DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Afro Blue (1974-2003) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Afro Blue 8:25
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater
Written-By – Mongo Santamaria, Oscar Brown Jr.
2    Love Vibrations 5:52
Arranged By – Horace Silver
Written-By – Horace Silver
3    Blues Medley (Everyday I Have The Blues / Stormy Monday Blues)
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater
Traditional
4    Little B's Poem 3:06
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater
Written-By – Bobby Hutcherson, Doug Carn
5    Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 4:37
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater
Written-By – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
6    Love From The Sun 5:23
Written-By – Richard Clay
7    People Make The World Go Round 4:45
Arranged By – Cecil Bridgewater
Written-By – Linda Creed, Thom Bell
Credits :
Bass – George Mraz
Drums, Bells, Other [Other Sounds] – Motohiko Hino
Piano, Electric Piano – Roland Hanna
Tenor Saxophone, Cowbell, Other [African Castanets, Vibra-Clap] – Ron Bridgewater
Trumpet, Kalimba – Cecil Bridgewater
Vocals [Vocal] – Dee Dee Bridgewater

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Dee Dee Bridgewater (1976-2006) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Dee Dee Bridgewater's self-titled album opens with a song that sounds closer to Gloria Gaynor than Ella Fitzgerald, throwing her jazz fans for a loop. This 1976 release explores R&B and funk territories, while still employing her strong, husky voice. She shows the amazing range and emotional expression that would make her "comeback" albums of the '90s so remarkable, while apparently having a lot of fun. While this album is out of character for her stylistically, it is still a fine addition to any fan's collection. by Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist :
1    My Prayer (Fast) 3:28
Backing Vocals – Arleane Martell, Linda November, Vivian Cherry
Bass – Herb Bushler
Drums – Alan Schwartzburg
Engineer – S.Y.S.
Guitar – Cliff Morris, Jerry Friedman
Keyboards – Harold Wheeler
Producer – Stephen Y. Scheaffer
Written-By – Georges Boulanger, Jimmy Kennedy
2    My Lonely Room 4:49
Backing Vocals – August Johnson, Carolyn Willia, Jackie Ward, James Gilstrap, John Lehman, Marti McCall, Merry Clayton
Bass – Henry Davis, Wilton Felder
Congas – Bobbye Hall
Drums – Ed Greene
Engineer – Dave Hassinger
Guitar – David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Melvin Ragin, Ray Parker Jr.
Keyboards – Joe Sample, Tom Hensley
Percussion – Gary Coleman
Producer – Gene Page, Jerry Wexler
Written-By – Peter Skellern
3    It Ain't Easy 3:25
Arranged By [Strings] – Harold Wheeler
Backing Vocals – Gwindolyn Gutherie, Loni Groves, Vivian Cherry
Bass – David Hood
Concertmaster – Gene Orloff
Drums – Roger Hawkins
Engineer – Gregg Hamm, Jerry Master, Steve Melton
Guitar – Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carr
Keyboards – Barry Beckett
Producer – Stephen Y. Scheaffer
Written-By – Allen Toussaint
4    He's Gone 5:54
Backing Vocals – August Johnson, Carolyn Willia, Jackie Ward, James Gilstrap, John Lehman, Marti McCall, Merry Clayton
Bass – Henry Davis, Wilton Felder
Congas – Bobbye Hall
Drums – Ed Greene
Engineer – Dave Hassinger
Guitar – David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Melvin Ragin, Ray Parker Jr.
Keyboards – Joe Sample, Tom Hensley
Percussion – Gary Coleman
Producer – Gene Page, Jerry Wexler
Written-By – Daryl Hall & John Oates
5    Going Through The Motions 3:49
Arranged By [Strings] – Harold Wheeler
Backing Vocals – Gwindolyn Gutherie, Loni Groves, Vivian Cherry
Bass – David Hood
Concertmaster – Gene Orloff
Drums – Roger Hawkins
Engineer – Gregg Hamm, Jerry Master, Steve Melton
Guitar – Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carr
Keyboards – Barry Beckett
Producer – Stephen Y. Scheaffer
Written-By – Tom Bahler
6    You Saved Me 4:26
Backing Vocals – August Johnson, Carolyn Willia, Jackie Ward, James Gilstrap, John Lehman, Marti McCall, Merry Clayton
Bass – Henry Davis, Wilton Felder
Congas – Bobbye Hall
Drums – Ed Greene
Engineer – Dave Hassinger
Guitar – David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Melvin Ragin, Ray Parker Jr.
Keyboards – Joe Sample, Tom Hensley
Percussion – Gary Coleman
Producer – Gene Page, Jerry Wexler
Written By – Ed Little
Written-By – Bob Bateman
7    Every Man Wants Another Man's Woman
Arranged By [Strings] – Harold Wheeler
Backing Vocals – Gwindolyn Gutherie, Loni Groves, Vivian Cherry
Bass – David Hood
Concertmaster – Gene Orloff
Drums – Roger Hawkins
Engineer – Gregg Hamm, Jerry Master, Steve Melton
Guitar – Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carr
Keyboards – Barry Beckett
Producer – Stephen Y. Scheaffer
Written-By – Alan O'Day
8    My Prayer (Ballad) 5:33
Arranged By [Strings] – Harold Wheeler
Backing Vocals – Gwindolyn Gutherie, Loni Groves, Vivian Cherry
Bass – David Hood
Concertmaster – Gene Orloff
Drums – Roger Hawkins
Engineer – Gregg Hamm, Jerry Master, Steve Melton
Guitar – Jimmy Johnson, Pete Carr
Keyboards – Barry Beckett
Producer – Stephen Y. Scheaffer
Written-By – Georges Boulanger, Jimmy Kennedy

