What music did you listen to when you were young, like, you know, 12—was it jazz? Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams, Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music, The Movie Music of Spike Lee & Terence Blanchard, Marcus Miller & Herbie Hancock North Sea Jazz Cruise 2006, Play Your Own Thing: A Story of Jazz in Europe, Im Herzen des Lichts - Die Nacht der Primadonnen, 4th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters: Verve Records at 50, K.C. During her time in Paris from 1986 to 2007, she starred in Stephen Stahl's musical Lady Day in Paris and London (for which she earned a Lawrence Olivier Award nomination), and continued to perform in musicals such as Black Ballad (with Archie Shepp) and Cabaret (being the first black actress to star as Sally Bowles) while concurrently performing and recording her jazz material. For the National Endowment for the Arts, I'm Josephine Reed. CD: $11.98 MP3: $8.99. During her first years in college she began singing with big bands, which lead to her work with the Thad ... Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello to Perform on Jazz Foundation Livestream, Aretha Franklin’s Funeral: Bill Clinton Leads Who’s Who In Queen Of Soul Tribute, Aretha Franklin ‘Celebration of Life’ to Feature Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Bill Clinton. And that came out in 2008. Everything I know, even the way I scat. Josephine Reed: I remember you—you had said that, Thad, he had said to you, “Stop listening to singers. My mom loved jazz singers, so when I was a baby, she swore—swore that I could scat before I could speak, because she was a huge fan of Ella Fitzgerald. And so, I would put the bed in the—in the—in the coat closet, and the lady that checked the coats would watch my baby (laughing).That’s terrible. I have always felt that as a jazz vocalist, my duty was to keep that tradition alive of the vocalist who does the scat. And his on-air moniker was Matt the Platter Cat. I’m so happy. Dee Dee Bridgewater Concerts. Dee Dee Bridgewater: To win this award is huge. Josephine Reed: That’s 2017 NEA Jazz Master, Dee Dee Bridgewater. Josephine Reed: You were so young. Josephine Reed: Maybe she couldn’t improvise because of the language difference, but Dee Dee Bridgewater shone as Billie Holiday, and she would revisit Lady Day throughout the years—including a tribute album, Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater. And then they would pick up those trumpets—they would be wicked. Josephine Reed: Dee Dee may have been on to something—because within a year of moving to France, she was cast as Billie Holiday in the one-woman show, Lady Day. We moved to New York City, because that’s where we had to go for him, as a musician. Well, besides getting hired into the Horace Silver Quintet, my honeymoon was spent on the road with Cecil playing with Horace Silver. She could play the big church organs, and I had a couple of great-aunts who were in Vaudeville as dancers and singers, so it’s all on my—my father’s side. Get the best deals on dee dee bridgewater when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Dee Dee Bridgewater is a daring performer of great depth whose singing talents have earned her three Grammy Awards as well as a Tony Award. And my dream was to come down some big winding staircase with all the gorgeous men on either side, and you know, go—break into some dance and song number at the bottom of the stairwell and be lifted up in the air by—by the male dancers. They relocated to Flint, Michigan, where Dee Dee lived until completing high school. So, I sat in with the likes of Carmen McRae, Blossom Dearie—Betty Carter would not let me sit in—and some lesser-known singers. It’s a horrible way to learn a language. Over the past half century, Dee Dee Bridgewater has distinguished herself as a jazz icon, a star of the theater, a devoted cultural ambassador, and a tireless humanitarian, to name but only a few of her many accomplishments. Dee Dee Bridgewater. #repost @sfjazz ・・・ TOMORROW on Sep 4 at 5PM PT, SFJAZZ presents 2017 NEA Jazz Master & vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater performing a tribute to the late jazz legend Horace Silver. I’d had this tuxedo suit made, and running up on stage, and getting the award, and coming off and promptly fainting. Josephine Reed: Red Earth, that’s such a significant album for you, and you recorded it in Mali. And my theatrical agent said, “There is no work for black actresses. Dee Dee Bridgewater is a multi-talented performer who will not be put into a box. