Good evening,
How do I begin to describe the array of emotions, everything that Dee Dee Bridgewater has made me feel since she entered my circle of the most inspiring artists on the global jazz scene?
I will begin with all the happiness I felt the very first time I had the good fortune to see her onstage in Cannes during the prestigious MIDEM music convention in 1993.
Because yes, it was France that unveiled this extraordinary artist to many of us.
That evening, I saw and heard not only an incomparable natural born performer (just the way the French love them…) but also and above all, a striking singer with a vocal register that is the equal of the ensemble of her talent.
In the wake of that dazzling introduction, she has performed no fewer than a dozen times over 25 years at the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (Montréal International Jazz Festival).
Twelve performances in which she has managed the feat of NEVER repeating herself a single time. Seemingly effortlessly, she has offered her ever-growing audience concepts as diverse as her tributes to Lady Day, Kurt Weill and Horace Silver, sung accompanied by the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, performed with the crème de la crème of Latin musicians including Edsel Gomez and David Sanchez, presented an entire concert of French songs, returned with a stunning project blending jazz and the music of Mali, and recently took seductive detours into the soulful sounds of New Orleans and Memphis…
Honestly – how do you top that?
She has sometimes said that she came to fame at events like ours. That’s very sweet of her – but above all, I think an artist like Dee Dee Bridgewater first reveals herself to herself, and the rest of the world just has to brace itself and get ready…
At best we can help them gain a bit of notoriety. Their radiant talent does the rest.
Tonight, you honor an exceptional woman, an honest, adventurous artist of integrity who never backs away from a challenge.
But you should all know that, for me, all of that joyful daring is the public face concealing the gentle heart of a loving, generous and sensitive friend.
My nearest and dearest know full well that I use the word “friend” with the greatest care, a cherished designation rarely deployed, contrary to the casual trends of our social media era.
Dee Bridgewater, dear friend, take a bow – I salute you once again.
It is truly an honor to be here by your side for this very special occasion.
Have a good evening, everyone.
André
