Recorded at the start of
Dinah Washington's climb to fame, 1954's
Dinah Jams was taped live in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles. While
Washington is in top form throughout, effortlessly working her powerful, blues-based voice on both ballads and swingers, the cast of star soloists almost steals the show. In addition to drummer
Max Roach, trumpeter
Clifford Brown, and other members of
Brown and
Roach's band at the time -- tenor saxophonist
Harold Land, pianist
Richie Powell, and bassist
George Morrow -- trumpeters
Maynard Ferguson and
Clark Terry, alto saxophonist
Herb Geller, and pianist
Junior Mance also contribute to the session. Along with extended jams like "Lover Come Back to Me," "You Go to My Head," and "I'll Remember April" -- all including a round of solos -- there are shorter ballad numbers such as "There Is No Greater Love" and "No More," the last of which features excellent muted, obbligato work by
Brown. Other solo highlights include
Land's fine tenor solo on "Darn That Dream" and
Geller's alto statement on the disc's standout
Washington vocal, "Crazy." And even though she's in the midst of these stellar soloists,
Washington expertly works her supple voice throughout to remain the star attraction, even matching the insane, high-note solo blasts trumpeter
Ferguson expectedly delivers. A fine disc. Newcomers, though, should start with more accessible and more vocal-centered
Washington titles like The Swingin' Miss D or The Fats Waller Songbook, both of which feature top arrangements by
Quincy Jones.