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Well, I think there is a connection, because I also can imitate voices. It’s infused with Malian music and jazz and it’s—it’s your baby; it’s your project. Film & TV News Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, More Featured in PBS Concert Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald, Premiering December 15. Dee Dee Bridgewater is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 5 concerts across 3 countries in 2021-2022. Where the—the little sliding window would open, and they’d see, and then they’d let you in. Josephine Reed: And you also got a lot from musicians, too, like Dizzy Gillespie. They picked a singer at the end of almost a full afternoon, and I thought I can sing better than her. Dee Dee Bridgewater: You know, but those two ladies—I don’t think I would be the individual that I am, had it not been for all of these amazing singers who came before me. I’ve just been trying to be true to what I felt God put me on this earth for. In addition, her commanding personality made her a natural for hosting the award-winning National Public Radio syndicated radio show JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater from 2001 to 2014. Cecil and I moved to New York in 1970. They were 13 of the best years I ever had. The Russians didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Russian, but it was this beautiful meeting of—of spirits and minds. The word polymath comes to mind. Josephine Reed: How old were you when you moved to Flint? She started out singing in school talent shows and with local jazz bands. Motown started when I was 12, in 1962, so, all of us who loved music, we were aspiring to be Motown artists. I was able to bring it together in person, you know, for live shows. Dee Dee Bridgewater: It was borne out of my search for my African ancestry. Dee Dee Bridgewater was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Marion and Matthew Garrett. This is “Bye Bye Blackbird,” the first song I ever did with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra … okay…. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I grew up on R&B. With a top-shelf soul band cooking behind her, Dee Dee Bridgewater steps up as a top-shelf … Dee Dee Bridgewater: Cheick Tidiane Seck is the—is the person who was responsible for assembling all of the musicians on that album, and I think—I think it was like 47 musicians and singers, because I didn’t know anybody. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I loved acting. So, that when you go into your improvisation, they can go, “Wow.” Well, there’s four things. Find information on all of Dee Dee Bridgewater’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2021-2022. Now Clark Terry was the first musician that took me out of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Josephine Reed: To that radio station I’ve been listening to! We were taken down a little alley and—and they did a special knock, and you—remember the old doors, the speakeasy doors? And so, I decided I would go with Cecil to these auditions, which were held out on Long Island. So I will walk with Ella, probably for the rest of my life, which isn’t a bad thing at all. It all came from Thad. So, George Coleman was a student of his, Harold Mabern, Charles Lloyd. We were two basements down, and it was just all this music that was played. And my grandmother played organ. Vinyl: $19.99. But they decided that, after about six months of Cecil’s being in the band, Thad and Mel decided that they needed a female singer. She is a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). That orchestra and in particular, Thad Jones. And I think that is why as—in my position now, why I took to mentoring Theo Croker, this young trumpet player that I’ve been working with now for about seven years, whose career is now really taking off. Find event and ticket information. CATALOG #: SD 18188 . There was a station out of Memphis that I could catch late at night when most of the airwaves shut down. Four months of, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., revision every night from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and then the next day. And the bands would be tight, and the music would be great, but they also entertained. Not to be any kind of superstar or giant celebrity, but well-known, well-respected by the musicians. bad for me DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER. So I gathered up the nerve, and I went up to Mel Lewis, and I said, “Mr. For 13 years, she was the host of National Public Radio's award-winning show, JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater. May 27, 1950) is an American Jazz singer. But, I do remember running up on stage. I was always able to scat. The vocalist has created a diverse collection of recordings, including tribute albums to Horace Silver, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Kurt Weill; an album of French love songs,  J'ai Deux Amours, spurred by a Kennedy Center Valentine’s Day concert; and an album born out of Bridgewater's search for her African ancestry, Red Earth, recorded in Bamako, Mali, and featuring Malian, U.S., and European  musicians. I took it from Etta James. $107.15. So, I loved R&B. In addition, her commanding personality made her a natural for hosting the award-winning National Public Radio syndicated radio show JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater from 2001 to 2014. Dear Ella Dee Dee Bridgewater. I—I think notes look cute on paper. And I was able to work as a singer. