Dee Dee Bridgewater

Biography

Dee Dee Bridgewater, born Denise Eileen Garrett on May 27, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee, is a celebrated American jazz singer and actress whose career spans over five decades. Raised in Flint, Michigan, she was immersed in jazz from an early age through her father, Matthew Garrett, a jazz trumpeter and educator. Bridgewater began performing in clubs as a teenager and later attended Michigan State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she toured the Soviet Union with the university's jazz band in 1969.

Her professional breakthrough came in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in New York City. Bridgewater quickly became a sought-after collaborator, performing and recording with jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Max Roach, and Clark Terry. Her debut solo album, 'Afro Blue,' was released in 1974, and she soon expanded her career to Broadway, earning a Tony Award for her role as Glinda in 'The Wiz.' After a period exploring pop and R&B in the 1980s, Bridgewater relocated to Paris, where she returned to her jazz roots, self-producing acclaimed albums and earning multiple Grammy Awards, including for her tributes to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.

Bridgewater is renowned for her dynamic vocal style, blending elements of jazz, blues, and international influences, and for her fearless reinterpretation of jazz standards. Her legacy includes not only her recordings and stage performances but also her role as a radio host and humanitarian, serving as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She is widely regarded as one of the preeminent jazz vocalists of her generation, bridging musical traditions and inspiring countless artists worldwide.

Fun Facts

• Dee Dee Bridgewater won a Tony Award for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the original Broadway production of 'The Wiz' (1975).
• She hosted NPR's syndicated radio show 'JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater' for 23 years, promoting jazz to a wide audience.
• Bridgewater is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, using her platform for humanitarian efforts.
• She was the first black actress to star as Sally Bowles in the musical 'Cabaret' in London.

Associated Acts

• Dee Dee Bridgewater 9net - eponymous, lead vocals, original
• Dee Dee Bridgewater & the Memphis Soulphony - eponymous

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Matthew Garrett - Her father, a jazz trumpeter and teacher, introduced her to jazz and nurtured her early musical development. (N/A (family influence)) [1950s–1960s]
• Ella Fitzgerald - Major stylistic influence; Bridgewater paid tribute to Fitzgerald with the Grammy-winning album 'Dear Ella.' (Dear Ella (1997)) [1990s]
• Horace Silver - Musical inspiration; Bridgewater realized a lifelong dream by recording a tribute album to Silver. (Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver (1994)) [1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - Lead vocalist; her first major professional engagement in New York. (Performances and recordings with the orchestra) [Early 1970s]
• Dizzy Gillespie - Performed and recorded together during her early jazz career. (Live performances, recordings) [1970s]
• Sonny Rollins - Collaborated in performances and recordings. (Live performances, recordings) [1970s]
• Dexter Gordon - Performed and recorded together. (Live performances, recordings) [1970s]
• Max Roach - Collaborated in performances and recordings. (Live performances, recordings) [1970s]
• Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpeter and first husband; performed together and were part of the New York jazz scene. (Various performances) [1970s]

Artists Influenced

• China Moses - Bridgewater's daughter, also a jazz vocalist, cites her mother as a primary influence and mentor. (China Moses's jazz recordings) [2000s–present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Into My Soul (Mr. Freedom)
2. Coffy Is The Color - From The "Coffy" Soundtrack
3. Hound Dog (Memphis ...Yes, I'm Ready)
4. Honeysuckle Rose
5. Lonely Disco Dancer (Dee Dee Bridgewater)
6. Into My Soul (The First Ten Years)
7. Coffy Is The Color
8. I Can't Stand the Rain (Memphis ...Yes, I'm Ready)
9. He's Gone (Dee Dee Bridgewater)
10. Yes, I'm Ready (Memphis ...Yes, I'm Ready)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #american, #jazz, #vocal-jazz