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I have ranted about the medocrity of Verve assemblages of artists and recordings of late. In this specific instance I have to atone. This recording by Dee Dee Bridgewater is just awe inspiring.The CD is dedicated to the music of Kurt Weill. Her brother, Cecil Bridgewater, does most of the arrangements. The performance of the musicians are on par to the Songbooks by Ella 50 years ago. Dee Dee's performance is stellar in her own right, but then again - no one - is Ella. This recording just gives you goose bumps with its clarity and life likeness. The "recording" of the individual instruments is the best I have heard. The song Bilbao Song is so life like that I felt I could reach out and touch each performer.
Some twenty years ago I saw Ms Bridgewater perform at the Cellar Door in D.C. I sat at a table directly in front of her and there was quite a bit of interaction between the persons at my table and Dee Dee. This performance rivals that live set. I repeatedly opened my eyes suprised to see she and the musicians were not there.
Younger vocalist should surely take note. This production is exemplary in all regards. Ms Bridgewater has been recording for 20+ years and this CD by far captures the soul of her performance. This CD I hope is the start of a series of "songbooks" that Ms. Bridgewater will leave as a legacy for aspiring vocalist in years to come.
Verve has redeemed itself. The Verve magic of 50 years ago is recaptured in this CD. I can only hope that more pure performances like this CD are forth coming rather than the hodgepodges of artist and mediocre performances that has been the pattern of late.
Follow Ups:
The format of this CD is more akin to the polished presentation of a Broadway musical. There is some scatting, but it is a smooth polished presentation and not a adhoc as a live performance. The liner notes make reference to the more varied compositional forms of Wiell that was so appealing to Ms. Bridgewater. I think you will find this CD to sound more polished and intimate than Live at Yoshi's.I listened to live at Yoshi's over and over and over again. I was enthralled by the drum solo on Cherokee.
DaveT
and was never convinced. I've read the word "bawdy" applied to her style of scat, but I would use the word "ungraceful". Now, I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of scat, as it often sounds mannered and unmusical to me "in the wrong hands". Unlike many others, I find Kurt Elling to be grating in the same way, so it's unquestionably something of a personal bias. For me, scat should be "as a woodwind" (smooth, flickering, elegant runs up and down the scale) not "as a brass instrument" (brash, emphatic, percussive). YMMV.
Dee Dee scatting can get over the top, but she can also do it tastefully, just remember that "Live at Yoshi" was exactly that
and when seen live it would be in context.
Dee Dee is one of those artist that are better live than listening at home. Even Ella scatting was sometime a little too much.
Myself I do prefer the slightly more subdued scatters like Jeanne Lee, and Deborah Tanguy, they do it more gracefully.
Scatting should never sound forced it should just flow naturally.
But then again if you don't like Jon Hendricks or Kurt Elling then I am fighting a lost cause on hehalf of the virtues of scatting
he and jon hendricks seem to be on the same wavelength and i find both to be quite satisfying in scat.
......regards.....tr
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