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. This sold-out gig at Ronnie Scott's was one of those rare, did-that-really-happen-or-am-I-dreaming evenings where performer and audience reciprocally move into some kind of magical, harmonious alignment. And she’s also produced all her own recordings since 1993, and has had her own label since 2006. “I never dreamed I would one day be named an NEA Jazz Master, as so few women hold this distinction. Bridgewater was also drawn to musical theater. It was wonderful. Number three, always sing your melody first. My father played trumpet. Josephine Reed: You are a musician. We were really taken in by the older musicians, so there was this mentoring that happened. Dee Dee Bridgewater: (Gasps.) And then, the fourth thing he said to me is learn your songs inside out, so you don’t have to think about what you’re singing. I took it from female performers who were very physical. I would always sit alone. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I auditioned for this new Broadway musical that they had open casting for called, The Wiz. Like, “You were an on-air DJ.” “Oh, yeah. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I’ve never had any formal music training. Dee Dee Bridgewater combines immense talent and energy with a commanding personality. She performed in Michigan during the '60s and toured the Soviet Union in 1969 with the University of Illinois Big Band. What—what was your thoughts about this? Used by permission of Ray Henderson Music Co. Inc. and BMG Firefly [ASCAP]. I was able to put into words those stories, so I’m the only Western person that’s gone over there and done that. I’m proud to be among the women who hold this, the highest honor bestowed on jazz artists in the United States.”Â. Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers So, I’ve uncovered a lot about my father that I didn’t know. I could hear the blues, like the Delta blues, in the griot songs. Memphis ...Yes, I'm Re… Dee Dee Bridgewater. COMMENT: Original US 1976 Release . Josephine Reed: Your voice is an instrument. Jo Reed: I want to hear about how you started working with Thad Jones and—. Born on 27.05.1950 in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A. She grew up in Flint, Michigan. It was just a beautiful family, a beautiful community. It was that period when everyone supported everyone. So, I loved R&B. Everything that I know about music, I learned from Thad Jones, and I learned from being in that band. Also, I had gone to France with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, so I had this kind of name in the jazz community in France that I wasn’t aware of. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Now, I did want to do it with my own normal, regular speaking voice, and they decided I needed an NPR voice, so they hired a man to work with me on the shows – (clears throat), let me get it, “Hi, this is Dee Dee Bridgewater, and you’re listening to JazzSet.” That’s my NPR voice. Josephine Reed: That is 2017 NEA Jazz Master, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and this is Art Works, the weekly podcast produced at the National Endowment for the Arts. I am extremely proud to join the ranks of the women and the men. Dee Dee Bridgewater is a daring performer of great depth whose singing talents have earned her three Grammy Awards as well as a Tony Award. And when I come back in, and the same with the big band. And I guess he heard that. Bridgewater was born Denise Eileen Garrett in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Flint, Michigan, in a music-filled home. To find out how art works in communities across the country, keep checking the Art Works blog, or follow us @NEAarts on Twitter. While attending the University of Illinois, she joined the University of Illinois jazz band for a U.S. State Department tour of the Soviet Union in 1969. There’s like three things that he told me that I never forgot, and it’s just, like, my mantra, and I try to pass that on to young singers. BRIDGEWATER,DEE DEE. I can—I kind of have an idea what note I should do, kinda-sorta. Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics. I was starring in Sophisticated Ladies. I needed to understand what Betty Carter was doing. When the international touring company of Sophisticated Ladies (in which she was the female lead performer) ended in Paris, France, Bridgewater decided to stay. They moved to New York City where she found her first professional gig with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra as lead vocalist. Every year, I do at least one Ella Fitzgerald concert. STEREO / MONO: LABEL: Atlantic Records. I grew up on Ziegfeld Follies. Chihiro Yamanaka Trio On "Jazzset With Dee Dee Bridgewater" Photos. I had never seen someone with that much freedom. Everyone was always ready for that element of surprise, and where singers would say, “Come on down and sit in with me.” I mean, it was literally come on down and sit in with me. Bridgewater's career then took off and she soon performed and recorded with some of the giants of the music: Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, and Clark Terry. I was acting more at the time that I made the move to France. But I was the—the—the gap-bridger. Josephine Reed: By then, Dee Dee Bridgewater had returned to the United States, and she rededicated herself to jazz. Josephine Reed: What was that moment like when you won a Tony? There was a station out of Memphis that I could catch late at night when most of the airwaves shut down. The NEA Jazz Masters will be honored with a concert on Monday, April 3 at the Kennedy Center. In 1974, she recorded her first album as a leader, Afro Blue. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I’m very grateful to Billie and to Ella, because those are the two women who have walked me to the Grammy podium. And then in 1984, Dee Dee Bridgewater moved to France…. Thad was my music teacher. She is a two-time Grammy Award Winner, Tony Award Winner and Host of NPR's Syndicated Radio show "JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater". I stayed in New York until ’77, and then I moved to L.A. Josephine Reed: What was the jazz scene like in New York then? Josephine Reed: It must have been, though, such a time for you. Date Detail Price; Feb 6 Sat: Dee Dee Bridgewater Jo Long Theatre San Antonio, TX : $34 - 34: Mar 5 Fri: Dee Dee Bridgewater Keystone Korner Baltimore Married trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater in 1970 and moved to New York City. De Caunes/Garcia - Le meilleur de Nulle Part Ailleurs 2... suite et fin. Dee Dee Bridgewater was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Marion and Matthew Garrett. And I was 20, and I got hired. And she said by the time I was, like, 10 months, I would stand on the side of my crib and hold the rail and try to scat with Ella Fitzgerald. I picked the songs that I wanted to do, and then we just all—we all worked it out. August 03, 2012. I just knew what I wanted to do. Dee Dee Bridgewater has a technique and musicality that bests most performers of her generation, and her understanding of the “great American songbook” makes pretenders pale in comparison. Because I went with an open spirit, and I’m trying to get to my highest spiritual level in this lifetime, because I have no intention of coming back. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I know. If you can’t be in DC—you can join the party anyway—we’re streaming it live. Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, Verve, 1994Dear Ella, Verve, 1997Red Earth: A Malian Journey, DDB Records/Universal, 2006Eleanora Fagan: To Billie with Love from Dee Dee, DDB Records/Emarcy, 2009Dee Dee’s Feathers, DDB Records/ Sony Masterworks, 2014, Excerpt of “Bye Bye Black Bird” composed by Mort Dixon and Ray Henderson and performed live by Dee Dee Bridgewater with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. The move came out of me wanting to act more. Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics. —Guardian. Josephine Reed: What propelled you in the first place? We’re playing tonight.” He says, “If you want to audition, you have to come down to the club and audition.” And I was like, “But—but—but—no—” I was terrified. To know that I’m thought of with that amount of respect, that the National Endowment for the Arts would even think of me as a master is already huge. My father is very close-lipped, and so, I had to uncover all of this, to which, you know, when I’d call him, he’d say, “Oh, yeah.” And I was like, “Do you have any other information to share with me?” “Oh no, that’s—that’s good.” So this has been my life with my dad. And I remember—you know, waltzing down the hallway and walking into the living room––I don’t even remember what they were doing—and saying, “When I grow up,” I crossed my arms, “When I grow up, I’m going to be a well-respected, internationally known jazz singer.” And I—I said something to them about I—and I was going to be respected by the musicians. And so, I went down to the club, and Thad called me up, and I auditioned. I—I could not exist, had it not been for these women opening the doors that they did. Because when WDIA decided that they were going to concentrate on black music programming, the people who were running that radio station decided that they would hire for on-air DJs, young musicians, and one of them was my father. She was welcomed back enthusiastically by audiences and critics alike. First of all, he said don’t listen to singers; listen to musicians. You’re playing with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis. Dee Dee Bridgewater: It took me four months with a French teacher to learn this play. I was really proud of JazzSet. She is a natural performer. Those are the ones that I’m pulling up at the moment. Josephine Reed: Did you know, right from the beginning, that’s what you wanted to do? They relocated to Flint, Michigan, where Dee Dee lived until completing high school. Excerpt of “Mack the Knife, composed by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Bertolt Brecht. And the Sunshine Band/Dee Dee Bridgewater. And that lasted for 13 years, 13 wonderful years. Performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater from the cd Dear Ella. It was like I had a ticker tape running through my brain when I would perform. