DEE ALEXANDER
07.26.10 | Dee Alexander in Le Telegrame France
Jazz à Vannes (56). Coup d'envoi ce soir avec Dee Alexander
26 juillet 2010
07.25.10 | Dee Alexander on Lemonde.fr
Dee Alexander, le "Rossignol" au festival de Souillac
LEMONDE pour Le Monde.fr | 24.07.10 | 18h39 • Mis à jour le 24.07.10 | 19h01
La chanteuse Dee Alexander et ses trois musiciens traversent tranquillement, vendredi 23 juillet, la place Pierre-Betz, à Souillac, à quelques mètres du public en train de s'installer. Grands sourires et attitude cool. Il est presque 21 heures. Youssef Ernie Adams, le batteur, s'arrête pour regarder une nouvelle fois le site du festival Souillac en jazz, organisé du 20 au 25 juillet. La place, délimitée par un muret, la façade arrière de l'abbatiale romane de la ville. Le groupe est venu faire ses essais de son plus tôt. Pas d'effets d'échos, un rendu naturel des instruments.
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Voix puissante, tenue sans efforts discernables, apte à aborder le blues, la soul, le jazz classique ou free, avec des compostions qui puisent à l'occasion dans les rythmes afro-cubains ou le reggae jamaïcain, Dee Alexander pourrait être présentée, dans un premier temps comme un phénomène vocal. A Chicago, d'où elle est originaire et où elle est une figure importante de la communauté musicienne, elle a été surnommée le Rossignol. En raison de montées dans les aigus façon chant d'oiseau, "twi-twi trili-trili", dont elle fera une démonstration avec la chanson… Rossignol. Ce n'est pas là, ni dans des effets de pétillement de bulles de ses onomatopées scat qu'elle se révèle la plus intéressante, mais bien dans son enracinement gospel et blues. Aretha Franklin et Ella Fitzgerald ne sont pas très loin.
A Chicago, Dee Alexander a collaboré avec l'Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), le collectif de musiciens créé en 1965 par le pianiste Muhal Richard Abrams pour célébrer la Great Black Music, (la grande musique noire) et qui compte parmi ses membres, Anthony Braxton, Chico Freeman ou l'Art Ensemble of Chicago. Elle a aussi travaillé avec la Muntu Dance Company of Chicago. On le retrouve dans sa manière de réagir physiquement à la musique. Par des mouvements amples des bras, des accents rythmiques marqués par les jambes, les pieds qui frappent le solo, des déhanchements souples. Dee Alexander a aussi pour ses musiciens (outre Youssef Ernie Adams, le pianiste Miguel de la Cerna et le contrebassiste Harrison Bankhead) une écoute attentive, leur laissant toute liberté dans les parties solistes, sollicitant même qu'ils en fassent plus – en particulier le batteur.
07.25.10 | Dee Alexander review by Alex Dutilh
Fantastic review by Alex Dutilh (French National Radio) for Dee Alexander
On l'avait pressenti à la parution de son album "Wild is the Wind" (BluJazz), Dee Alexander est un phénomène à ne pas rater dans le jazz d'aujourd'hui. J'évite sciemment de préciser "dans le jazz vocal d'aujourd'hui", car la prestation qu'elle vient de donner ce dimanche soir au Sunside à Paris (elle y chantait déjà la veille) est celle d'une musicienne à la tête d'un formidable quartet.
Miguel de la Cerna au piano, Harrison Bankhead à la contrebasse et Yusef Ernie Adams à la batterie, qui ouvrent en trio chacun des sets, constituent des interlocuteurs exceptionnels. Leur entente fusionnelle, se jouant fréquemment de tempos parallèles, évoque la puissance du trio de McCoy Tyner au début des seventies (Juni Booth et Alphonse Mouzon). Même capacité à porter la musique à une température de lave en fusion.
Avec eux, Dee Alexander prend tous les risques, bruitages vocaux, scat africanisant, sautes de registres du grave profond à des aigus célestes, textes engagés… Aussi rayonnante, épanouie, généreuse, sur son répertoire original ou sur des reprises de Nina Simone (dont un Four Women d'anthologie) ou de Dinah Washington. Histoire de marquer que son jazz plonge profond dans les racines de la musique populaire afro-américaine.
Une femme-femme qui se glisse dans le sillage dévastateur de ses trois acolytes ou se lance dans un dialogue avec la contrebasse boisée et large d'épaules de Harrison Bankhead. Ils ne l'accompagnent pas, ils sont une part de "sa" voix, en osmose totale. Batterie privilégiant les tambours, en écho poly-rythmique de congas imaginaires ; piano tête dans le guidon, générant un drive imparable…
Tous les quatre viennent de Chicago (Yusef Ernie Adams étant en fait originaire du Milwaukee) et sont manifestement marqués par la spécificité de la scène locale. Plus encore que la tradition de l'AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, créée en 1965) avec laquelle Dee Alexander a des rapports étroits, cette imbrication totale de la voix au sein du quartet n'est pas sans rappeler la manière de deux autres chicagoans notoires : Kurt Elling et Patricia Barber.
