Since 2000, Dianne Reeves has won four Grammy's for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and that's record-setting in itself. Twice, our own Dee Dee Bridgewater was in the running. So it is with the deepest respect and highest anticipation that vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater introduces vocalist Dianne Reeves, at the main arena of the 2006 Monterey Jazz Festival on JazzSet.
Monterey is 49 years old and on this Sunday in September, so is Dianne. She's been onstage all her life. Trumpeter and vocal wizard Clark Terry discovered her, singing with her high school band from Denver at the 1974 National Association of Jazz Educators conference, still running and now the International Association of Jazz Education conference. Beginning in the mid 1980s, the first and long-time Artistic Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival, a man named Jimmy Lyons, booked Dianne every two years with a different major league band. In 1984 she sang at Monterey with Tito Puente, in 1986 with Richie Cole, in 1988 with Benny Carter and J. J. Johnson, and in 1990 she finally led her own group at this long-running California festival. Monterey had a reputation as a bit closed to new talent then, but Dianne broke through. In 2000 she returned as part of composer Jon Hendricks' panoramic "Evolution of the Blues" show, singing with Jon and Joe Williams.
Last year Dianne had the opportunity to sing on camera in the film Good Night and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney, whom she adores. The music played an important role in the storytelling, and that's ideal for Dianne, who reminds her audiences at the end of every show that stories important to her, and us.
Copyright 2007 WBGO