Dakota Staton was a jazz and R&B singer very much in the mould of Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington, whose style was sultry and sophisticated but who was extrovert and funky enough to share an R&B stage with the likes of Fats Domino and Big Joe Turner. She paid her dues on the jazz club circuit before signing to Capitol and released a number of singles and claimed Down Beat magazines Most Promising Newcomer award before recording her No. 4 hit album The Late, Late Show in 1957.

This great-value 55-track 2-CD set comprises all her recordings released as singles from her debut in 1955, along with all the tracks from her first four albums The Late, Late Show, In The Night, Dynamic and Crazy He Calls Me. It features performances with some noted musicians and arrangers, including Nelson Riddle, George Shearing, Harry Sweets Edison, Jonah Jones, Hank Jones, Van Alexander, Toots Thielemans and Al McKibbon. Its a comprehensive presentation of her studio work during the first and probably most significant era in her career, and a great showcase for the talent of a noted vocal stylist.

REVIEWS

“This catches some of the very best of Dakota in her early years. She sounds quite happy and more than competent on several R&B tracks and some that tip over onto the early rock and roll tracks. The first 14 selections on disc one demonstrate that effectively but sandwiched in between she rips through How High The Moon in lively jazz mode and also proves to be a fine ballad singer on A Little You and Don’t Leave Me Now. Jazz singing suited her very well though, no doubt about that when you listen to The Late, Late Show, Broadway and Blues In My Heart. That last one also shows how good a blues singer she was too as do many other selections here. On Misty she becomes a warm and lyrical ballad singer, so it seems there was little if any limit to her talents. There are 55 tracks on this 2 CD collection and plenty of examples of Ms Staton in all her various guises. Disc 2 has more of the jazz singer with big orchestra although the pieces with George Shearing’s combo are equally impressive. At one point, following a sturdy, improvised trombone solo from an unidentified soloist, she breaks into some wild, crazy scat singing that would give Ella Fitzgerald a run for her money. But Dakota was not a straight- ahead jazz singer primarily; she could and did belt them out and her voice was powerful in all registers. If you like good vocal jazz, blues and a lacing of R&B you should find plenty to enjoy on this expansive 2CD set.”  –  Derek Ansell (Jazzviews April 2020)

“A place was set for Staton at the top table of female jazz singers, but she never had that all important hit single. This set is produced to Acrobat's usual high standards and contains much good music with the main points of interest being the early singles...” – Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune Issue 331)

“A comprehensive presentation of her studio work during the first and probably most significant era in her career, and a great showcase for the talent of a noted vocal stylist.” –  Pete Lay (Just Jazz October 2019)

“This generous 55-track set includes a number of singles together with all of the music from her first four albums affords a showcase for this undervalued vocalist.” –  Alan Musson (The Jazz Rag 158)

“ Never less than good, she occasionally delivers definitive performances. Very enjoyable.” – Bruce Crowther (Jazz Journal October 2019)

“The sound quality throughout is magnificent as is the 23-page booklet by Paul Watts”  –  Keith Scoffham (Blues & Rhythm Issue 344)