Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap at Kennedy Center

Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap
Kennedy Center
Washington, DC
May 5, 2025

In advance of the much anticipated release of her forthcoming album "Elemental" on Mack Avenue Records, three-time Grammy ® Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater gave a powerful performance to open this year's Mary Lou Williams (previously "Women In Jazz") Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Just as powerful, her co-star—accompanist doesn't begin to describe him—Bill Charlap drove through an astonishing series of duets that left us breathless.

Bridgewater, picking up the baton from Ella, Sarah and all of the greats who came before, ran thru a remarkable demonstration of scatting and vocalese with Charlap by her side. Opening with the Duke Ellington composition "I'm Beginning to See the Light," Charlap roamed up and down the keyboards in a playful repartee with Bridgewater's unparalleled scatting. Into and out of time, swinging it all the way, the pair got off to a rambunctious start that never wavered during their eighty minute set.

Charlap punctuated another Ellington standard "Caravan," with big, bold Gershwinesque chords and stop and start rhythm changes. Mirrored by Bridgewater's pulsating vocalese, the pianist delivered a brassy solo, challenging his co-star, who gave as good as she got. Slowing down the pace, the pair pulled out one more chestnut from the Ellington oeuvre, a "Mood Indigo" in which Bridgewater crept up behind the pianist, exhorting him into a soulful mien. Equally moody was their rendition of the Gershwin brothers' "The Man I Love," Bridgewater building from a coquettish opening to driving scat, all accomplished while Charlap played a piano solo in the bridge that felt like a Copland concerto.

In "Come Rain or Come Shine," the duo danced between tempos, Charlap building a big sweeping ragtime counterpoint in his left hand while Bridgewater positively growled to the song's finale. They followed up that jewel with the single from "Elemental," the Fats Waller tribute "Honeysuckle Rose," with Dee Dee scatting with an operatic flourish, even whistling over Charlap's shoulder.

So much great music performed by two incomparable musicians at the height of their power—that's what we got at the Kennedy Center. As the evening drew to a close, Bridgewater and Charlap left the pyrotechnics behind for a sweet, sentimental rendition of "Over the Rainbow," exporting us tariff-free back to a simpler, more optimistic time. With all of the noise (not the musical kind) going on around this venue, it made for a welcome respite. As we wandered out to the refrain of "In the Still of the Night," the music made by these two brilliant performers—so in sync with one another—pointed to a way forward out of the current political morass. Hopefully, our solons on Capitol Hill are beginning to see the light.