Vendredi, Dee chantait à Souillac, ce lundi soir elle sera à Vannes. Elle sera en Sardaigne fin août. Là où elle en est, elle ferait un triomphe à Montréal, Newport, La Haye, Vienne, Juan, Nice ou Marciac. En 2011 ? Chiche ! Pour l'instant, elle est le diamant brut de Chicago. Plus secret pour longtemps.
07.25.10 | Dee Alexander, le rossignol du Sunside
Dee Alexander, le rossignol du Sunside
Le 25 juillet 2010 à 16h45 - Mis à jour le 25 juillet 2010 à 16h52
Tags : jazz Dee Alexander Ella Fitzgerald
LE FIL MUSIQUE - Peu connue en France, ni même à New York, la diva de Chicago se produisait hier soir devant le public de la capitale, après son passage à Souillac,. Scat, impros, ballades Fitzgeraldiennes… Et cette voix, et ce charme. Il n'en fallait pas plus à la drôle de Mrs Dee pour ravir une salle ébahie, bourrée à craquer.
11.01.09 | Dee Alexander: Free as a Bird
November 2009
By: David Whiteis
For Dee Alexander, taking flight is both a vocal technique and the realization of a dream. “Rossignol,” from her acclaimed 2009 album, Wild Is the Wind (Blujazz), is named for a North African nightingale that she has adopted as her artistic alter-ego. Her improvisations artfully recreate the songbird’s flight patterns, interspersing forward-thrusting lines with playful flutters, zigzags and swoops. On “Butterfly,” dedicated to another of her winged role models, she unfurls complex filigrees and curlicues that move with disarming quickness, leaving shards of light in their wake.
“I’m about
[click link to read more]
08.19.09 | Dee Alexander This Bitter Earth
Rating: 98/100 (learn more)
If indeed the cream rises to the top, it's inevitable that Dee Alexander, who has already won local awards recognizing her immense talent in her native city of Chicago, should soon receive similar accolades internationally. Her third CD, Wild is the Wind, is quite simply one of the very best releases by a jazz singer so far in 2009. On it, Alexander acknowledges two of her inspirations, with powerful interpretations of three tunes associated with Nina Simone, as well as "This Bitter Earth," first recorded by Dinah Washington in 1959. Washington's version came after she had entered her commercial period, and is hindered by her emotionally restrained delivery and a plodding string arrangement.
Alexander, on the other hand, lets it all out,..to read more click the link
07.26.09 | Dee Alexander Quartet at the Green Mill in Chicago, July 31 - August 1
Written by Ronaldo Oregano
Billed as a Chicago Jazz Fest preview, the Dee Alexander Quartet featuring Dee Alexander on vocals, Miguel de la Cerna on piano, Junius Paul on bass and Ernie Adams on drums will perform a the Green Mill on Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st. Dee Alexander is one of Chicago’s most gifted and respected female vocalist/songwriters. Her talents span every music genre, from Gospel to R&B, from Blues to Neo-Soul. Yet her true heart and soul are experienced in their purest form through her performance of Jazz music. From a soft, sultry traditional ballad, to a contemporary Jazz-Funk groove; from a high flying swing, to a scat-filled romp, Dee Alexander delivers each style with a passion and love of music that comes across in each and every note, and with a style and grace that is truly her own. Some of her recent career highlights include the 2008 Hope in Action – Homage to Nelson Mandela with Orbert Davis and Chicago Jazz Philharmonic at Millennium Park and the 2007 Sirens of Song...to read more click link
07.23.09 | DEE ALEXANDER voted Best Singer by Chicago Magazine
DEE ALEXANDER voted Best Singer by Chicago Magazine
Chicago Magazine
August 2009 issue
Page 89
06.17.09 | The Free Spirit Dee Alexander by Emily Heninger
Introduced to jazz at an early age by her mother, singer/songwriter Dee Alexander grew up with "the classics." In a recent interview, Alexander said, "I used to ask [my mother], especially when she would play Billie Holiday, 'Wow, she sounds so sad... . What's wrong with her, and why is she whining about her man?'"
Even if she didn't fully appreciate Billie's soulful crooning as a child, Alexander knew that jazz was her kind of music. "I loved it instantly," she explained. "I consider myself to be a free spirit ... I don't like to be held by boundaries or anything, so that's what I like about jazz. You take one song and you can do it 50 times, 50 different ways."
Now, Alexander has grown into a full-fledged jazz diva, earning such honors as the 2007 Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz Award from the Chicago Tribune and the 2008 Jazz Entertainer of the Year at the Chicago Music Awards. Often described as "a singer's singer," Alexander's talent has earned her wide recognition. The Chicago Reader said, "She enters a realm of pure musical thought that most singers only dream about."
