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Dinah Washington
LOS ANGELES, CA— LA’s ‘Queen of Jazz & Blues’ Barbara Morrison relives the stories of the legendary Dinah Washington through her music in an excellently staged performance piece written by Michael Cornier and Ms. Morrison herself, and directed by Keenan Zeno. Backed by the excellent John Stephens and his 18 piece orchestra, Barbara Morrison commands the stage embodying the mood and sensibilities of the great Dinah Washington, who died suddenly at the age of 39 in 1963, while married to her seventh husband, NFL Hall of Famer Dick “Night Train” Lane..
“I Wanna Be Loved: The Stories of Dinah Washington” shows why Barbara Morrison is called a living legend “one of the living links to the era of Ella, Billie, and Ms. Dinah W.” Dinah (born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) was known as “The Queen of Blues” but her range of hits included R&B and Jazz, and in addition to vocals, Dinah could playthe piano and the vibraphone. She led an exciting life, married seven times, with sons by her second and third husbands, became a star with the Lionel Hampton Band, and had some of the greatest hits of her era “Teach Me Tonight,” “I Wanna Be Loved,” and two very popular duets with Brooks Benton: “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)” and “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love),” and recorded with Cannonball Adderly.
World renowned across Europe, Asia and Australia, Barbara Morrison’s reputation is immense in the world of jazz singers. With over 20 recordings to her credit, she has performed with the A-List in jazz and blues, such as Gerald Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Etta James, Esther Phillips, David T. Walker, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Otis, Kenny Burrell, Terence Blanchard, Joe Sample, Nancy Wilson, Mel Tormé, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett, and Keb’ Mo; and has guest-starred with the Count Basie Orchestra, the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra and Doc Severinsen’s Big Band.
She continues to wow audiences at jazz festivals worldwide, and she performed in San Bernardino when she and bluesman Taj Majal headlined the Juneteenth Jam presented by the Westside Story Newspaper and the Improve Association at Perris Hill Park in 1998. This Michigan native, who has made Los Angeles her home, is s a fighter and a survivor, coming back strong from illness and complications due to diabetes, she is staying busy and is already booked for cruise line performances in 2014.
Miss Barbara Morris continues to impress audiences and critics alike with this uniquely crafted show paying tribute to Dinah Washington, and proving “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes.” The show will be performed on stage at the Barbara Morrison Performance Art Center on Sunday June 23, 2013. Cover $40, includes champagne and snacks. Reservations only at 310-462-1439. Tickets sale fast for each performance so hurry to get tickets to the upcoming performance on June 23. Performances will continue on June 30, as well as July – 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21.
Don’t Miss a chance to see this great lady, a master of jazz performance. The Barbara Morrison Performance Art Center is located at 4305 Degnan Blvd #101, Los Angeles, CA. 90008. Information: 310-462-1439, www.barbaramorrison.com. (L.E. Pezant, ENN)
