Dee Dee Bridgewater Concert in Prague

There are not many artists, that would avoid Pigeonhole principle as much as Dee Dee does. She has basically gained real depth of artistry in every medium she stepped into. If you are interested in things that are really special, you should buy a ticket in advance for this performer, singer, actress and UN Ambassador, a person who left Broadway and London’s West End astounded, Ms. Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Woman of Heart, Woman of Soul

Indeed, it would be hard to find an artist, whose list of awards would be so diverse; She has been rewarded with Broadway’s coveted Tony Award (Best Featured Actress in a Musical – The Wiz), nominated for the London theater’s West End equivalent, the Laurence Oliver Award (Best Actress in a Musical – Lady Day), won two Grammy® Awards (1998’s Best Jazz Vocal Performance and Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal for “Cottontail” – Slide Hampton, arranger – “Dear Ella “), and France’s 1998 top honor Victoire de la Musique (Best Jazz Vocal Album).

Dee Dee’s new album Red Earth is definitely a jazz step towards African native music. She comments it that it was, above all, an important step for her self-understanding:

“ … For so long, for so many women of color, we’ve been afraid to embrace our ‘blackness’ fully, whole-heartedly … but my spirit grew restless, my physical being began to make visible statements, my music began to turn to rhythms, to the drum. I instinctively knew it was time…time to find my way home. And so, as it is impossible for me, like so many of my sisters and brothers of the darker hue, to trace my past, I decided to let the musical universe be my guide. Africa was calling, but I was not sure which part of Africa. Not until I heard a particular music, from a particular land, did the call become distinctively clear.”

She brought new African musicians into her group, who added even more spice (to the already spicy jazz she does), by djembe drums and other instruments of the African tradition.

If you are interested, her concert takes place in Prague within the annual Jazz Festival, 24th November, 20:00, Congress Center, Vysehrad, Prague. Tickets: 390 – 1.190 CZK (13 – 40 €)