Dinah with Strings, Ray Coniff Style

Not sure if recording Dinah Washington with a full set of violin strings was a good idea, but any doubts is mostly put to rest when Dinah starts to sing. Any syrupy goo is mostly swiped away by the urgency and biting clarity of Ms. Washington's singing. On some selections, Dinah's interpretations are so on-target that the listener is left in amazement. She retains the great jazz elements of timing, control and phrasing that leave a lot of pretenders in the dust. Despite critical bashing Dinah took for "forsaking" her blues roots when she made these sides, her artistry remains intact. The blues-tinged flavor very much pervades numbers such as "These Foolish Things" "Me and the One I Love" and my favorite, "If It's the Last Thing I Do". Still, on some songs the overwhelming power of the violins is too much. One wish the producers of this record has included more variety in the arrangements besides the typical Ray Coniff style that was popular at the time. But Dinah's voice makes this CD almost a 5-star rating, but not quite.