Dee Dee Bridgewater

Floating onto the stage, a vision in a green print chiffon sheath with fluttering enhanced eyelashes and killer green metallic sandals, brandishing a shimmering gold fan – yes, it was none other than Grammy award winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater set to weave her spell over the audience at Koerner Hall last night.

It wasn’t all glamour though – that this lady was here to give her listeners and the band a workout – not that it showed – she was cool and elegant throughout. Backed by and orchestra of many of Canada’s finest musicians including Guido Basso, Terry Clark, Reg Schwager, Mike Murley and Russ Little to name a few – and on bass trombone – yes, my brother Colin.

A funny and flirtatious Bridgewater – who kept referring to the band as “fine, and I do mean FINE musicians – cue the fluttering lashes - strutted her stuff from ballads to bop in a tribute to two of her biggest influences – Elenora Fagan – that’s Miss Billie Holiday to you and Ella Fitzgerald. After all as she pointed out, those two ladies had ushered her to the Grammy Podium.

The tunes ranged from a plaintive “Good Morning Heartache” and boisterous “Lady Sings the Blues” , energetic “Miss Brown to You”, a bopping “Undecided” and hopping “Cottontail” – a Grammy winning arrangement on that tune (yes, bad pun) – she even did a mean trombone impersonation on “Them There Eyes” - to Ella’s signatures – “A Foggy Day” and “Lady Be Good” – no worries on that score. She is a truly delightful performer.

Opening the show was the Mario Romano Quartet – with Mario on piano, Roberto Occhipinti on bass, Pat LaBarbera on sax, and the honorary Italian – Mark Kelso on drums. Set to tour in Italy this summer the quartet segued through standards such as “Night in Tunisia”, “Someday My Prince Will Come” and a Latin tinged “Autumn Leaves” – they also threw in a Beatles tunes “Norweigian Wood”. To borrow a phrase from Dee Dee – fine musicians.

Speaking of fine musicians – I caught a few numbers on Sunday night from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra on the Toronto Star Stage – wow. Muy caliente – the band was really tight – producing not only complex music – but tunes you couldn’t help swaying your hips to – in fact many succumbed to the rhythms and we dancing inside the tent and on the grass…

I’m off to see Branford and Joey on Wednesday night – and hopefully some things in between – looks like some great music in Quotes with the CJQ and guests like Guido Basso, Scott Hamilton, Randy Sandke and Gord Sheard’s Brazilian Experiences with the likes of Bill McBirnie – then there the free shows in the Square – Kollage tonight at 5:30, Sienna Dahlen at noon tomorrow, the Heavyweights on July 1^st at noon. Plus I hope to catch some of Molly Johnson with the Count Basie Orchestra tomorrow night and Bela Fleck on Thursday. Yes, it’s a full plate but I’m always hungry for great jazz.