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I played Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, and that is what I won my Tony Award with. So, I decided to stay when the show ended, because I wasn’t getting any work as an actress in the States. And that’s what happened when I got The Wiz. I recorded it in 2007. I’m Josephine Reed. Josephine Reed: You ended up going to the Soviet Union at a very young age, as part of the jazz band at the University of Illinois. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I grew up on R&B. Dee Dee Bridgewater: It was very difficult in the studio to get the two sides to come together, musically speaking. Being selected as a 2017 NEA Jazz Master recipient is, therefore, an affirmation that I was right to push the proverbial envelope. Dee Dee Bridgewater (b. And that I was going to buy them a house and a car. She started out singing in school talent shows and with local jazz bands. I couldn’t believe it. So, he brought everybody together, and then we all kind of worked out, you know, the arrangements. Josephine Reed: You had had no—no singing lessons. DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER: Self Titled LP ATLANTIC RECORDS SD18188 US 1976 VG++. What a pleasure it was to savor the soft tones, dusky colors and coyly purring phrases she brought to ‘Yes, I’m Ready.’ —Chicago Tribune Dee Dee Bridgewater: I fainted. Dee Dee Bridgewater: That was my school. My career has been as much about kind of being in the right place at the right time, or just, you know, these happenstance meetings leading to a situation. Josephine Reed: Yeah, you’re three for three there. Betty led her own bands. You know, it was NPR, and then I became a part of the NPR family. And so, I could hear blues and R&B songs that I didn’t hear in Michigan. On this IMDbrief - presented by Acura - we explain how an online premiere resulted in a multi-million dollar payday and the Sundance 2021 must-see movies to add to your Watchlist. How did you conceive of it? By Andrew Gans. In 1976 - 1980 she released some high class disco soul albums, accompanied by top session musicicans. Backed by a small group that includes an accordionist, Dee Dee sings several well known songs popular in France. I think it’s been more about that than anything planned. For some reason, I could understand the rhythms, the—the West African rhythms, and I could—I could hear how it flowed into the jazz thing. Thad Jones was my world. VINYL Condition: VG++ . She also co-leads UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and U.S. Department of State sponsored tours to Russia, India, China, and France, and, since 1999, she has been a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization. My father, whose name is Matthew Garrett, taught a lot of jazz musicians that we listen to today. It was her second tribute album to a great jazz singer—the first was Dear Ella, honoring of course, Ella Fitzgerald, and both albums won Grammy Awards…. Bridgewater serves on the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz's Advisory Board where she has judged several jazz vocals competitions. I was on these big billboards and stuff. Thanks for listening. We just worked it out. She’s also a renowned broadcaster. I don’t remember where. I was ready. It’s my ears. So, it inhibited me as an actress in terms of my being able to improvise. Lewis, I’d like to audition, too.” And he said, “Well, it’s a little late. Phineas Newborn was a student of his, Booker Little, Frank Strozier. Each week she would take listeners to concert halls, clubs, and festivals around the country so they could hear great jazz performances. Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready. Josephine Reed: The Wiz also won the 1976 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album… Dee Dee subsequently appeared in several other stage productions. Though that was my goal when I was growing up – I wanted to be able to sing with my dad while he was playing the trumpet. Bridgewater has produced all her recordings since 1993 and has had her own label, DDB Records, since 2006. In 1970, she wed her first husband, trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater. Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer. And so I was like oh, oh, I’m going to do it like this. Josephine Reed: How did you first begin on Broadway? Working with musicians to get them to understand that it’s really okay to add that element, and for them to see the difference in responses that one gets if one is entertaining and performing at the same time, as well as just standing there. Performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater from the cd Eleanora Fagan (1915–1959): To Billie with Love From Dee Dee Bridgewater. That kind of physical freedom that Betty exhibited—that’s where I got it from. On the album, I was able to bring it together. