Dee Dee Bridgewater and Memphis Soulphony
It's a true musical thrill to hear the charismatic Dee Dee Bridgewater revel in the musical legacy of BB King, Otis Redding and many other blues, R&B and soul artists.
There is a small group of jazz vocalists who are at the international top level and who have reached a large audience - far beyond the usual jazz audience. Dee Dee Bridgewater is definitely one of those. Now she comes to the Kongsberg jazz festival with her project where she goes back to her musical roots in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dee Dee Bridgewater is considered the natural successor of the legacy of Ella Fitzgerald, and she has also made an excellent tribute CD to Ella: "Dear Ella". Other vocalists who have influenced Bridgewater are Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Tina Turner, but she has definitely developed into a highly personal artist. Like some of her inspirations, she has an outgoing and vital stage performance, characterized by mood and temperament. The repertoire has a wide range. In addition to a traditional jazz repertoire, she has sung French chansons, been inspired by African music from Mali and has ended up paying tribute to the music she heard as a child in Memphis.
From the stage this evening at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival, the audience will hear one of jazz's biggest stars return to his musical roots and perform his versions of songs signed by BB King, Otis Redding, Al Green and more. A tribute to Memphis, done with respect and originality.
