JazzMadrid 14: Dee Dee Bridgewater

Dee Dee Bridgewater recorded her first album, 'Afro Blue', in 1973 when she was in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, and just one year later she was called to act and sing on Broadway in 'The Wiz'. From that moment on she broke records in versatility, recording by herself, performing alongside Sonny Rollins, Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie, and playing a variety of characters in musicals, including Billie Holiday, whom she played in Paris in 1986 and 1987.

Since that time Dee Dee has shared a love of two places: The United States, where she's from, and France, the country that most warmly welcomed her without asking anything in return. Today the singer enjoys enormous prestige in the world of contemporary jazz. Her enviable effortless performances, backed by small bands and instrumental groups, have won her three Grammy awards.