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Just Family (1978-2002) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Neither 1977's Just Family nor 1979's Bad for Me, the two albums combined for this Collectables release, can be considered Dee Dee Bridgewater's best work, but fans of mature, mid- to late-'70s R&B should find them moderately appealing. Though Bridgewater wouldn't really hit her stride until her return to jazz in the '90s, she was more than competent when it came to fitting in with the likes of Phyllis Hyman, Patrice Rushen, Minnie Riperton, and Patti Austin. Confoundingly, her only two chart hits -- the title tracks -- are contained here, while "Children Are the Spirit (Of the World)," "Sweet Rain," "Open Up Your Eyes," and "Don't Say It (If You Don't Mean It)" would have to be included on an anthology of her first five albums. Just Family and Bad for Me would have benefited from a track or two with the contagious energy heard on her version of Allen Toussaint's "It Ain't Easy" (found on her self-titled 1976 album for Atlantic), along with a couple sweeter ballads. by Andy Kellman
Tracklist :
1    Just Family 5:12
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Ndugu Leon Chancelor
Guitar – Raymond Gomez
Keyboards – George Duke
Music By – Stanley Clarke
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By – Gilbert Moses, Richard Duncan
2    Maybe Today 6:53
Bass – Ken Wild
Drums – Norman Farrington
Guitar – David T. Walker
Keyboards – Bobby Lyle
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By, Music By – Gilbert Moses
3    Children Are The Spirit (Of The World) 3:04
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Ndugu Leon Chancelor
Guitar – Raymond Gomez
Keyboards – George Duke
Music By – George Duke, Leon Ndugu Chancler, Ndugu Leon Chancelor, Raymond Gomez, Stanley Clarke
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By – Gilbert Moses
4    Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word 4:53
Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Drums – Harvey Mason
Guitar – Raymond Gomez
Keyboards – Ronnie Foster
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Violin – Scarlet Rivera
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By, Music By – Bernie Taupin, Elton John
5    Sweet Rain 3:03
Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Drums – Harvey Mason
Guitar – Raymond Gomez
Keyboards – Ronnie Foster
Music By – John Barnes
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By – John Barnes, Sharon Barnes
6    Open Up Your Eyes 5:28
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Harvey Mason
Guitar – Raymond Gomez
Keyboards – Ronnie Foster
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By, Music By – Ronnie Foster
7    Night Moves 3:12
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Drums – Norman Farrington
Keyboards – Bobby Lyle
Music By – Michael Small
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By – Michael Franks
8    Thank The Day
Bass – Ken Wild
Drums – Norman Farrington
Guitar – David T. Walker
Keyboards – Bobby Lyle
Strings [Ensemble] – Stanley Clarke
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By, Music By – Gilbert Moses
9    Melody Maker 2:22
Keyboards – Chick Corea
Percussion – Airto Moreira
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Words By, Music By – William Allen

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Bad for Me (1979-2004) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Bad For Me 5:35
Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Electric Piano [Yamaha Electric Grand] – George Duke
Backing Vocals – Josie James, Lynn Davis, Napolean Murphy Brock
Bass – Byron Miller
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Recorded By [Horns At Kendun] – Geoff Sykes
Tenor Saxophone – Don Menza, Larry Williams
Trombone – Lew McCreary
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Written-By – Charles Veal Jr., Deborah Thomas
2    Back Of Your Mind 3:18
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – George Duke
Backing Vocals – George Duke, Josie James, Lynn Davis
Bass – Byron Miller
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Bobby Lyle
Flugelhorn – Jerry Hey
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Written-By – Gene McDaniels, Raye Styles
3    For The Girls 4:46
Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Electric Piano [Yamaha Electric Grand] – George Duke
Backing Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater, Josie James, Lynn Davis
Bass – Robert Powell
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Written-By – Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Duke
4    Love Won't Let Me Go 4:00
Arranged By [Horns] – Eddie delBarrio, Larry Dunn
Arranged By [Vocals] – George Duke, Larry Dunn
Backing Vocals – Jim Gilstrap, Josie James, Lynn Davis
Baritone Saxophone – Fred Jackson
Bass – Byron Miller
Bass Trombone – Maurice Spears
Concertmaster – Murray Adler
Conductor [Horns] – Eddie delBarrio
Conductor [Strings], Arranged By [Strings] – Jorge G. Delbarrio
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Larry Dunn
French Horn – Richard Perissi, Sydney Muldrow
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Strings – Carole Mukogawa, Douglas L. Davis, Frederick Seykora, Gayle Levant, Jorge G. Delbarrio, James Getzoff, Janet Laketos, Jay A. Rosen, Joy Lyle, Judy Perett, Marvin Limonick, Murray Adler, Pamela Goldsmith, Robert Konrad, Robert L. Adcock, William Kurasch
Trombone – George Bohannon, Louis Satterfield
Trumpet – Bobby Bryant, Jerry Hey, Rahmlee
Written-By – Dee Dee Bridgewater, Larry Dunn
5    Streetsinger 3:34
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – George Duke
Backing Vocals – Becky Lopez, Carolyn Dennis, Petsye Powell
Bass – Byron Miller
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Yamaha Electric Grand] – Bobby Lyle
Guitar – Ronald Bautista
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Written-By – Don Kerr
6    It's The Falling In Love 3:36
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – George Duke
Backing Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Greg Phillinganes
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Written-By – Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster
7    Tequila Mockingbird 4:02
Arranged By [Horns] – Eddie delBarrio, Larry Dunn
Arranged By [Vocals] – George Duke, Larry Dunn
Backing Vocals – Jim Gilstrap, Josie James, Lynn Davis
Baritone Saxophone – Fred Jackson
Bass – Byron Miller
Bass Trombone – Maurice Spears
Chorus [Acoustic Piano Scat Chorus] – Dee Dee Bridgewater, George Duke
Concertmaster – Murray Adler
Conductor [Horns] – Eddie delBarrio
Conductor [Strings], Arranged By [Strings] – Jorge G. Delbarrio
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Mini Moog] – Larry Dunn
French Horn – Richard Perissi, Sydney Muldrow
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Percussion – Paulinho Dacosta
Strings – Carole Mukogawa, Douglas L. Davis, Frederick Seykora, Gayle Levant, Jorge G. Delbarrio, James Getzoff, Janet Laketos, Jay A. Rosen, Joy Lyle, Judy Perett, Marvin Limonick, Murray Adler, Pamela Goldsmith, Robert Konrad, Robert L. Adcock, William Kurasch
Trombone – George Bohannon, Louis Satterfield
Trumpet – Bobby Bryant, Jerry Hey, Rahmlee
Written-By – Larry Dunn, Roxanne J. Seeman
8    Don't Say It (If You Don't Mean It) 4:12
Arranged By [Horns] – Bobby Lyle, George Duke
Backing Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater, Josie James, Lynn Davis
Bass – Robert Powell
Drums – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Yamaha Electric Grand], Clavinet, Synthesizer [Mini Moog] – Bobby Lyle
Guitar – Roland Bautista
Percussion – Sheila Escovedo
Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Bobby Lyle, George Duke, Larry Dunn
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Written-By – Bobby Lyle
9    Is This What Feeling Gets? (From The Motion Picture "The Wiz") 3:55
Arranged By, Conductor – George Duke
Bass – Alphonso Johnson
Concertmaster – Murray Adler
Drums, Electronic Drums [Syndrums] – Ricky Lawson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer, Prophet] – George Duke
Flugelhorn – Jerry Hey
Tenor Saxophone – Lawrence Williams
Trombone – William Frank Reichenbach
Written-By – Nickolas Ashford, Quincy Jones, Valerie Simpson

