Dee Dee Bridgewater - This Is Now

Dee Dee Bridgewater may be the first jazz singer to devote an entire release to the theater music of Kurt Weill. She's in great form, with arrangements for the most part by her ex-husband Cecil Bridgewater. "Bilbao Song" is quite novel, with the addition of exotic flamenco guitars and percussion and a guest appearance by Antonio Hart on flute, and her tender interpretation of "My Ship" is first rate. "Alabama Song" leans more toward outright blues, with a saucy vocal and churning Hammond B3 organ. The obscure "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" starts out funky, but its middle section is pure hard bop with a fine solo by alto saxophonist Daniele Scannapieco. But the overly pop sound of keyboardist Thierry Eliez's scoring of "This Is New"; the uninspired chart of "Speak Low," which detracts from her fine singing and the bland French cabaret setting of "Youkali" hardly make them memorable. Still, she has to be admired for taking a chance by covering so many of Kurt Weill's songs (while avoiding the obvious choice of "Mack the Knife"), most of which have been overlooked in the decades since his death in 1950. - by Ken Dryden, AMG

Artist: Dee Dee Bridgewater
Album: This Is New
Year: 2002
Label: DDB Productions
Runtime: 59:42

Tracks:
1.  This Is New (Ira Gershwin/Kurt Weill) 3:46
2.  Lost In The Stars (Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill) 5:36
3.  Bilbao Song (Michael Feingold/Frank McGuinness/Kurt Weill) 10:24
4.  My Ship (Ira Gerschwin/Kurt Weill) 4:56
5.  Alabama Song (Bertold Brecht/Kurt Weill) 5:38
6.  Tha Saga Of Jenny (Ira Gerschwin/Kurt Weill) 4:54
7.  Youkali (Roger Fernay/Kurt Weill) 3:54
8.  Stranger Here Myself (Ogden Nash/Kurt Weill) 5:50
9.  Speak Low (Ogden Nash/Kurt Weill) 4:17
10.  September Song (Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill) 4:40
11.  Her I'll Stay (Alan Jay Lerner/Kurt Weill) 5:42

Personnel:
Dee Dee Bridgewater (Vocals)
Thierry Eliez (Piano, Hammond B3 Organ and Backing Vocals)
Ira Coleman (Double Bass)
André Ceccarelli (Drums)
Louis Winsberg (Guitar)
Nicolas Folmer (Trumpet)
Denis Leloup (Trombone)
Daniele Scannapieco (Alto Saxophone and Flute)
Minino Garay (Percussion)
Tulani Bridgewater Kowalski (Backing Vocals)
China Moses (Backing Vocals)
Antonio Hart (Alto Saxophone and Flute) - 2,3,10
Juan José Mosalini (Bandoneon) - 7