In 1960, drummer Max Roach and his partner Abbey Lincoln created the album We Insist!, a rallying cry in support of the Civil Rights Movement. Today, American singer Dee Dee Bridgewater presents her own project, We Exist!, a 100% female quartet (with Carmen Staaf on piano, Rosa Brunello on bass, and Evita Polidoro on drums) that declares, “We exist, we, as women, and especially as women in jazz.” But it also proclaims, “We exist, we, Black women and men,” in a country that, as the singer reminds us, Wayne Shorter once called the “Un-united States.”
This is a deeply political repertoire she has chosen for the group, spanning the blues of “Danger Zone,” first performed by Ray Charles, the unflinching “Mississippi Goddam,” written by Nina Simone in response to the bombing of a Baptist church, Billy Taylor’s Civil Rights anthem “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” and “Throw It Away,” written by singer, actress, and activist Abbey Lincoln.
With all the confidence that comes from a world-renowned talent, and with her legendary warmth, Dee Dee Bridgewater brings her convictions to the stage in a burst of laughter and energy. Her joy is infectious, and her connection with the audience is unmatched. An evening with her is a true show: it’s laughter, it’s tears, it’s rhythm, it’s life!