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Dee Dee Bridgewater (1980) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Dee Dee Bridgewater's final Elektra effort represents her most concentrated attempt at a crossover hit. A collaboration with Philly soul architect Thom Bell, this self-titled set bears all the hallmarks of the post-disco Philadelphia International sound, couching Bridgewater's potent vocals in a series of lush, sophisticated settings. The record's far from unlistenable, but Bridgewater never seems comfortable in this slick, pop-oriented context. A handful of jazzy ballads allow her to stretch out, but the more up-tempo numbers feel strained, and cuts like "Lonely Disco Dancer" have aged no better than such a title would suggest. by Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    Lonely Disco Dancer 4:55
Written-By – J.B. Jefferson, Richard Roebuck, Thom Bell
2    When Love Comes Knockin' 4:20
Written-By – Dennis Caldirola, Joe Ericksen, Thom Bell
3    One In A Million (Guy) 4:43
Written-By – Joe Ericksen, Thom Bell
4    Gunshots In The Night 6:27
Written-By – Casey James, Leroy Bell
5    When You're In Love 6:24
Written-By – Casey James
6    That's The Way Love Should Feel 4:28
Written-By – Alan Glass, Preston Glass
7    Give In To Love 5:11
Written-By – Linda Creed, Thom Bell
8    Jody (Whoever You Are) 4:14
Written-By – J.B. Jefferson
Credits :
Arranged By, Conductor, Producer – Bell & James (pistas: 4, 5)
Arranged By, Conductor, Producer, Executive Producer – Thom Bell
Backing Vocals – Barbara Ingram, Carl Helm, Carla Benson, Yvette Benton, Frankie Bleu, George Merill
Bass – Bob Babbitt
Drums – Charles Collins
Guitar – Billy Neale, Bobby Eli
Horns – Don Renaldo & His Strings And Horns
Keyboards – Casey James, Thom Bell
Percussion – Larry Washington, Leroy Bell
Saxophone – Grant Reeves
Strings – Don Renaldo & His Strings And Horns

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Live In Paris (1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After showing early potential, Dee Dee Bridgewater wandered into commercialism and then moved to France. This 1986 recording started her artistic "comeback" and showed that she had developed and matured during her years in Europe. Backed by her regular French rhythm section, Bridgewater is in spirited and creative form on such numbers as "All Blues," "There Is No Greater Love," and "Cherokee," among others. Her arrival as a major singer in the years since this set has been a welcome event. Recommended. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     All Blues 6:23
Miles Davis
2     Misty 8:26
E. Garner / Erroll Garner
3     On a Clear Day 5:21
Burton Lane
4     Dr. Feelgood 5:30
Aretha Franklin / Ted White
5     There Is No Greater Love 7:06
I. Jones / Isham Jones / Marty Symes
6     Here's That Rainy Day 7:31
James Van Heusen
7     Medley Blues 8:16
Peter Chatman / T-Bone Walker
8     Cherokee 5:14
Ray Noble
9     How High the Moon 2:48
Nancy Hamilton / Morgan Lewis
Credits :
Bass – Antoine (Tony) Bonfils
Drums – Andre Ceccarelli
Piano – Herve Sellin
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Victim of Love (1989) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Heartache Caravan    4:32
Dee Dee Bridgewater
2    Wall Of Love    3:50
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Pierre Papadiamandis
3    Love Takes Chances    4:27
Dee Dee Bridgewater
4    I Go My Way    3:21
A. Bonfils
5    Precious Thing (Till The Next... Somewhere) 5:03
Vocals – Ray Charles
6    Mr. Guitar Man    4:50
Dee Dee Bridgewater
7    Can't We Try Love Again    3:57
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Michel Legrand
8    Sunset & Blue    4:01
Michel Legrand
Credits :
Backing Vocals – Anita Skorgan, Bjørn Nessjø, La Velle, Steve Forward
Double Bass – Cesarius Alvim
Drums – André Ceccarelli
Electric Bass – Tony Bonfils
Electric Guitar – Basile Leroux, Benjamin Raffaelli, Frode Alnæs, Jean-Claude Chavanat, Jean-Michel Kajdan
Keyboards – Bernard Arcadio, Terry Disley
Keyboards, Programmed By – Kjetil Bjerkestrand
Lead Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Tenor Saxophone – Francis Bourrec

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - In Montreux (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Dee Dee Bridgewater's move to France awhile back has resulted in her having a relatively low profile in jazz. This excellent live set should help restore her reputation. Whether it be a three-song Horace Silver medley, the warhorse "All of Me," Jobim's "How Insensitive," "Night in Tunisia" or the rarely performed "Strange Fruit," Bridgewater (who is backed by a French rhythm section) is in top form, singing with swing and sensitivity. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     All of Me 7:51
Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons
2     How Insensitive (Insensatez) 7:51
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
3     Just Friends 7:51
John Klenner / Sam M. Lewis
4     A Child Is Born 4:35
Thad Jones
5     Strange Fruit 5:12
Lewis Allan
6     A Night in Tunisia 9:16
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
7     Horace Silver Medley : Sister Sadie/Next Time I Fall in Love/Señor Blu 7:18
Ronald Bright / Horace Silver
Credits :
Bass, Arranged By – Hein Van de Geyn
Drums – André (Dédé) Ceccarelli
Piano – Bert Van Den Brink
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Keeping Tradition (1993) APE (image+.cue), lossless