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, AND a Tony Award-winning stage actress. As we were part of a university coming to really the Soviet Union, it was a very unsettling experience. And I was the poster for Sophisticated Ladies in France, and it was a picture of me coming down the staircase. His—his brother, my uncle, who died when he was 34, had an amazing baritone voice. Dee Dee Bridgewater: We—we—well, let’s see. Dee Dee Bridgewater: And so, that’s how I started. Want to see Dee Dee Bridgewater in concert? I was her shadow. Josephine Reed: Red Earth was also infused with a jazzy soul…and communications did not always flow easily between African and Western musicians. Live at Yoshi's by Dee… Dee Dee Bridgewater. She’s created a diverse collection of recordings, including tribute albums to Horace Silver, Kurt Weill, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday; an album of French love songs, and another album, Red Earth, born out of Bridgewater's search for her African ancestry recorded in Mali, and featuring Malian, U.S., and European musicians. It was crazy. So, I’m working with two hams. We were followed by the KGB any time we would try to interact with young people. AL Central. And—. CD: $11.98. But my—my dream with my father was to, you know, have the father-daughter family act. Dee Dee Right at Home With French Songs J'Ai Deux Amours buy CD music Dee Dee has done quite well in France and this album is a real treat. Dee Dee Bridgewater was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Marion and Matthew Garrett. They were sitting in the living room of—of our little modest house in—in Flint, Michigan. She eventually took the play to London, but she opened it in Paris—performing in French…. And there was a lot of lifting up of—of the young musicians. By Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield, The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (Official Music Video) 27. Being able to entertain my audience, have them have a good time, let the complication of the music and the arrangements be more subliminal because they’re more caught up in the performance of the music. If you want to create your own style, that’s what you have to do. Celebrate Black History Month with IMDb's exclusive galleries, recommendations, videos, and more. And Clark was a ham. So, entertainment is very important to me. [1] Since 1999, she’s been a United Nations Ambassador for its Food and Agriculture Organization. What was it like performing with Dizzy Gillespie? So all of these things have come to pass. Hence, my love of Horace Silver, but I loved Horace Silver from the time I was 15. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2006 CD release of "Dee Dee Bridgewater" on Discogs. For 23 years, she was the host of National Public Radio's syndicated radio show JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater. Excerpt of “Bad Spirits (Bani)” composed and performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater from the cd, Red Earth: A Malian Journey. Josephine Reed: How did you bring the musicians together? Regardless, she shows no signs of slowing down. I can kind of follow a melody now, you know. If you can work in—in Paris, I suggest you stay there for a while.” So, that’s how that happened. And I think I sang “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” I remember the audience really kind of going crazy. My father was one of the first DJs with WDIA. I did not want to be distracted. They decided to hold auditions for a female vocalist, and I took off of work to go, but I was really, really shy, if you can—if you can imagine. Dee Dee Bridgewater: I’m a frustrated musician. You've been listening to Art Works produced at the National Endowment for the Arts. One of the best jazz singers of her generation, Dee Dee Bridgewater had to move to France to find herself. I didn’t understand that. TITLE: Self Titled . That was my whole goal. It's not every night that an artist proposes locking the doors and having “one giant orgy of love”, but then Dee Dee Bridgewater has always had a singular take on things. ARTIST: Dee Dee Bridgwater. I—I will always remember that. Her mother introduced her to Ella Fitzgerald’s music, which became an inspiration to Bridgewater throughout her career, and her father was a jazz trumpeter who taught music at Memphis' famed Manassas High School. Dee Dee Bridgewater To Star In Lady Day The Musical. The festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. and the concert is free and open to the public. You know, we’re—we’re breaking everything down, and we’ve got to get back into the city. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Cecil Bridgewater, my first husband, we had just married in 1970. It was a beautiful show because I really tried to stay true to, you know, my jazz thing. I would reserve my seat. 6. Bridgewater continues to tour nationally and internationally. I’m the first and the only person who has translated these songs. You were 20 years old. The Wiz - The Super So… Wiz;Charlie Smalls.