Dorothy Dandridge on Verve (SMOOTH OPERATOR CD)

[JSngry]

Very nice, intimate, sexy chanteuse date w/the Oscar Peterson group. Ms. Dandridge has a tendency to fall on the flat side of the pitch, but I've heard worse from "better". Other than a 45 of totally different, "Hollywood-y" material w/a large ensemble, this date was never issued until a few years ago. I'd think it was good enough to have come out in its time. Verve was certianly not averse to putting out albums by "nonjazz" singers. Sal Mineo comes readily to mind, for instance.

Is there a story as to why it didn't? Hollywood politics, or did it just get "lost in the shuffle"? Certainly not a revelatory session or anything like that, but like I said, I've heard far worse from supposedly better talent. Very tasty song selection as well.

I've only heard the music, don't own the disc. Apologies if this is covered in whatever liner notes accompany the disc.

Edited January 6, 2004 by JSngry

[brownie]

Jim, the liner notes to this album were written by Dorothy Dandridge's biographer Donald Bogle. He does not go specifically on the reasons why the album was not released. He states that her movie career and her personal life at that time were in a bit of a mess.

He writes:

'During this time, she also went into the recording studio to do an album for Norman Granz with an augmented Oscar Peterson Trio. Oddly enough, except for her early recordings with Lunceford and some material with Louis Armstrong for the film 'Pillow to Post' she had seldom recorded. But now faced with professional and personal tensions, she was restless, anxious and all the more insecure.'

'The album was never released. But the signs were noneless there that, had she not despised nightclub work so much, she might have developed into a major stylist.'

I like Dandrige's singing but the album seems to be built on slow moody songs with not much to relieve the depressing succession of slow ballads.

Her singing is sometime a bit too much tentative.

I loved her acting in 'Carmen Jones'. Always imagined that Clifford Brown must have been around during the shooting of that scene where his then coleader Max Roach beat out those rhythm on drums. Every time I watch the movie, I try to find out if he is not somewhere in a corner

[JSngry]

I like Dandrige's singing but the album seems to be built on slow moody songs with not much to relieve the depressing succession of slow ballads.

Her singing is sometime a bit too much tentative.

Agreed, but I think the song selection and pacing was intentional. sort of a "mood" album ala those of Tina Louise & Julie London, to use two totally disparate examples.

Her singing is tentative in spots, but at times she shows a really good ear for harmony and phrasing. Like I said, far from perfect, but overall, there's been worse made by better. AND by worse that's been released.

I'm just wondering if the decision to withold the album was for musical or "political" reasons. If her biographer doesn't know, who would? Oscar Peterson, perhaps?

[brownie]

Norman Granz would have known. Where is the great biography on that quite impressive personality?

[JSngry]

Good question.

[Chuck Nessa]

I don't think Norman Granz would ever bow to political consideration.

[Larry Kart]

There is a recent Granz bio, "Norman Granz: The White Moses of Black Jazz," by Chicagoan Dempsey Travis. Haven't read it, but based on what I've seen of Travis' previous work, I wouldn't say it would be great -- probably more of an anecdotal cut-and-paste job.

[MomsMobley]

Miller impatients and/or restless DD adepts should jump to 4:40--

Bonus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dob3Nq0uNZo&

[AllenLowe]

don't you guys know that Tad - (can't think of his last name), from Rutgers, has written a terrific bio of Granz? I'll try to find the citation.

here it is - excellent work:

http://www.amazon.com/Norman-Granz-Used-Jazz-Justice/dp/0520267826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352666225&sr=8-1&keywords=norman+granz

Edited November 11, 2012 by Larry Kart

[Larry Kart]

don't you guys know that Tad - (can't think of his last name), from Rutgers, has written a terrific bio of Granz? I'll try to find the citation.

here it is - excellent work:

http://www.amazon.com/Norman-Granz-Used-Jazz-Justice/dp/0520267826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352666225&sr=8-1&keywords=norman+granz

Yes -- I've read it. Very good book, fascinating albeit sometimes very difficult man.