Ang Santos for WBGO – It’s been a busy year for vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. WBGO’s Ang Santos caught up with the jazz icon in New York City, as she tours in support of a new album.
Ang Santos: Joining us on the WBGO Journal is Dee Dee Bridgewater, at the Blue Note in New York City. No stranger to our airwaves, Thanks for being with us.
Dee Dee Bridgewater: You’re welcome.
AS: You’re touring for your new album, ‘Memphis, Yes I’m Ready’. To my understanding the album was a project that spanned over several years?
DDB: Yeah. From the time that I decided this was the direction I wanted to go in, to going and meeting with Kirk Whalum who co-produced the album with me. It’s been a beautiful journey because it was also about me going back home to Memphis. I was born there but my family left when I was three and a half. It was also kind of the culmination of doing a lot of research on my father and what our life was like when we lived there. Finding the house my parents lived in when I was born and finding out it was just a few blocks from Royal Studios. My father was friends with Willie Mitchell. They played in a few bands together. Willie Mitchell of course owned Royal Studios. Royal just celebrated its 60th anniversary. I’m very proud to be part of that history in black music.