Dinah Washington Mellow Mama on LP

Featuring Lucky Thompson, Milt Jackson, and Charles Mingus.

When Dinah Washington left Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra in 1945, she recorded 3 sessions yielding 12 songs for Apollo records. Dinah teamed up with Lucky Thompson who had just arrived in Los Angeles after a stint with the Basie band. Gene Porter, Charles Mingus and Lucky were playing in Happy Johnson’s band in Long Beach. Milt Jackson was passing through with Diz; Bird’s quintet. Lucky organized the sessions and the music is pure delight. Complete liner notes by Dempsey Travis, best selling author of The Autobiography of Black Jazz.

Born in a record store near the Apollo Theatre building in 1944, Apollo Records presented virtually every kind of popular and ethnic music. By 1962, it had ceased recording but continued merchandising its gospel music, primarily the Mahalia Jackson catalog. Delmark has acquired the rights and surviving source material of the long out of print blues and jazz masters, and is presenting them in this Apollo Series, including numerous unissued performances and alternate takes.