After performing a wide variety of music (much of it commercial) for 15 years, in the mid-'80s Dee Dee Bridgewater returned to jazz. The highly appealing vocalist, although still involved in theater work and other areas of music, has mostly recorded straight-ahead jazz ever since, carving out a niche for herself. This set with her regular French quartet has Bridgewater exploring and swinging some of her favorite standards. She makes such veteran songs as "Just One of Those Things," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "Autumn Leaves," and "Lullaby of Birdland" sound fresh and new. Bridgewater's next project would be a set of Horace Silver songs, and two of the pianist's originals ("Love Vibrations" and "Sister Sadie") are included and point toward the singer's future. This CD is highly recommended, as are all of Dee Dee Bridgewater's Verve recordings. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Just One of Those Things 2:55
Cole Porter
2     Fascinating Rhythm 4:05
George Gershwin
3     The Island 3:41
Ivan Lins / Vitor Martins
4     Angel Eyes 5:51
Matt Dennis
5     What Is This Thing Called Love? 3:14
Cole Porter
6     Les Feuilles Mortes = Autumn Leaves 6:49    
J, Prevert    , J, Herron, F. Sinatra / C. Cosma
7     Medley     I'm A Fool To Want You / I Fall In Love Too Easily 4:10     
J. Wokf, J. Herron, F. Sinatra, S. Cahn    
8     Lullaby of Birdland 7:04
B. Y. Forster / George Shearing
9     What a Little Moonlight Can Do 3:11
Harry Woods
10     Love Vibrations 5:38
Horace Silver
11     Polka Dots and Moonbeams (Around a Pug-Nosed Dream) 5:23
J. Burke / J. Van Heusen
12     Sister Sadie 4:37
Horace Silver
Credits :
Arranged By, Bass – Hein Van De Geyn
Drums – Andre "Dédé" Ceccarelli
Piano – Thierry Eliez
Producer, Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Prelude To A Kiss : The Duke Ellington Album (1996) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This release is more properly identified as a various artists compilation, which includes the pop sounds of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Most of the orchestrations and arrangements are pleasant, even if they're not blatantly original. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson is superb on "Mood Indigo" and the exotic "Fleurette Africaine." The orchestra does a fine job with the rarely heard suite "Night Creature." Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater shines frequently; backed by a superb quartet including Wynton Marsalis, she delivers a delightful cover of "I'm Beginning To See The Light." But it is her hypnotic, chanting introduction, backed by Middle Eastern percussion and Steve Turre's conch shells, that gives this release an occasional freshness usually lacking in similar Ellington tributes. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Midnight Indigo 2:26
Duke Ellington
2     I'm Beginning to See the Light 5:03
Duke Ellington / Don George / Johnny Hodges / Harry James
3     Bli-Blip 4:16
Duke Ellington / Sid Kuller
4     Fleurette Africaine 3:32
Duke Ellington
5     Prelude to a Kiss 3:52
Duke Ellington / Irving Gordon / Irving Mills
6     Caravan 4:29
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
7     Solitude 4:20
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
8     Mood Indigo 4:28
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Night Creature     
9     Fast 4:16
Duke Ellington
10     Andante misterioso 7:29
Duke Ellington
11     Moderato - Faster Swing - Moderato 3:53
Duke Ellington
12     Come Sunday 4:09
Duke Ellington
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bobby Watson, Charles McPherson
Bass – Ira Coleman
Drum – Jeff Hamilton
Percussion – Cyro Baptista
Piano – Cyrus Chestnut
Trombone – Steve Turre
Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis
Vocals, Percussion, Other [Gimbra] – Hassan Hakmoun

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Dear Ella (1997) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Bridgewater's heartfelt tribute to Ella Fitzgerald is a resounding testament not only to the legendary jazz vocal icon, but also to Bridgewater's own faithful singing style, rich in Ella's tonal quality particularly on the high end. Her inflections are also quite natural, rather than self-effacing or forced. Some of the tracks vary in group size, as duo (with Kenny Burrell), trio (with Lou Levy leading on piano), or combo (with Milt Jackson, Antonio Hart, Grady Tate, Slide Hampton, and brother Cecil Bridgewater). Nine of the total 13 cuts have big-band backing, or orchestral settings arranged and conducted by John Clayton. "Midnight Sun" is perhaps the best of all ballads, and here Dee Dee sings with ravishingly lush, near-frightening efficiency. She cops Ella best on "Stairway to the Stars," with the piano trio leading and strings following along. She picks up on Ella's cutesiness for "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," while starting balladic, then swinging well during "Mr Paganini." Brother/trumpeter/arranger Cecil writes a neat call-and-response with horns and the singer on "Undecided," and they wail together in convincing, authentic fashion on "Lady Be Good." Andre Cecceralli, with the trio on "Mack the Knife," adds a dash of contemporary flavor. Bridgewater's finale "Dear Ella" is the end-all tribute with guitarist Burrell only as accompanist and author. They thank the legend for her enormous contributions which need no additional comment. This is certainly Dee Dee Bridgewater's most ambitious, and finest recorded production. You have to appreciate the reality of Fitzgerald's influence on thousands of musicians, but on this CD, it all comes home to roost. Highly recommended, for the singer's attitude and the brilliant backup musicians who nod in total agreement. by Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    A-Tisket, A-Tasket 2:32
Composed By – Ella Fitzgerald, Van Alexander
2    Mack The Knife 3:59
Composed By – Bertolt Brecht, Marc Blitzstein
Music By – Kurt Weill
3    Undecided 6:22
Composed By – Sid Robin
Music By – Charlie Shavers
4    Midnight Sun 7:22
Composed By – Johnny Mercer
Music By – Lionel Hampton, Sonny Burke
5    Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) 3:31
Composed By – Cole Porter
Music By – Cole Porter
6    How High The Moon 5:05
Composed By – Nancy Hamilton
Music By – Morgan Lewis
7    If You Can't Sing It, You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini) 6:34
Composed By – Sam Coslow
Music By – Sam Coslow
8    Cotton Tail 2:58
Composed By – Duke Ellington
Music By – Duke Ellington
9    My Heart Belongs To Daddy 5:05
Composed By – Cole Porter
Music By – Cole Porter
10    (I'd Like To Get You On A) Slow Boat To China 2:57
Composed By – Frank Loesser
Music By – Frank Loesser
11    Oh, Lady, Be Good! 3:39
Composed By – George Gershwin
Music By – George Gershwin
12    Stairway To The Stars 4:10
Composed By – Mitchell Parish
Music By – Frank Signorelli, Matty Malneck
13    Dear Ella 4:56
Arranged By – Kenny Burrell
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
All Credits

