娱乐英语新闻:Dee Dee Bridgewater to open for outdoor jazz concert in Shanghai

BEIJING, Sept. 26 -- American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater is expected to be the high note of this year's 6th annual JZ Festival in Shanghai. The two-time Grammy-award winner from Memphis, Tennessee, will open for the weekend-long outdoor jazz concert at Century Park on Oct 16.

    Two days of live performances by nearly 20 national and international singers and bands will follow on Oct 17 and 18. Local stars will include China's "Father of Rock" Cui Jian and acclaimed rock veterans Zheng Jun and Zhang Chu.

Bridgewater will mark her debut performance in Shanghai next month, a year after her first trip to China for the Beijing Paralympics. Bridgewater holds a special connection with the Middle Kingdom through her second daughter, China Moses, whose late father was of Chinese ancestry.

Dee Dee Bridgewagter

    With many idols, including Tina Turner and Billie Holiday, the 59-year-old icon whose singing career spans four decades, believes that jazz is forever changing, which she calls the beauty of music. For more on her music and upcoming concert, Shanghai Star Weekend reporter Zhang Kun spoke with Bridgewater ahead of her arrival to the city.

    Q: So, what you will perform for us?

    A: The program will be a selection of Big Band arrangements. I'll do five songs from my double-Grammy winning "Dear Ella" CD: "A Tisket-A Tasket", "Cottontail", "Mr. Paganini" (all Slide Hampton arrangements), "Oh Lady Be Good", "Undecided", "September Song" and "Alabama Song" (Cecil Bridgewater arrangements), "Cherokee", "Tenderly", "Shiny Stockings", "Polkadots & Moonbeams", "Let the Good Times Roll" (all arranged by Frank Foster), and perhaps two or three more selections.

    Q: How do you hope to engage Chinese audiences?

    A: All of the arrangements are musically challenging and exciting to listen to. I expect Chinese audiences to be warm and enthusiastic as has always been my great fortune for which I am honored and humble. My wish is to give the Chinese public love, inspiration and some moments of happiness. I want them to feel the joy I experience when I perform.

    Q: Your 2007 album Red Earth was largely inspired by Africa, and particularly sounds from Mali. So, how does your African heritage play into your music?

    A: The album "Red Earth: A Malian Journey" was borne out of my personal quest to locate my African ancestry, which I attempted to do by listening to the many musical styles of West Africa, after tracing back my genealogy 150 years (with the aide of Cecil Bridgewater, my first husband). Malian music struck a deep cord within me so I made my first visit to Mali, West Africa in 2004. Two other visits were made over the next two years prior to recording the album in Bamako, the capital city at the famous Bogolan Studio. I feel that much of who I am today comes from my African heritage, and is certainly part of my musical roots, and my eclectic tastes in design and fashion. I have been forever changed due to Africa. I will never hear or interpret music in the same manner. I can say today that I'm proud to be African-American.

    Q: You're also an UN ambassador for the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Tell us a bit about your involvement in that.

    A: Along with Miriam Makeba, Gina Lollibrigida and Dr Ruth. Levy-Montalchini, I became one of the first four Goodwill Ambassadors for the UN's FAO. I accompanied Mr Jacques Diouf, general director OF THE FAO, and agricultural ministers from various African countries on a three-day trip to 22 plus villages in Senegal to see first hand how the co-operatives work. I've since visited FAO co-ops in Mali. World Food Day is on Oct 16 - and I will represent the FAO at my concert in Shanghai.