Dee Dee Bridgewater - Keeping Tradition (1993)

After performing a wide variety of music (much of it commercial) for 15 years, in the mid-'80s Dee Dee Bridgewater returned to jazz. The highly appealing vocalist, although still involved in theater work and other areas of music, has mostly recorded straight-ahead jazz ever since, carving out a niche for herself. This set with her regular French quartet has Bridgewater exploring and swinging some of her favorite standards. She makes such veteran songs as "Just One of Those Things," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "Autumn Leaves," and "Lullaby of Birdland" sound fresh and new. Bridgewater's next project would be a set of Horace Silver songs, and two of the pianist's originals ("Love Vibrations" and "Sister Sadie") are included and point toward the singer's future. This CD is highly recommended, as are all of Dee Dee Bridgewater's Verve recordings.