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Live At Yoshi's (2000) APE (image+.cue), lossless

13 years after her prior in-performance release Live in Paris, Bridgewater has not so much matured or refined her approach as she has gotten bolder. This CD was recorded on what would have been her idol Ella Fitzgerald's 80th birthday weekend at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA. She scats in the style of Fitzgerald on most of these numbers -- not quite in the higher range, but comfortably in the middle -- while also displaying some of Sarah Vaughan's more deeply soulful traits. It's a combination of the two, with a little bawdiness for spice, that has made Bridgewater a prime purveyor of excitable jazz vocalizing these days. The set begins with the Charlie Shavers evergreen "Undecided," as the singer stops and starts the band on several dimes for the initial lines, exacting choppy phrases and similar scatting á la Fitzgerald on the bridge. In an Ella-cum-Betty Carter mode for "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," Bridgewater waxes frantically on the effect of an obviously full moon turning her into a scatting monster during two different uptempos. Then she brings out the Sarah Vaughan nightshade for "Midnight Sun," a memorable rendition especially buoyed by Eliez, with rubato intro of bass and piano underneath cat-walking, stealth phrases, stunningly set between the bass and piano lock-step with the vocal line. Then they dive headlong into "Love for Sale" for just over 14 minutes, and more delicate vocals lead to a scat much faster than the band's rhythm. The finale "Cotton Tail" is a three-ring exercise in scat. This program comprises a side of Bridgewater's well-known vehicles used for years as a springboard for her formidable talent -- unabashed and unafraid. by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1     Undecided 8:57
Sid Robin / Sydney Robin / Charlie Shavers
2     (I'd Like to Get You on A) Slow Boat to China 6:08
Frank Loesser
3     Stairway to the Stars 7:56
Matty Malneck / Mitchell Parish / Frank Signorelli
4     What a Little Moonlight Can Do 5:13
Harry Woods
5     Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine 2:32
James Brown
6     Midnight Sun 7:08
Sonny Burke / Lionel Hampton / Johnny Mercer
7     Cherokee 6:14
Ray Noble
8     Love for Sale 14:05
Cole Porter
9     Cotton Tail 9:42
Duke Ellington
Credits :
Double Bass – Thomas Bramerie
Drums, Percussion – Ali Jackson
Piano, Organ – Thierry Eliez
Vocals, Scat, Producer – Dee Dee Bridgewater

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

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - J'ai Deux Amours (2005) APE (image+.cue), lossless

These Parisian café tunes bring out the best in this stellar jazz singer, particularly on the opening title track. Accompanied by accordion, which introduces the song, Dee Dee Bridgewater takes you from Paris down to the French Riviera with a warm, slightly island sound as she sings en français. And she has no problem creating her soothing jazz pipes regardless of language. It's as if she's been influenced by the greats but also by the late Henry Mancini in terms of some of the arrangements. A cover of "La Mer (Beyond the Sea)" is a faster, up-tempo approach far different than the swinging version by Bobby Darin. Guitarist Louis Winsberg also does a commendable job on this song. Bridgewater shines on several of these songs, especially her tender, hushed tone during "Ne Me Quitte Pas"'s opening before she opens up with drum brushes in the background. She changes things slightly during "Mon Homme (My Man)" when she opts to sing in both French and English, the latter in a rather swinging, tropical manner. The strength of the album is in the selections that suit the singer to a tee, including the soothing, down-tempo arrangement of "Que Reste-T-Il de Nos Amours," holding notes in the vein of Cassandra Wilson or Shirley Horn. The highlight is the dreamy ten-minute "La Belle Vie (The Good Life)" that opens with Bridgewater and a lone bass. In no hurry to finish the tune, Bridgewater seems to outdo herself as an accordion fades in and out of the song prior to a glistening guitar solo. Perhaps the lone aberration is "La Vie en Rose," which has less jazz and more of a world feeling to it as the drums and percussion create a sense of tension. Bridgewater has made a very good album. Tres bien. by Jason MacNeil  
Tracklist :
1    J'Ai Deux Amours 4:24
Composed By [Introduction] – Marc Berthoumieux
Lyrics By – Geo Koger, Henri Varna
Lyrics By [English] – Barry Trivers, John Murray
Music By – Vincent Scotto
2    La Mer (Beyond The Sea) 3:28
Lyrics By [English] – Jack Lawrence
Lyrics By, Music By – Charles Trenet
Music By – Albert Lasry
3    Ne Me Quitte Pas 5:48
Lyrics By [English] – Rod McKuen
Written-By – Jacques Brel
4    Mon Homme [My Man] 4:44
Lyrics By – Albert Willemetz, Jacques Charles
Lyrics By [English] – Channing Pollock
Music By – Maurice Yvain
5    Et Maintenant 3:26
Lyrics By – Pierre Delanoë
Lyrics By [English] – Carl Sigman
Music By – Gilbert Becaud
6    Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours 4:57
Lyrics By [English] – Lee Wilson
Written-By – Charles Trenet
7    Dansez Sur Moi (Girl Talk) 4:16
Lyrics By – Bobby Troup
Lyrics By [French] – Claude Nougaro
Music By – Neil Hefti
8    La Belle Vie (The Good Life) 10:11
Lyrics By – Jean Broussolle
Lyrics By [English] – Jack Reardon
Music By – Sacha Distel
9    Avec Le Temps 4:52
Written-By – Léo Ferré
10    La Vie En Rose 5:19
Lyrics By – Edith Piaf
Lyrics By [English] – Mack David
Music By – Louiguy
11    Les Feuilles Mortes4:56
Lyrics By – Jacques Prevert
Lyrics By [English] – Johnny Mercer
Music By – Joseph Kosma
Credits :
Accordion, Arranged By – Marc Berthoumieux
Bass, Arranged By – Ira Coleman
Drums, Percussion, Arranged By – Minino Garay
Guitar – Patrick Manougian (pistas: 9, 10)
Guitar, Arranged By – Louis Winsberg
Vocals, Producer, Arranged By – Dee Dee Bridgewater

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Red Earth (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Multiple award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater delivers an astounding masterwork complete with an entrancing set of original compositions and four reworked jazz classics on Red Earth. It is her ode to Mali and Africa -- the story of a lost child finding her way home. Singing in the spirit that calls on her African and Malian ancestry and with reverence for jazz vocalists such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald at their best, Bridgewater exudes the artistic depth she is revered for around the world. Recorded in Mali and featuring some of its most respected artists, this ambitious concept recording explores Malian and other African jazz roots on such songs as "Bani" (Bad Spirits), "Sakhodougou" (The Griots), "Oh My Love," and "Massane Cissé" (Red Earth). When it was written, "Bambo" (No More), composed by Tata "Bambo" Kouyaté, was so powerful that it led the government to abolish forced marriage in the 1960s. In addition to including "Bambo," such prominent female vocalists and outspoken women's rights advocates as Oumou Sangaré, Ramata Diakité, rising star Mamani Kéita, and Fatoumata "Mama" Kouyaté, the latter being hailed as the "golden voice of Mali," are prominently featured. "Bani," "Sakhodougou," and "Massane Cissé," which originated in the 12th and 13th centuries, are told in the oral tradition of "the Griots." In deference to the importance of these traditions, Bridgewater features lauded griots (musical and otherwise) Kassé-Mady Diabaté, up-and-coming talent Kabiné Kouyaté, Bassékou Kouyaté, Toumani Diabaté, and Baba Sissoko. On the jazz side, Bridgewater revisits "Afro Blue," previously released in 1974, with a new beginning, beautiful accentuation, and skillfully elongated lyrics. A favorite among jazz and folk vocalists, Nina Simone's "Four Women" also serves as a brilliant new showcase for Bridgewater's amazing vocals. This compelling song is reintroduced via an Edsel Gomez arrangement. Bridgewater weaves her emphatic emotions and storytelling expertise throughout Simone's heartfelt lyrics and simply holds you spellbound, compelling you to replay it more than once. For fans of Dee Dee Bridgewater, this masterwork is yet another brilliant testament to her linguistic versatility. On the Grammy-nominated J'Ai Deaux Amours, released in 2005, she sang in French as well as in English on a collection of French cabaret-style songs. With Red Earth she takes you into the depths of the African diaspora complete with references to several native dialects. This CD was nominated for a Grammy award in 2007 for Best Jazz Vocal Album. by Paula Edelstein  
Tracklist :
1     Afro Blue 5:11
Oscar Brown, Jr. / Mongo Santamaría
2     Bad Spirits 5:49
Dee Dee Bridgewater
3     Dee Dee 2:57
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Baba Sissoko
4     Mama Don't Ever Go Away 5:39
Dee Dee Bridgewater
5     Long Time Ago 6:48
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Wayne Shorter
6     Children Go 'Round 6:05
Dee Dee Bridgewater
7     The Griots 6:04
Dee Dee Bridgewater
8     Oh My Love 6:03
Dee Dee Bridgewater
9     Four Women 5:24
Nina Simone
10     No More 4:45
Dee Dee Bridgewater
11     Red Earth 5:17
Dee Dee Bridgewater
12     Meanwhile 4:25
Dee Dee Bridgewater / Edsel Gomez
13     Compared to What 5:21
Lassy "King" Massassy / Gene McDaniels
All Credits :

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER — Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959) : To Billie with Love from Dee Dee Bridgewater (2010) WV (image+.cue), lossless

 It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Dee Dee Bridgewater chose to record a tribute album to Billie Holiday. In quick succession beginning in the mid-'90s Bridgewater cut tribute albums to Ella Fitzgerald, Horace Silver, and Kurt Weill, and prior to that, in the late '80s, she was nominated for an award for her one-woman star turn in a European theater production of Lady Day, the Holiday story. That Bridgewater would eventually turn to Holiday (whose given name of Eleanora Fagan explains the title) for an album-length exploration was almost a given -- it was just a question of when. It's one of her grandest efforts, too. With arrangements by Edsel Gomez (who also provides piano) and a stellar cast of participants including bassist Christian McBride, saxophonist/flutist/bass clarinetist James Carter, and drummer Lewis Nash, Bridgewater doesn't attempt to mimic Holiday's mannerisms or inflections but, as one would expect of such a gifted artist, to absorb and reframe Holiday -- this is pure Bridgewater, not another performance of Lady Day. Gomez, for his part, quite often pulls the arrangements squarely away from Holiday territory to reinvent these classic songs for a modern audience. The opening "Lady Sings the Blues" is both instantly recognizable yet freshly reconceived as something of an uptempo blues packed with polyrhythmic punch. "All of Me," which follows, is taken at near-breakneck speed, Bridgewater jumping ahead of the beat, following Carter's thrilling soprano sax solo with a raging scat that's more Ella than Billie. Not everything is meant to redefine, though: "God Bless the Child" is mostly true to the original, though Carter's soprano solo again brings the tune into the new century, and "Lover Man," though livelier than Holiday's take, is offered in a somewhat timeless and straightforward manner. As one might expect, there's no way a singer with Bridgewater's commitment to jazz history could release a Holiday tribute without tackling "Strange Fruit," the controversial anti-lynching landmark that remains Holiday's most daring moment, and it's saved for last here. It's an eerie, ominous interpretation, Bridgewater's raw vocal up front and fraught with emotion. Carter's brooding bass clarinet and McBride's bass lend a foreboding quality to the take, Nash relies heavily on his cymbals to dramatic effect, and Gomez's piano is subtle, allowing the nakedness of Bridgewater's voice -- at times unaccompanied -- to retell this story that can never be told enough. It's a stunning finale to one of the finest Billie Holiday homages ever recorded. Jeff Tamarkin  
Tracklist :
1    Lady Sings The Blues 3:30
Written-By – Billie Holiday, Herbie Nichols
2    All Of Me 2:58
Written-By – Gerald Marks, Seymour B. Simons
3    Good Morning Heartache 5:10
Written-By – Dan Fisher, Ervin M. DRake, Irene Higginbotham
4    Lover Man 4:43
Written-By – James Edward Davis, James Sherman, Roger J. Ramirez
5    You've Changed 5:10
Written-By – William "Bill" Carey, Carl Fischer
6    Miss Brown To You 2:12
Written-By – Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger, Richard A. Whiting*
7    Don't Explain 6:14
Written-By – Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday
8    Fine And Mellow 4:54
Written-By – Billie Holiday
9    Mother's Son-In-Law 2:46
Written-By – Alberta Nichols, Mann Holiner
10    God Bless The Child 5:13
Written-By – Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday
11    Foggy Day 4:33
Written-By – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
12    Strange Fruit 4:16
Written-By – Lewis Allan
Credits :
Bass – Christian McBride
Bass Clarinet – James Carter (pistas: 3, 12)
Drums – Lewis Nash
Flute [Alto] – James Carter (pistas: 7)
Arranged By, Piano – Edsel Gomez
Soprano Saxophone – James Carter (pistas: 2, 4, 10)
Tenor Saxophone – James Carter (pistas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9)
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater

 

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Midnight Sun (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Midnight Sun, issued by Decca/Emarcy, is a ballads collection of jazz and pop standards assembled from Dee Dee Bridgewater's recordings for Verve and other UMG-associated labels dating back to 1993's Keeping Tradition, and moving through 2010's Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee. For those who've followed Bridgewater's career by collecting her albums over the last 18 years, there is only one track here you likely don't already own, a gorgeous version of the Edith Piaf standard "L'hymne a L'amour (J'ai Deux Amours)," previously only issued in Japan as a bonus track on the album of the same name. It's a gorgeous duet with guitarist Luis Winsberg sung in both French and English. Other highlights here include the title track from 1997's Dear Ella album (written by Johnny Mercer), her fine version of the Earl Brent and Matt Dennis nugget "Angel Eyes" from Keeping Tradition, "Lonely Woman," from Love & Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, and Kurt Weill's and Jay Lerner's "Here I'll Stay" from This Is New, released in 2002. As an album, these tracks -- all beautifully remastered -- hold together very well despite the variety of instrumental settings, and Bridgewater imbues them all with her consummate phrasing and intimacy. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist :
1     Midnight Sun 7:24
Sonny Burke / Lionel Hampton / Johnny Mercer
2     Angel Eyes 5:51
Earl Brent / Matt Dennis
3     My Ship 4:57
Ira Gershwin / Kurt Weill
4     Que Rest-t-il? 4:58
Charles Trénet / Lee Wilson
5     Lonely Woman 5:21
Horace Silver
6     Speak Low 4:18
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
7     I'm a Fool to Want You/I Fall in Love Too Easily 4:09
Sammy Cahn / Joel Herron / Frank Sinatra / Jule Stein / Jack Wolf
8     L' Hymne à L'amour 5:04
Marguerite Monnot / Édith Piaf / Lee Wilson
9     The Island 3:42
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Ivan Lins / Vitor Martins
10     Good Morning Heartache 5:11
Ervin Drake / Dan Fisher / Irene Higginbotham / Billie Holiday
11     Here I'll Stay 5:45
Alan Jay Lerner / Kurt Weill

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Dee Dee's Feathers (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater's 2015 effort, Dee Dee's Feathers, is a vibrant jazz showcase that pays homage to the history of New Orleans and marks the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. A collaboration between Bridgewater, New Orleans trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO), the album finds Bridgewater combining her love of New Orleans' musical past with the Crescent City's vibrant present. Recorded at Esplanade Studios, a historic 1920s church turned music studio in heart of the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, Dee Dee's Feathers has a lush, organic sound. Bridgewater is backed here by Mayfield and his band, featuring guitarist/banjo player Don Vappie, drummer Adonis Rose, pianist Victor Atkins, and bassist Khari Allen Lee. Also featured on the album are several guests, including such New Orleans icons as keyboardist Dr. John and percussionist Bill Summers. These are warm, largely acoustic arrangements that breathe with the energy of a live performance. Cuts like the second-line, Mardi Gras-themed "Big Chief," and the similarly percussion-heavy title track sound pleasingly like in-studio jams. In contrast, standards like the romantic "What a Wonderful World" and the languid "Come Sunday," are lush, symphonic big-band productions that juxtapose Bridgewater's crackling, resonant voice against shimmering string and horn sections. Throughout all of Dee Dee's Feathers is Mayfield's burnished, puckered trumpet, adding a soulful counterpoint to Bridgewater's urbane vocals. Bridgewater has built a career out of combining her love of the tradition with her desire to push the boundaries of jazz style, and Dee Dee's Feathers is no exception. by Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1    One Fine Thing 6:31
Arranged By – Emily Fredrickson
Songwriter – Harry Connick, Jr.
2    What A Wonderful World 7:20
Arranged By – Ed Pertersen
Composed By – Bob Thiele, George David Weiss
3    Big Chief 6:19
Arranged By – Mike Esneault
Songwriter – Earl King Johnson
4    Saint James Infirmary 5:15
Arranged By – Victor Atkins
5    Dee Dee's Feathers 2:47
Arranged By – Bill Summers, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield
6    New Orleans 6:38
Arranged By – Ed Petersen
Composed By – Hoagy Carmichael
7    Treme Song / Do Whatcha Wanna 5:49
Arranged By – Mike Esneault
Songwriter – John Boutté
8    Come Sunday 4:45
Songwriter – Duke Ellington
9    Congo Square 4:34
Composed By, Arranged By – Bill Summers, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield
10    C'est Ici Que Je T'aime 6:33
Composed By, Arranged By – Irvin Mayfield
11    Do You Know What It Means 6:18
Arranged By – Victor Atkins
Songwriter – Eddie Delange, Louis Alter
12    Whoopin' Blues 4:20
Arranged By – Mike Esneault
Songwriter – Benny Jones, Bruce Christian Brackman, Craig Klein, Julius McKee, Lionel Batiste, Roger Hayward Lewis

