This Is New

Dee Dee Bridgewater | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 6, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Umvd Labels
• ASIN: B00005UW00
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. This Is New

2. Lost In The Stars

3. Bilbao Song

4. My Ship

5. Alabama Song

6. The Saga Of Jenny

7. Youkali

8. I'm A Stranger Here Myself

9. Speak Low

10. September Song

11. Here I'll Say

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 12-song homage to German composer Kurt Weill exceeds even the excellence of Bridgewater's classic vocal tributes to Horace Silver and Ella Fitzgerald. The main reason is that Weill wrote for theater, and beyond being a singer, Bridgewater is a Tony Award-winning actress, an announcer, and a noted humorist, all talents used to great effect here. Weill's best-known tragicomic character, Macheath, or "Mack the Knife," appears on the hidden track here, but Bridgewater also introduces others in "The Saga of Jenny" and "Bilbao Song." Only an accomplished stage actress, who also happens to be a great jazz singer, could suspend disbelief as she does in these absolutely enthralling tales of violence, sex, and greed. Many of Weill's songs are jazz standards, and Bridgewater puts definitive stamps on three of them--"Speak Low," an organ powered "This Is New," and an exquisite ballad reading of "My Ship." Bridgewater also broadens her sonic palette, as, for the first time for her, the guitar is prominent in many of the superb arrangements she uses. Sprinkled in also is a bit of world music, particularly Brazilian samba. --Mark Ruffin

Product Description

After four years of touring with Dear Ella, her wildly popular double Grammy® Award winning tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater had set her sights on new challenges. This Is New finds her plunging headfirst into a different songbook--that of trailblazing German theater composer Kurt Weill. His songs not only represent the highest level of musical craftsmanship, but they are perfectly suited to Bridgewater's intensity of expression and keen wit. She is the first vocalist in jazz history to build an entire album from them. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seductive Dee Dee, October 3, 2002

By 

Joel Rodriguez (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Is New (Audio CD)

If there ever were a voice of seduction for me- It's Dee Dee Bridgewater. Here she finds some unique material as well as some truly GREAT melodies that let her voice just soar. "Lost in The Stars" and "Bilbao Song" are just a sample. But don't miss the very funny, uncredited version of "Mack The Knife"- It shows that you can still have fun and be a serious jazz singer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly something new!, September 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: This Is New (Audio CD)

I picked this up after reading the USA Today review and they were completely right. This is an excellent cd. Great music and songs you don't hear all the time. I highly recommend! A+++++

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kurt Weill is dancing in his grave!, December 7, 2005

By 

T. Luck "theloniusluck" (Boh.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Is New (Audio CD)

Dee Dee Bridgewater is one of the most creative vocalists of our time. I love all of her work (her Horace Silver tribute is a favorite) though, being a huge fan of Weill, I have to bump THIS IS NEW to the front of the line. Dee Dee really does something new here. As another reviewer states, she "messes" with Weill, with gorgeous, moving, thrilling results. If I had to pick a "low-point", it would be the charming "September Song", one of my all-time favorites (I own many beautiful interpretations). Again, Dee Dee's is truly original, and though not my favorite interpretation (that's the "low-point"), is nonetheless lovely. There is so much more to embrace here. And don't miss the hidden final track -- something like 8 minutes after the end of the listed final track -- a truly spontaneous Dee Dee cracking up on "Mack the Knife". Unfortunately, many artists (likely attempting to emulate Ella) have feigned "out-take" versions of "Mack" and other classics, but one can tell that Dee Dee is truly self-intoxicated on this track (and rightly so). I suppose some Weill "purists" may think this effort too light-hearted in spots, but who cares? Laughter in dark places is the very essence of humor -- especially Weill's humor.