Dee Dee Bridgewater and Memphis Soulphony

About

The Blue LLama Jazz Club welcomes Memphis native Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Memphis Soulphony for a reinterpretation of American blues and R&B classics, paying tribute to a musical legacy Bridgewater helped forge. Live performances will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30, at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $65 for the bar, $75 for main seating and $85 for VIP with a front-row table and complimentary bubbles. For tickets, visit https://www.bluellamaclub.com/event/dee-dee-bridgewater-and-the-memphis-soulphony.

Dee Dee Bridgewater’s career as a jazz vocalist has spanned over four decades, earning her three Grammy Awards, numerous Grammy Nominations and a Tony Award for her role in the Wiz in 1975. Bridgewater is most recognized for her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics.

Bridgewater’s career has always incorporated a variety of musical genres and elements. She earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Louis Big Band and throughout the 1970’s she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, and Dizzy Gillespie. Bridgewater began self-producing with her 1993 album Keeping Tradition and created DDB records in 2006, releasing a series of critically-acclaimed CDs.

Accompanying Bridgewater will be drummer Carlos Sargent, pianist Farindell “Dell” Smith, saxophonist Bryant Lockhart, guitarist Charlton Johnson, trumpeter Curtis Pulliam, and background vocalists Skyler Jordan and Shontelle Norman.

For both evenings, doors open at 5 p.m. Bridgwater and Memphis Soulphony performs at 7 p.m. Doors for the second show open at 8:45 p.m. Their second set starts at 9:30 p.m. Each set length is for 75 minutes. A full dining experience is available throughout either show.