1959 · Album
Tears and Laughter
Recorded 1959 · Mercury Records · Produced by Not specified in provided information
Washington Sings Standards with Quincy's Orchestra
Washington's voice carries the weight of these standards while the orchestral arrangements stay elegant and restrained.
By the time Dinah Washington recorded Tears and Laughter, she had already proven herself across every style that mattered—blues, jazz, gospel, pop. This album finds her in a straightforward place: singing jazz standards with a full orchestra arranged by Quincy Jones, Hal Mooney, Al Cohn, Ernie Wilkins, and Billy Byers. It is a solid, professional date. Nothing surprising, but nothing wasted either.
The first half leans orchestral—strings cushioning these familiar songs, the kind of setting that could easily turn precious or safe in the wrong hands. Washington doesn't let that happen. Her voice remains direct and warm, the arrangements supportive rather than smothering. The second half shifts gears. The Dells, the male doo-wop quintet who had been touring as her opening act, back her on several tracks. They trade lines with her on a couple of songs and carry "Jeepers Creepers" and "Am I Blue?" on their own. Washington duets with one of the Dells on the latter, a casual pairing that suggests real comfort between these artists.
This isn't her definitive record—that claim belongs elsewhere in her catalog—but it's a competent snapshot of Washington doing what she did well: taking material people knew and singing it with conviction. The Dells section adds variety and breaks up what could have been a monotonous stretch of orchestral standards. If you want to hear Washington in full control of her powers, this delivers that without reaching for anything ambitious.
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