Dee
Dee Bridgewater announced, shortly after arriving on the stage, that she was
going to be doing songs about social concerns because she was angry. It soon
became apparent that she was, in fact, VERY ANGRY INDEED. She proceeded to tear
the roof off displaying levels of energy unseen since the early days of the
Clash. Apparently, she is 73 years old but comported herself with the vigour of
someone who still gets asked their age in pubs.
She opened with a Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway song, Trying Times, which came from that sweet spot where the blues meets soul. Over rock solid drumming and a funky piano excursion Dee Dee’s voice built to a crescendo on the song’s title as she wails out ‘Tryin’ Tiiiimes.’ She swoops and growls, yet her enunciation is clear and each word is served up clearly for examination. A bubbling bass solo leads into a bass and voice call and respond as her gentle scatting leads to a fade.
In
a long spoken introduction she talks about civil rights, Nina Simone and the children
who died in the bombing of a Church. She tears into a furious, raging Mississippi Goddam that partly follows
Nina’s lines but this band add in peaks and troughs of energy; whilst again she
attacks the title she also has more warmth in her voice than Nina. At the end
she points out that the song is 60 years old but is no less relevant today.
My Name Is Sarah comes
from her excellent Red Earth album
recorded as part of her search for her Malian ancestors. It’s the song of a
slave and Dee Dee inhabits the role over a fine and delicate flowing piano
line. She sways and jumps, dancing and throwing shapes as Staff solos. Her
voice soars and plunges as the music explodes and powers out, carrying Dee
Dee’s rage on top.
She
introduces Strange Fruit by
explaining that she stole Bettye Lavette’s arrangement of it as it was the
definitive version for the 20th Century. In front of a martial
drumbeat and a funereal bass and organ she slow steps across the stage. Her
voice reaches for heaven and plunges back down for a snarling “Burning Flesh.”
There is a childish plea in her tone that grows into a wailing lament that
falls away for “Strange and bitter crop.” It is a stunning performance as the
song is wrung of all the drama it should have always and always should carry.
There’s
no let up for Compared To What; the
band pushing her to new heights. A jumping bass, pounding piano and cracking
drums. She cries out “Where’s the bee? Where’s the honey? Where’s the god?
Where’s my money?” As she scats against the soloing drummer she is driving and
pushing him on.
A
rolling blues introduces The Danger Song as
Dee Dee stitches the piece together and moves from vulnerable to powerful as
she sings about her troubles and the strength to overcome them. A Gospel organ
solo is layered over pounding piano chords; Dee Dee’s vocals come rolling out
as she, again wails to the rafters.
They finish with one of Chick Corea’s Portraits with lyrics by Al Jarreau. It opens with light, ethereal organ and vocals and bell like electric piano. Dee Dee rides a rapid fire vocal line climbing and falling through repeated changes in time as the line flows smoothly or dances up and down before she launches into a scat duel with the drummer and off she goes, probably to rip up a party of people a third of her age. She’s been doing this for over 50 years now and looks like she could keep doing it for a few decades yet. Her energy, charisma and righteous energy remain undiminished and the crowd is more drained by the end than she is. Stage craft to spare. Great performance. True star. ‘Nuff said. Dave Sayer
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