| Jazz / Vocal, Classic Female Blues, Standards, Traditional Pop, Vocal Jazz 
 Dinah Washington - Vocals
 Al Cohn	Arranger
 Aric Lach Morrison	Assistant Producer
 Arnett Cobb	Sax (Tenor)
 Arnold Jarvis	Piano
 Barry Galbraith	Guitar
 Belford Hendricks	Arranger, Conductor
 Belford Hendricks Orchestra
 Ben Webster	Sax (Tenor)
 Benny Golston	Sax (Tenor)
 Benny Powell	Trombone
 Beryl Booker	Piano
 Billy Byers	Trombone, Arranger
 Bob Merrill	Trumpet
 Bob Shad	Producer
 Brook Benton	Vocals
 Candido Camero	Bongos
 Cannonball Adderley	Sax (Alto)
 Cecil Payne	Sax (Baritone)
 Charles Davis	Sax (Baritone)
 Charlie Persip	Drums
 Charlie Shavers	Trumpet
 Chris Albertson	Sequencing, Liner Notes
 Chuck Stewart	Photography
 Clarence "Sleepy" Anderson	Piano
 Clifford Brown	Trumpet
 Clyde Otis	Producer
 Cootie Williams	Trumpet
 Cootie Williams & His Orchestra
 Doc Severinsen	Trumpet
 Don Elliott	Mellotron
 Ed Thigpen	Drums
 Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis	Sax (Tenor)
 Eddie Chamblee	Sax (Tenor)
 Ernie Royal	Trumpet
 Ernie Wilkins	Arranger, Sax (Alto), Conductor
 Ernie Wilkins Orchestra	?
 Frank Galbraith	Trumpet
 Frank Wess	Sax (Tenor)
 Freddie Green	Guitar
 George Hudson	Trumpet
 George Morrow	Bass
 Gus Chappell	Trombone
 Gus Johnson	Drums
 Hal Mooney	Conductor, Arranger, Producer
 Hal Mooney Orchestra	?
 Harold Land	Sax (Tenor)
 Herb Geller	Sax (Alto)
 Herman Leonard	Photography
 Jack Wilson	Piano
 Jackie Davis	Organ
 Jerome Richardson	Flute, Sax (Alto), Reeds
 Jimmy Cleveland	Trombone
 Jimmy Cobb	Drums
 Joe Morris	Trumpet
 Joe Newman	Trumpet
 Joe Zawinul	Piano
 John Hicks	Sax (Tenor)
 John Williams	Bass
 Johnny Coles	Trumpet
 Jon Schapiro	Assistant Producer
 Julian Priester	Trombone
 Junior Mance	Piano
 Keter Betts	Bass
 Larry Belton	Sax (Baritone)
 Larry Richards	Sax (Baritone)
 Leonard Feather	Producer
 Leonard Heavy Swain	Bass
 Lionel Hampton	Drums
 Max Roach	Drums
 Maynard Ferguson	Trumpet
 Melba Liston	Trombone
 Michael Bays	Art Direction
 Michael Klotz	Design
 Michael Lang	Executive Producer, Supervisor
 Milt Buckner	Piano
 Milt Hinton	Bass
 Mitch Miller	Arranger, Oboe
 Mundell Lowe	Guitar
 Nat Goodman	Conductor
 Nat Pierce	Arranger
 Panama Francis	Drums
 Patti Bown	Piano
 Paul E. West	Bass
 Paul Gonsalves	Sax (Tenor)
 Paul Quinichette	Sax (Tenor)
 Peter Pullman	Editing
 Quincy Jones	Arranger, Conductor, Producer
 Ray Brown	Bass
 Ray Copeland	Trumpet
 Red Richards	Piano
 Reunald Jones	Trumpet
 Richard Evans	Bass
 Richard Seidel	Executive Producer
 Richie Powell	Piano
 Rick Henderson	Sax (Alto)
 Rod Levitt	Trombone
 Rudy Martin	Piano
 Rudy Rutherford	Clarinet
 Rupert Cole	Sax (Alto)
 Russell Procope	Clarinet, Sax (Alto)
 Sahib Shihab	Sax (Alto)
 Shawn Wilson-Bunyan	Design
 Shep Shepard	Drums
 Sonny Cohn	Trumpet
 Sonny Russo	Trombone
 Sylvester Payne	Drums
 Tab Smith	Sax (Alto)
 Teddy Stewart	Drums
 Terry Gibbs	Vocals
 Tom "Curly" Ruff	Mastering
 Urbie Green	Trombone
 Vernon King	Bass
 Walter Johnson	Drums
 Wardell Gray	Sax (Tenor)
 William Parker	Sax (Tenor)
 Wynton Kelly	Piano
 
 First Issue, which coincided with the United States Postal Service's issue of a stamp bearing the image of Dinah Washington, is a two-disc, 46-song anthology of her recordings for Keynote, Mercury, Verve, Wing, and EmArcy from 1943-1961. The set chronicles Washington's evolution from a strictly jazz and blues vocalist in the Bessie Smith tradition to an important crossover artist who could appeal equally to the pop audience. The collection is not entirely hit-oriented -- although it rounds up her important r&b and pop singles, including the crossover hits "What a Diff'rence a Day Made" and "Baby, You've Got What It Takes" (a duet with Brook Benton), there is also an early bluesy session with Lionel Hampton and a few notable album tracks that show the variety of material she handled. Some of her Top Ten r&b hits are omitted, but Washington was a prolific hitmaker beyond that which a two-disc set can contain. Washington recorded nearly 500 sides during the period covered by First Issue, and this generous survey is an excellent compromise for buyers wanting a thorough anthology but who are unwilling to commit to the expensive series of box sets that comprise The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury, All Music Guide
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