And with a self-described "eclectic" style, Alexander's wide-ranging ability has...to read entire article click link
05.31.09 | ChicagoJazz.net Hyde Park review
Story and Photos by James Walker
It turned out exactly as this writer had anticipated!!!! A large crowd with many having to be turned away at the door. The crowd began arriving shortly after 6pm for the weekly 7:30pm Checker Jazz set that's sponsored by the Hyde Park Jazz Society. This writer had warned jazz fans to arrive early if they expected to be seated for this long awaited "CD" release party to celebrate Dee's critically acclaimed new release, Wild is The Wind. This piece of extraordinary work by the reigning "queen" of Chicago jazz received an unprecendented 5 star rating in the June issue of Downbeat Magagine. Such a rating is extremely unusual. There were 30 reviews in that issue and Dee's was the LONE 5 star rated masterpiece. Downbeat has been in business about 75 years and they are never charitable with their ratings.
Just as the CD is an exceptional accomplishment by Ms. Alexander, so was this three hour evening of music by Dee and her esteem trio consisting of drummer Ernie Adams, bassist Harrison Bankhead, and her long time musical director Miguel de la Cema. For those familiar with these masterful musicians, they seldom , if ever, disappoint.
for the entire story...click related link
02.10.09 | WBEZ 91.5 Dee Alexander Interview w/ Richard Steele
Listen to Dee Alexander's interview with Richard Steele.
12.30.07 | 2007 Chicagoans of the year: Jazz by Howard Reich
2007 Chicagoans of the year: JAZZ
Do you ever wonder how artists get their ideas?
Chicagoan of the year: Dee Alexander
Chicago jazz artist spreads her wings
By Howard Reich
Chicago Tribune arts critic
December 30, 2007
She was everywhere in 2007:
Attracting throngs to Millennium Park; swinging joyously outside the South Shore
Cultural Center; pushing into experimental music at the Velvet Lounge;
improvising buoyantly at the first Hyde Park Jazz Festival.
But it wasn't merely the frequency of Dee Alexander's performances, or just the
stylistic breadth of her work, that distinguished her. Perhaps more important, she
sang with such interpretive depth and dramatic power as to force listeners to reevaluate
the music she makes. Though Alexander has been performing in her
hometown for decades, in the past year she took on the most daring projects of
her career and made them sing.
"I think this year was some kind of metamorphosis for me," says Alexander,
invoking precisely the right word to articulate what happened to her, and her
music, in '07.
"Chicago always has been my home, but this year I started to spread my wings."
In more ways than one. Geographically, Alexander performed outside the U.S. to
critical acclaim, joining several local colleagues in a tour to Poland, organized by
the non-profit Jazz Institute of Chicago.
Yet even if Alexander hadn't received robust ovations in Eastern Europe, where
she immediately was invited for a return trip in '08, her increasing artistic prowess
yielded several of this year's greatest jazz performances.
Consider her breakthrough moment at Millennium Park last summer, when she
unveiled "Sirens of Song: Dee Alexander's Tribute to Nina Simone and Dinah
Washington." Tearing into Simone's "Mississippi Goddam" -- an outcry against
the racism of the South -- Alexander unleashed every bit of anger that Simone
intended, and then some. The gravel in Alexander's voice and the grit of her
delivery pointed to a musician who didn't just sing a song but rejuvenated it.
The same artist, however, expressed the joyousness, optimism and technical
acuity one sooner associates with Ella Fitzgerald, during a standing-room-only
show at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival.
How can one artist prove so convincing in these diametrically opposed contexts,
and several others?
Perhaps the long years Alexander has spent in relative obscurity has enabled her
to develop her art in full, outside the glare of publicity and the artistic
compromises of the music industry. Performing in low-profile venues at night and
holding day jobs all the while, Alexander has been free to experiment with music
and learn her own capabilities.
The influence of past Chicago masters such as Light Henry Huff, whose
transcendently spiritual music she re-imagined in a South Side field house last
June, informs every note she sings. But now she stands as a significant artist in
her own right, carrying forth the traditions of Chicago jazz -- and building upon
them.
Not surprisingly, the increasingly obvious skill of her work has meant that her
schedule has picked up dramatically, with forthcoming European tours and a first
recording date in the offing.
But it's the music, she says, that still moves her most.
"Sometimes it gets so overwhelming to me -- I get this feeling in my chest, and
then I'm crying," says Alexander.
"When people come up to you, they're in tears, and they say, 'You've really
touched my soul, you've touched my heart' -- that's the greatest accomplishment
that any artist can have."
- - -
INSPIRATION
"I'm inspired by the elements -- the wind, life, love, babies, laughter. Musicians --
great musicians. Rainbows. I'm inspired by Nicole Mitchell ... I'm also inspired by
the AACM [Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians]. I'm inspired
by their creed: to nurture and cultivate and perform our original music."
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