“At the age of 7 months I rocked myself to the song of Ella Fitzgerald” (video)
“You Armenian everywhere, in every place feel you good, you do, what you should do, but you don’t assimilate. I am happy that I am in Armenia; I have wanted to visit the country for many years. In fact, I first heard about Armenia in 1968 when I came to the Soviet Union. Later I got acquainted with Charles Aznavour, performed his songs, worked with Patrick Manukian, who told me much about the Armenian Genocide. Now I am here and I am very happy. I know only Tigran Hamasian among the Armenian performers, and my visit is a good opportunity to get acquainted with Armenian jazz. Even about American Armenian George Avakian, whom this festival is dedicated, I knew little, even the fact that he was the producer of Louis Armstrong.”
Fantastic evening awaits today jazz lovers. Grammy award winner singer Dee Dee Bridgewater will perform within the frames of Yerevan Jazz Fest 2016.
“Jazz is inside me,” says Dee Dee. Ma father swore that at the age of 7 months I rocked myself to the song of Ella Fitzgerald. I started singing from the early age. Jazz always sounded at our house, and when I found out that most of my friends hadn’t heard, for example, about Miles Davis, I was really surprised.
The music of Bridgewater’s heart, she says, is Nina Simone’s song “Four women”. When I listened to the song, she says, I understood that I am proud of my African past. And today I have reached the phase that I needn’t establish myself with my look and clothes. My image, I am sure, can prove my words. I shaved off my hair, when I got divorced for the second time. Now people look at my eyes. Beauty, I am sure, is not beautiful hair, it is something coming from inside. It is my choice. I stand by the women, who lost their hair because of different, including health problems.”
The singer also told about her and Ray Charles’s cooperation. “Those two years, which I spent with him during the TV show, were my best years. We rarely had joint concerts. He let me dine with him, be present when he played chess, and even when he flirted with women. He thought me to be humble. “It’s a show business, said Ray, and I am the star. You are simply by my side.” But, there was even a case, when my plane was late, and he stopped the concert so that I could reach.”
