With Dynamic, French singer-songwriter Mina Agossi pays heartfelt tribute to the legendary “Queen of the Blues,” Dinah Washington. Following her experimental electro project Lonely Whales, Agossi — whom the great Ahmad Jamal affectionately called “The Diva” — returns to her jazz and blues roots, channeling Washington’s fearless energy while weaving in her own distinctive voice and original compositions.
Backed by a remarkable ensemble of international musicians, including her long-time bassist Eric Jacot, trumpeter Stéphane Belmondo, violinists Florin Niculescu and Alexei Aigui, and Athanase Obed of the Gangbé Brass Band, Agossi delivers an album where history, passion, and modern creativity collide. The project is at once reverent and revolutionary — a celebration of Dinah Washington’s timeless repertoire and an exploration of how her spirit resonates in the present.
Agossi approaches these songs not as a mimic, but as an interpreter unafraid of risk. Her performances of classics such as “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t Ma’ Baby,” “This Bitter Earth,” “Mad About the Boy,” and “What a Difference a Day Makes” are imbued with both respect and reinvention. Interwoven among them are her own compositions, sung in both English and French, that reveal her mischievous, daring character — “a soul with mischief in her eyes and audacity in her voice.” The result is a vibrant, unpredictable journey that pays homage to Dinah’s legacy while reaffirming Mina’s place among today’s most inventive jazz vocalists.
Mina Agossi: vocals
Eric Jacot: bass
Marc Charrière: sound design, keyboards
Jérémy Bruyère: organ
Athanase Obed: trumpet, bugle
Alexei Aigui, Florin Niculescu: violin
Romain Da Costa: conga, percussion
Manolo Badrena, Jozz Aidama: percussion
Tracklisting
Disc 1
Side 1
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Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t Ma’ Baby
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This Bitter Earth
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C’est Une Île
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Funny
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Mad About The Boy
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Mon Homme
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Ne Jette Rien
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September In The Rain
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What A Difference A Day Makes
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Dynamic Song
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