|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBRIDGEWATER, Dee Dee(b 27 May 1950, Memphis TN) Jazz singer. She grew up in Flint, Michigan; her father played trumpet; she formed a trio in high school, and sang with her father's group; married trumpeter/composer Cecil Bridgewater (b 10 October 1942, Urbana IL; recorded with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band, Max Roach, Frank Foster, Horace Silver; made an album with saxophonist brother Ron, Generations on Strata-East). She went to NYC with him (later divorced). She was a featured singer with the Jones/Lewis band '72-4, studied with pianist Roland Hanna; recorded with Jones/Lewis, with Dizzy Gillespie, Roach, Roland Kirk, and Heiner Stadler: her 16-minute 'Love In The Middle Of The Air' '73 accompanied only by Reggie Workman's bass, on Stadler's Retrospective, was a tour-de-force of vocal expression. She then lived in France, where she originated a one-woman show, Lady Day, bringing it to London early '87. She made an album Live In Paris '87 on MCA, then on Polygram labels for trio album Keeping Tradition '93, then Love And Peace: A Tribute To Horace Silver '95: Silver was not the world's greatest lyricist, but she made it swing. The more successful Prelude To A Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album '96 followed, with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, guests including Bobby Watson and Wynton Marsalis; then Dear Ella '97 on Verve. A new album was Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee Bridgewater 2010, on DDB Records; she was promoting it with appearances in New York and Los Angeles. |