Aida star Deborah Cox pays tribute to Dinah Washington

[silent]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 7:25pm

Deborah Cox, who starred in the title role of the Broadway production of Aida, will pay tribute to the late jazz singer Dinah Washington, who was the subject of Oliver Goldstick's Off-Broadway play-with-music, Dinah Was.

Cox's new CD, titled "Destination Moon," is due in stores on the Decca Records label June 19. In a statement the pop singer said, "This is a complete labor of love, a concept album that I've had in mind for years. This is a project that's an introduction to all of the styles that I grew up with. It's a way to expose another side of me that I've kept quiet. It's a chance to look inside my history of influences and hear where I'm coming from as an artist."

"I first became aware of Dinah," Cox added, "when I was growing up, when I was about eight or nine years old. A lot of jazz was played about the house. I heard my mother playing a 45 of 'This Bitter Earth' — this first song I had ever heard from Dinah. It was the richness and the tonality of her voice that I gravitated to."

Cox also said it was her experience on Broadway that led to this new recording: "After performing in Aida with a live orchestra night after night, I got smitten with the idea of doing an album like this." The disc features 40 musicians playing Rob Mounsey's arrangements.

The singing actress will celebrate the release of her new CD with a June 25 concert in Manhattan. Cox will perform at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, located in Jazz at Lincoln Center. Additional concert dates will be announced.

The complete track listing for "Destination Moon" follows:
"Destination Moon"
"What a Difference a Day Makes"
"Misery"
"Baby, You've Got What It Takes"
"The Bitter Earth"
"Squeeze Me"
"New Blowtop Blues"
"Blue Skies"
"I Don't Hurt Anymore"
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
"September in the Rain"
"Look to the Rainbow"
Bonus: "Out of Sight Out of Mind," "All of Me"

Born in 1973, Deborah Cox began her professional career at the age of 12, playing small Toronto clubs before attending a performing arts school. She later signed with Arista Records, and her first single, "Sentimental," was released in 1995. Her second single, "Who Do U Love?," sold over 500,000 copies. Cox's recording of "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" from her album "One Wish" topped the R&B charts for 14 weeks. She also had another Top 10 hit with "We Can't Be Friends." She also held the No. 1 Billboard Dance position with her remake of Phil Collins' "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven." Aida marked Cox's Broadway debut.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 8:57pm

Cox is a force of nature on stage and was utterly fantastic during her stint playing the title role in "Aida."

She needs to get back to Broadway ASAP. I know she's been in for both Celie and Shug in "The Color Purple" but has yet to land either role, so I'm hoping someone somewhere will put her in something.

Updated On: 4/13/07 at 08:57 PM

Posted: 4/13/07 at 11:14pm

SHe's brilliant live but man I find her a bit "yawn" with this Dinah stuff I hate to say

[now_later_soon]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:56am

I'm sorry, but I saw her in Aida and I was thoroughly unimpressed. Her voice wasn't very strong, especially at her break, and I almost felt like she simplified the character. Maybe I caught her on an off night.

[javero]

Posted: 6/13/07 at 4:02pm

I saw her in the titular role of 'Aida' three times and was very impressed by her performance each time except once when she was visibly struggling with the effects of a cold. When the show closed she had really grown into that role. I hope to see her back on bway soon. She is one example of stunt casting in the past that actually worked. It's still hard to believe that it was her bway debut.