Queen Dinah - Dinah Washington

Advantages: Class Acts
Disadvantages: None

...to this sort of music, it's laid back, late night, problems with my man, but what the hell sort of sentiment... ~~~ CD1: Many early artists here, including US black soul singers Dinah Washington and Aretha Franklin from the 1960's. If you've never heard Franklin, then she is the Queen of Soul, godmother to Whitney Houston and unmissable over a long career (and still performs occassionally). Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday were the most famous singers of their day in the 1950's. Simone died only a few years ago, while Holiday fell foul of drugs, only after a career that challenged the segregation of the southern states. Her most famous track concerned the lynching of an innocent black man, and this CD collection is named in her honour. Irma Thomas, of a smiliar era, is or was, based, in New Orleans until last year... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Includes the most famous songs recorded by her
Disadvantages: Only for classic jazz/blues fans.

...was female artists. It is here, that we pick up with probably the greatest, and most loved of them all, Dinah Washington. This 2 CD album takes us through the very pinnacle of her outstanding career. Dubbed 'The Queen Of The Blues,' she touched on the hearts of many listeners in her day with her sweet, soulful vocals and catchy melodies. Singing for songwriters such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin, she came from, like most of her contemporaries, from Gospel music inherited from by parents. Starting out as a jazz singer, she left her piano and choir days behind and reached out to 'the devil's' music' at the age of nineteen. This album takes us through her recording life right up to the year before she died from heart failure, induced by a drugs overdose in 1963 and the tender age of only 39. A singer, who, I believe, still... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Superbly funny
Disadvantages: You may well be offended

...The title is somewhat appropriate. In fact during the course of the 15 songs on the album, Frank and the gang set about offending just about everyone. However, this is Frank Zappa. Put your prejudices out of sight and listen and laugh along. Frank told it like it was before the term politically correct was invented, but it is one thing he certainly ain't. From the wonderful swipe at american jocks (amongst others) in "Bobby Brown Goes Down" to a stinging attack on the muso crowd in "Yo cats" everything here has a go at someone, or covers subjects that would make most bands shy away. But this isn't just shock humour, its wonderful music to boot. While at face value "Catholic Girls" is just a dig at the title subject, the music is wonderfully intricate. Other highlights include "Disco Boy", "He's So Gay" and "Dinah Moe Humm... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful