American jazz singer (born 1950)
Dee Dee Bridgewater
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Dee_dee.jpg/220px-Dee_dee.jpg) |
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Birth name
| Denise Eileen Garrett
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Born
| (
1950-05-27
)
May 27, 1950
(age 74)
Memphis, Tennessee
, U.S.
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Origin
| Flint, Michigan
, U.S.
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Genres
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Occupation(s)
| Singer, actress, record producer, songwriter, UN goodwill ambassador, radio host
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Years active
| 1966?present
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Labels
| DDB Records,
Sony Masterworks
,
OKeh Records
,
Verve
,
Elektra
,
MCA
|
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|
Website
| www
.deedeebridgewater
.com
|
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Musical artist
Dee Dee Bridgewater
(nee
Denise
Garrett
, May 27, 1950) is an American
jazz
singer and actress. She is a three-time
Grammy Award
-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a
Tony Award
-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National Public Radio's syndicated radio show
JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater
.
[1]
She is a
United Nations
Goodwill Ambassador for the
Food and Agriculture Organization
.
[2]
Biography
[
edit
]
Born
Denise Eileen Garrett
to an
African American
family in
Memphis, Tennessee
, she was raised
Catholic
in
Flint, Michigan
. Her father, Matthew Garrett, was a jazz trumpeter and teacher at Manassas High School, and through his playing, she was exposed to jazz early on. At the age of 16, she was a member of a Rock and
R&B
trio, singing in clubs in
Michigan
. At 18, she studied at
Michigan State University
before she went to the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
. With the school's jazz band, she toured the
Soviet Union
in 1969.
[3]
The next year, she met trumpeter
Cecil Bridgewater
, and after their marriage, they moved to
New York City
, where Cecil played in
Horace Silver
's band. In the early 1970s, Bridgewater joined the
Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
as lead vocalist.
[4]
This marked the beginning of her jazz career, and she performed with many of the great jazz musicians of the time, such as
Sonny Rollins
,
Dizzy Gillespie
,
Dexter Gordon
,
Max Roach
,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
,
Wayne Garfield
, and others. She performed at the
Monterey Jazz Festival
in 1973. In 1974, her first solo album, entitled
Afro Blue
, appeared, and she performed on Broadway in the
musical
The Wiz
.
[5]
For her role as
Glinda the Good Witch
she won a
Tony Award
in 1975 as "Best Featured Actress", and the musical also won the 1976
Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
.
In concert in 1990
She subsequently appeared in several other stage productions. After touring
France
in 1984 with the musical
Sophisticated Ladies
, she moved to
Paris
in 1986. The same year saw her in
Lady Day,
as
Billie Holiday
, for which role she was nominated for the
Laurence Olivier Award
, as well as recording the song "
Precious Thing"
with
Ray Charles
, featured on her album
Victim of Love
.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she returned from the world of Pop and
Contemporary R&B
to Jazz. She performed at the
Sanremo Music Festival
in Italy and the
Montreux Jazz Festival
in 1990, and four years later, she finally collaborated with
Horace Silver
, whom she had long admired, and released the album
Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver
. Performed also at the
San Francisco Jazz Festival
(1996). Her 1997 tribute album
Dear Ella
won her the 1998
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album
, and the 1998 album
Live at Yoshi's
was also worth a Grammy nomination. Performed again at the
Monterey Jazz Festival
(1998). She has also explored on
This Is New
(2002) the songs of
Kurt Weill
, and, on her next album
J'ai deux amours
(2005), the French Classics.
Herbie Hancock and Dee Dee Bridgewater giving a masterclass to musicians in
Rabat
,
Morocco
Her album
Red Earth
, released in 2007, features Africa-inspired themes and contributions by numerous musicians from
Mali
. Performed at the
San Francisco Jazz Festival
(2007). On December 8, 2007, she performed with the
Terence Blanchard
Quintet at the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in
Washington, D.C.
[6]
She tours frequently, including overseas gigs around the world. October 16, 2009 found her opening the Shanghai JZ Jazz Festival,
[7]
in which she sang tunes associated with
Ella Fitzgerald
, along with Ellington compositions and other jazz standards.
As a Goodwill Ambassador to the
United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization
, Bridgewater continues to appeal for international solidarity to finance global grassroots projects in the fight against world hunger. Awarded Honorary Doctorates from
University of Michigan
[8]
and
Berklee College of Music
,
[9]
Bridgewater makes a concerted effort to mentor and nurture young artists.
In April 2017, Bridgewater was the recipient of an
NEA Jazz Masters
Award
[10]
with honors bestowed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and in 2018 was awarded the 2018 Maria Fisher Founder's Award by the
Thelonious Monk/Hancock Institute of Jazz
.
[11]
She is currently on tour worldwide in support of her latest CD,
Memphis... Yes, I'm Ready
.
Philanthropy
[
edit
]
Bridgewater has a long history of philanthropy and advocacy. Her appointment as UN Goodwill Ambassador to the
FAO
, as well as the ASCAP Foundation Champion Award, along with her ongoing work with UNESCO for World Jazz Day coupled with her recognition as a Doris Duke Artist set in motion her founding of The Woodshed Network. Launched in 2019, The Woodshed Network was conceived as a program for Women in Jazz, to provide professional support and accelerate careers through mentorship, knowledge sharing and community interaction. The program is a collaboration between Dee Dee Bridgewater as artistic director, (DDB Productions + DDB Records), Tulani Bridgewater-Kowalski as Co-Artistic Director & Program Curator (Bridgewater Artists Management), and 651 ARTS with funding by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The first year's alumna include Erinn Alexis (sax),
Lakecia Benjamin
(sax), Darynn Dean (vocals), Sarah Hanahan (sax), Kennedy (vocals), Amina Scott (bass), and Sequoia Snyder (piano). Program mentors included
Sheila Jordan
,
Arthel Neville
, Marilyn Rosen (Marilyn Rosen Presents), Alisse Kingsley (Muse Media Public Relations), Maureen McFadden (DL Media), Jett Galindo (The Bakery LA), Shirazette Tinnin, Fanny Delsol (Motema), Simma Levine (NJ PAC), Robin Tomchin (Motema), Stacie Negas (Sony Masterworks), and Lisa Jefferson (LRJ Account Management), with Bridgewater-Kowalski serving as moderator.
Acting
[
edit
]
Dee Dee had appeared in such films as the 1979 film
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
and the 1984 film
The Brother from Another Planet
. She has made a guest appearance in the hit sitcom
Benson
and the hit sci-fi fantasy TV series
Highlander: The Series
.
Film and Television credits include:
- Everybody Rides the Carousel
, Stage 7, 1976
- The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
as Brandy, 1979
- Benson
as Michelle, 1980
- Another Life
as Samantha Marshall, 1982
- Night Partners
as Gloria, 1983
- The Wiz
as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South (TV version of Broadway Musical), 1983
[12]
- The Brother from Another Planet
as Malverne Davis, 1984
- Highlander: The Series
as Carolyn Lamb in "The Beast Below" (Season 1, Ep.16), 1993
[13]
- "Falstaff on the Moon" (short film), 1993
[14]
- Corps plonges
(It's Not About Love) as "la femme au verre du lait", 1998
- Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure
as Molly, 2007
Personal life
[
edit
]
Bridgewater is the mother to three children, Tulani Bridgewater (from her marriage to
Cecil Bridgewater
),
China Moses
(from her marriage to theater, film and television director
Gilbert Moses
) and Gabriel Durand (from her last marriage to French concert promoter Jean-Marie Durand). Her eldest daughter, Tulani Bridgewater, attended the
Mirman School for Gifted Children
in Los Angeles, CA. She went on to graduate from the
Ecole Active Bilingue
in Paris, France at age 16, going on to graduate from
Vassar College
.
[
citation needed
]
She serves as Bridgewater's manager under her firm Bridgewater Artists Management and runs Bridgewater's production company and record label (DDB Productions, Inc. And DDB Records).
[
citation needed
]
Daughter China Moses is an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, radio host and
MTV
VJ
(France). Her critically acclaimed albums have earned her an international reputation as heir to Bridgewater's legacy. Moses tours worldwide, occasionally sharing the bill with Bridgewater.
[
citation needed
]
Awards and honors
[
edit
]
Grammy Awards
[
edit
]
The
Grammy Awards
are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
. Bridgewater has won two Grammys with eight nominations.
[15]
Other accolades
[
edit
]
- First American to be inducted into the Haut Conseil de la Francophonie
- Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Award (France)
- Tony Award
, Best Featured Actress in a Musical,
The Wiz
, 1975
- Laurence Olivier Award
Nomination, Best Actress in a Musical,
Lady Day
, 1987
- AUDELCO
Award, Outstanding Performance in a Musical-Female,
Lady Day
, 2014
[16]
- ASCAP
Foundation Champion Award,
[17]
2017
- NEA Jazz Masters
, 2017
[18]
- Doris Duke Performing Artist Award
, 2018
[19]
- Thelonious Monk
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
Maria Fisher Founder's Award, 2018
[20]
- German Jazz Trophy
[
de
]
? A Life for Jazz Award, Stuttgart Jazz Open, 2019
[21]
- Memphis Music Hall of Fame
, 2019
[22]
Discography
[
edit
]
As guest
- Frank Foster
?
The Loud Minority
(
Mainstream
, 1972)
- Stanley Clarke
?
Children of Forever
(
Polydor
, 1973)
- Roy Ayers
?
Coffy
(Polydor, 1973) ? as Denise Bridgewater
- Buddy Terry
?
Lean on Him
(Mainstream, 1973)
- Norman Connors
?
Love from the Sun
(
Buddah
, 1974)
- Cecil McBee
?
Mutima
(
Strata-East
, 1974)
- Charles Sullivan
?
Genesis
(Strata-East, 1974)
- Carlos Garnett
?
Black Love
(
Muse
, 1974)
- Stanley Clarke
?
I Wanna Play for You
(
Nemperor
, 1979)
- Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
?
Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album
(
Philips Classics
, 1996)
- Ray Brown
?
Some of My Best Friends Are...Singers
(
Telarc
, 1998)
- BWB
?
Groovin'
(
Warner Bros.
, 2002)
- Christian McBride
?
Conversations with Christian
(
Mack Avenue
, 2011)
Film soundtrack
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"JazzSet Signs Off"
.
Npr.org
. Retrieved
November 3,
2017
.
- ^
"FAO Ambassabors Programme"
.
Fao.org
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
Thomas, Jo (September 22, 1998).
"A Singer Is Returning to a Stage Where It All Began"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
2016-10-06
.
- ^
Larkin, Colin.
The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
, Guinness, page 547, (1995) ?
ISBN
1-56159-176-9
- ^
"The Wiz Broadway @ Majestic Theatre ? Tickets and Discounts"
.
Playbill
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Kennedy Center: The Movie Music of Spike Lee and Terence Blanchard"
.
Kennedy-center.org
. Archived from
the original
on August 18, 2007
. Retrieved
November 3,
2017
.
- ^
"Review 2009 | Shanghai JZ Festival Official Website"
.
Jzmg.net
. Archived from
the original
on 2016-05-07
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"International Jazz Performer to Receive Honorary Degree at UM-Flint Commencement"
.
News.umflint.edu
. 2012-10-23
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Julio Iglesias, Doug Morris, Harvey Mason, Dee Dee Bridgewater to Receive Honorary Degrees | Berklee College of Music"
.
Berklee.edu
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater"
.
NEA
. 2016-06-07
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater ? 2018 Maria Fisher Founder's Award Recipient"
.
Hancockinstitute.org
. Retrieved
2020-05-06
.
- ^
"The Wiz (Video 1983)"
.
IMDb.com
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"
"Highlander" The Beast Below (TV Episode 1993)"
.
IMDb.com
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"Falstaff on the Moon (Short 1993)"
.
IMDb.com
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater"
.
Grammy.com
. 23 November 2020.
- ^
"2014 Winners | Audience Development Committee, Inc"
.
Audelco.org
. 28 March 2016
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater Earns Prestigious ASCAP Honor"
.
Grammy.com
. 2017-10-06
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater"
.
Arts.gov
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"2018 Doris Duke Artist Awards"
.
DorisDuke.org
. Retrieved
May 21,
2023
.
- ^
"Hancock Institute of Jazz"
.
Hancockinstitute.org
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"German Jazz Trophy: DeeDee Bridgewater Tickets & Karten"
.
Jazzopen.online-ticket.de
(in German)
. Retrieved
2020-10-07
.
- ^
"Tina Turner, Charlie Musselwhite named to Memphis music hall"
.
Apnews.com
. 28 June 2019
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater: Billboard 200"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater: Jazz Albums"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Dee Dee Bridgewater: Traditional Jazz Albums"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Billboard's Best Selling Jazz LPs"
(PDF)
.
Billboard
. June 10, 1978. p. 58 – via Americanradiohistory.com.
- ^
"Billboard's Best Selling Jazz Albums".
Billboard
. Vol. 91. June 2, 1979. p. 66.
- ^
Russonello, Giovanni (2017-11-23).
"Dee Dee Bridgewater Throws Herself a Memphis Soul Party"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2019-04-10
.
- ^
"Presume dangereux (1990)"
.
IMDb.com
. Retrieved
July 25,
2021
.
External links
[
edit
]
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Years given are for the recording(s), not first release,
unless stated otherwise.
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As leader
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Compilations
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With others
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Soundtracks
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1950?1975
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1976?2000
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2001?present
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International
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National
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Artists
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People
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Other
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