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Memphis ... Yes, I'm Ready (2017) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

There's no question that Dee Dee Bridgewater is one of America's great jazz vocalists, but that's hardly the only thing she can do. Bridgewater was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and while her family pulled up stakes for Flint, Michigan when she was only three, she still feels a spiritual connection with the city and its music, and on 2017's Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready, she puts her love of vintage soul and blues front and center. Bridgewater recorded Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready at Royal Recorders, the Bluff City studio where producer Willie Mitchell cut a string of hits with Al Green in the '70s, and Willie's son Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell co-produced the sessions along with Dee Dee and her daughter Tulani Bridgewater. Mitchell pulled together a splendid studio band for this album, including a few members of the old Hi Rhythm Section, and they deliver a superb set of soulful grooves, at once swampy and emphatic, with John Stoddart's electric piano, Jackie Clark's bass, and James "Bishop" Sexton's drums generating just the right amount of funk. With a top-shelf soul band cooking behind her, Dee Dee Bridgewater steps up as a top-shelf soul singer, smooth when she should be, good and gritty when she wants to be, and sounding tough, passionate, and firmly in command at all times. That Bridgewater delivers on soul classics such as "Yes, I'm Ready," "Try a Little Tenderness," and "B.A.B.Y." is not a great surprise, but her transformation of B.B. King's blues perennial "The Thrill Is Gone" into a smoky late-night groove is both unexpected and welcome, and she works an impressive transformation on two numbers associated with Elvis Presley, "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog," finding a tough R&B center inside them. "The Sweeter He Is" gives Dee Dee a chance to open up her soul and tell us some home truths about cheating men, and the closing performance of the gospel standard "(Take My Hand) Precious Lord" is glorious. Dee Dee Bridgewater strips off some of the polish from her style on Memphis...Yes, I'm Ready without betraying her talent or best musical instincts, and this detour into Soul City is a treat that should please her fans, as well as anyone who digs Southern soul. by Mark Deming
Tracklist :
1    Yes, I'm Ready 4:57
Written-By – Barbara Mason
2    Giving Up 4:55
Written-By – Van McCoy
3    I Can't Get Next To You 5:17
Written-By – Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
4    Going Down Slow 4:46
Written-By – James "St. Louis Jimmy" B. Oden
5    Why (Am I Treated So Bad) 4:37
Written-By – Roebuck "Pops" Staples
6    B.A.B.Y. 4:04
Written-By – Isaac Hayes & David Porter
7    The Thrill Is Gone 5:38
Written-By – Rick Ravon Darnell, Roy Hawkins
8    The Sweeter He Is 6:45
Written-By – Isaac Hayes & David Porter
9    I Can't The Rain 3:07
Written-By – Margaret Ann Peebles, Kenneth Bernard Miller, Donald Maurice Bryant
10    Don't Be Cruel 4:40
Written-By – Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell
11    Hound Dog 3:38
Written-By – Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
12    Try A Little Tenderness 5:25
Written-By – Harry M. Woods, James Campbell, Reginald Connelly
13    (Take My Hand) Precious Lord 4:18
Written-By – Sobie Frank Frazier, Jeff Majors Graham, Thomas A. Dorsey
Credits :
Backing Vocals [Backup Vocals] – Candise Rayborn-Marshall, Stax Music Academy
Bass – Jackie Clark
Drums – James 'Bishop' Sexton
Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – Charles Hodges
Guitar – Garry Goin
Producer, Engineer, Electronic Drums [Electric Bongo], Cymbal [Sizzle Cymbal], Tambourine – Lawrence 'Boo' Mitchell
Producer, Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater
Tenor Saxophone – Kirk Smothers
Trombone – Kameron Whalum

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER - Love And Peace (A Tribute to Horace Silver) (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 

 Dee Dee Bridgewater performs 13 of Horace Silver's songs on her very well-conceived release. On most selections she is accompanied by her French quintet, but there are also two guest appearances apiece for organist Jimmy Smith and pianist Silver ("Nice's Dream" and "Song for My Father"). Bridgewater uplifts Silver's lyrics, proves to be in prime form, and swings up a storm. Other high points include "Filthy McNasty," "Doodlin'," and "Blowin' the Blues Away." A gem. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Permit Me to Introduce You to Yourself 3:24
Horace Silver
2 Nica's Dream 5:13
Horace Silver
3 The Tokyo Blues 5:44
Horace Silver
4 Pretty Eyes 5:07
Horace Silver
5 Saint Vitus Dance 2:42
Horace Silver
6 You Happened My Way 6:28
Horace Silver
7 Soulville 4:17
 Horace Silver
8 Filthy McNasty 4:52
Horace Silver
9 Song for My Father 5:36
 Horace Silver
10 Doodlin' 6:07
Horace Silver
11 Lonely Woman 5:22
 Horace Silver
12 The Jody Grind 5:00
 Horace Silver
13 Blowin' the Blues Away 3:57
 Horace Silver
Credits
Arranged By – Hein Van De Geyn (tracks: 2-12), Lionel Belmondo (tracks: 1)
Bass – Hein Van De Geyn
Composed By – Horace Silver
Drums – André "Dédé" Ceccarelli
Organ [Hammond B3] – Jimmy Smith (tracks: 8, 12)
Piano – Horace Silver (tracks: 2, 9), Thierry Eliez (tracks: 1, 3-8, 10-13)
Tenor Saxophone – Lionel Belmondo
Trumpet – Stéphane Belmondo
Vocals – Dee Dee Bridgewater