quinichette on tenor sax, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, Wynton Kelly on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar, Keter Betts on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The arrangements are by Quincy Jones and my copy used in this report is the second 1955 US Mono release featuring the silver Mercury Records oval at the noon position of the label with EmArcy Jazz appearing in the bottom of the oval.

The opener is I Get a Kick Out of You, written by Cole Porter for the 1934 Broadway musical, Anything Goes, and the octet gets right to work on this swinger. Dinah has the spotlight first and gives a splendidly entertaining improvisation. Jimmy follows, having a ball on a spirited statement, then Kelly displays impeccable chops on a relaxed reading.  Clark comes in for some savory swinging with a mute on the closing solo, and Dinah handles the finale with great effectiveness leading the group into a slow fade. Blue Gardenia by Lester Lee and Bob Russell was composed for the 1953 crime drama, The Blue Gardenia. It became a signature song for Dinah and the octet offers a supporting role behind her delicately subtle narrative. Quinichette gives a brief statement of tenderness, then Galbraith offers a solo of soft tranquility. Payne has a moment in the spotlight adding a dreamlike softness to the closing solo.  Dinah wraps up the song with emotional sensitivity on the climax.

Easy Living by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin was the main theme of the 1937 comedy of the same name. The group provides a perfect complement to Dinah’s luxurious vocals on the opening chorus, and the solo order is Paul, Clark, and Jimmy. The first two readings are like delicate porcelain figurines, perfectly proportioned and translucent. The pace picks up slightly for the trombonist who plays the next interpretation with sensual beauty. Ms. Washington is especially attractive on the reprise with a velvety, smooth timbre in her voice that’s gorgeous. You Don’t Know What Love Is by Gene de Paul and Don Raye is a perfect song for film-noir. The haunting lyrics describe the hurt and sadness at the end of a love affair.  It opens with a solemn introduction by Dinah and Galbraith. She captures the subtle pathos of the song with the octet’s soft supplement. Cleveland provides the song’s only solo with a graceful and elegant interpretation before Dinah returns to the melancholy mood of the beginning.

This Can’t Be Love by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart was written in 1938 and featured in the Broadway musical, The Boys From Syracuse.  The mood is jubilant, and Dinah rises to the occasion with a vivacious vocal treatment. Clark’s muted trumpet sets a lively mood on the first solo. Cecil is up next with an energetic performance of his own. Jimmy mines a vein of unsuspected riches on the third statement, then Paul delivers a delightful interpretation. Kelly cooks up a mesmerizing musical brew before Dinah sings the closing chorus. My Old Flame by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow made its debut in the 1934 film, Belle of The Nineties. Dinah begins this tune as a duet with Galbraith preceding the rhythm section’s slow-tempo theme. She’s the dominant presence here and presides with authority, as she recounts her lost love some time ago in a reflective flashback. The horns make their presence known for the closing chorus with Dinah giving it the recognition it deserves.

The 1940 show tune by Rodgers and Hart, I Could Write A Book gets taken for a mid~tempo spin by Ms. Washington and the ensemble. The octet starts the song in unison for the introduction, then Dinah treats the listener to an effervescent vocal performance on the melody. Paul starts with a passionately playful lead solo. Terry adds some fire on the muted trumpet, then Cleveland ends the solos on an upbeat note.  The album’s finale, Make The Man Love Me is by Arthur Schwartz and Dorothy Fields. Quinichette opens with a seductive introduction, then Dinah makes a passionate romantic plea with the lyrics.  Paul takes the lead with a remarkably graceful solo, then Terry turns in a beguilingly beautiful statement. Kelly approaches the next performance with affective empathy and Cleveland soothes the soul on the closer. Dinah sings two verses of the Duke Ellington–Paul Francis Webster classic, I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good) before returning to the original lyrics for the coda.

It’s a solid summation to an album sparkling with marvelous music, exciting, evocative solos, excellent arrangements, and the extraordinary vocals by Dinah Washington that are exceptionally presented. She brought the lyrics she sang to life in each song. The Queen of The Blues, a title she gave herself, recorded a total of thirty-three LP’s for EmArcy, Mercury, and Roulette during her short recording career that began in 1952 and lasted only eleven years. Though her greatest hit, What a Difference a Day Makes came four years later in 1959, For Those In Love would become one of the strongest albums of her career. Dinah passed away from a drug overdose on February 14, 1963, at the age of thirty-nine. This is a gorgeous recording with a splendid soundstage that’ll take your breath away each time you listen. I found For Those In Love to be thoroughly enjoyable and recommend it as a wonderful starting point for any fan interested in exploring the music of Dinah Washington.  After one audition, I’m sure you will too!

~ What a Difference a Day Makes (Mercury MG 20479/SR-60158) – Source: Discogs.com

~ I Get a Kick Out of You, Easy Living, My Old Flame, I Could Write a Book, I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good) – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ Blue Gardenia, Dinah Washington, Make The Man Love Me – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2021 by Edward Thomas

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