Dee Dee Bridgewater says she and Bill Charlap are a “gentle force of nature.” (Photo: Evelyn Freja)
By Michael Morain
Dee Dee Bridgewater was at home in New Orleans a few years ago when an idea struck her out of the blue.
“I woke up one morning and heard his name,” she said. “And I thought to myself, maybe I’m supposed to work with him. I called my agent and said my God-voice told me I’m supposed to work with Bill Charlap.”
So here they are now: The singer with three Grammys and a Tony (for playing “Glinda” in “The Wiz” back in 1975) and the Grammy-winning pianist who knows the American Songbook inside out. Together, they’ll take the stage at Hoyt Sherman Place for a concert on June 12, just one day before releasing their new album, “Elemental.”
Bridgewater said audiences can expect to see “two individuals having a musical conversation, getting caught up in the magic of this wonderful connection that Bill and I have developed over the last few years.” They often decide their setlist on the fly, choosing whichever songs feel right in the moment, but there’s a good chance they’ll include “Honeysuckle Rose,” the Fats Waller classic they’ve turned into a fresh hit.
Bridgewater, 75, has spent nearly six decades pushing jazz forward without losing sight of its roots. Her career has spanned continents and genres, from her Paris years to her Tony-winning turn on Broadway. She’s a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, the founder of the Woodshed Network for women in jazz, and even a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Charlap, 59, is known for his virtuosity, encyclopedic knowledge and work with the likes of Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand and now Bridgewater. “We’ve become a gentle force of nature,” she said.
Their Des Moines concert offers a rare chance to witness that force up close — two musical storytellers in sync, interpreting beloved old tunes through a new lens. As Bridgewater put it: “We don’t tour all the time, so when we do, we make it count.”
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