DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - This Is New (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Dee Dee Bridgewater may be the first jazz singer to devote an entire release to the theater music of Kurt Weill. She's in great form, with arrangements for the most part by her ex-husband Cecil Bridgewater. "Bilbao Song" is quite novel, with the addition of exotic flamenco guitars and percussion and a guest appearance by Antonio Hart on flute, and her tender interpretation of "My Ship" is first rate. "Alabama Song" leans more toward outright blues, with a saucy vocal and churning Hammond B3 organ. The obscure "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" starts out funky, but its middle section is pure hard bop with a fine solo by alto saxophonist Daniele Scannapieco. But the overly pop sound of keyboardist Thierry Eliez's scoring of "This Is New"; the uninspired chart of "Speak Low," which detracts from her fine singing and the bland French cabaret setting of "Youkali" hardly make them memorable. Still, she has to be admired for taking a chance by covering so many of Kurt Weill's songs (while avoiding the obvious choice of "Mack the Knife"), most of which have been overlooked in the decades since his death in 1950. by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1    This Is New 3:46
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Ira Gershwin
2    Lost In The Stars 5:36
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Maxwell Anderson
3    Bilbao Song 10:23
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By [English Lyrics] – Frank McGuinness, Michael Feingold
4    My Ship 4:56
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Ira Gershwin
5    Alabama Song 5:38
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Bertolt Brecht
6    The Saga Of Jenny 4:55
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Ira Gershwin
7    Youkali 3:54
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Roger Fernay
8    I'm A Stranger Here Myself 5:50
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Ogden Nash
9    Speak Low 4:17
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Ogden Nash
10    September Song 4:41
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Maxwell Anderson
11    Here I'll Stay 5:43
Composed By – Kurt Weill
Lyrics By – Alan Jay Lerner
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Daniele Scannapieco
Alto Saxophone, Guest [Special Guest] – Antonio Hart (pistas: 2, 10)
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater (pistas: 3 to 11), Thierry Eliez (pistas: 1, 2)
Arranged By [Strings] – Bernard Arcadio (pistas: 4, 9)
Backing Vocals – China Moses, Tulani Bridgewater Kowalski*
Bandoneon, Guest [Special Guest] – Juán José Mosalini (pistas: 7)
Bass – Ira Coleman
Drums – André Ceccarelli
Flute, Guest [Special Guest] – Antonio Hart (pistas: 3)
Guitar – Louis Winsberg
Percussion – Minino Garay
Piano, Organ [Hammond B3], Backing Vocals – Thierry Eliez
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Trombone – Denis LeLoup
Trumpet – Nicolas Folmer