Following Fatoumata Diawara, who literally swept the audience off their feet with her explosive stage presence, the summer edition of Bergamo Jazz presents another charismatic female vocalist: Dee Dee Bridgewater. On Saturday, July 18 (9:30 p.m.; tickets from 30 to 40 euros), the great American singer will take the stage set up by the City of Bergamo at the Lazzaretto to present, exclusively for Northern Italy, her project “We Exist!.” She will be joined by three talented instrumentalists: pianist Alexis Lombre, bassist Rosa Brunello, and drummer Shirazette Tinnin.

Dee Dee Bridgewater’s concert is organized in collaboration with A2A for Fondazione Banco dell’Energia: all proceeds from the evening will be donated to the philanthropic organization supported by A2A and its foundations—AEM, ASM, and LGH—which assists people in situations of economic and social vulnerability. Bergamo Jazz Estate 2026 is produced by the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti and the Associazione Amici del Festival Pianistico Internazionale di Bergamo, with the support of BCC Oglio e Serio.

Dee Dee Bridgewater, whose previous concerts under the Bergamo Jazz banner at the Donizetti Theater date back to 1996 and 2005, has held the title of “queen of jazz singing” for decades: with“We Exist!”, she issues a rallying cry through songs that are not merely melodies with socially conscious lyrics, but true musical manifestos, conveying messages accessible to everyone thanks to the magnetic personality of a legend who transcends the world of jazz. The project features songs such as Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Gene McDaniels’ “Compared to What,” James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good),” Bob Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody,” and other songs that defined the 20th century yet remain as relevant as ever.

A winner of three Grammy Awards and a Tony Award for Best Actress, Dee Dee Bridgewater was born in Memphis as Denise Eileen Garrett; she later took the surname of trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, whom she married in the early 1970s. Her first forays into the “big leagues” of jazz also date back to that period, with the Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Orchestra, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, and Sonny Rollins. But Dee Dee’s full artistic maturation took place during the 1980s, after she moved to France. In addition to refining her jazz performances, she dabbled in pop music, thereby forging a strong bond with her audience that has never wavered since. In Italy, in particular, she won over the general public thanks to her duet with Ray Charles at the 1989 Sanremo Festival and her victory—also at Sanremo—in 1990, performing alongside the Pooh.

In recent decades, the singer has focused on projects that have, in turn, highlighted and brought out the various nuances of her voice—from the French chansons of *J’ai deux amours* (2005) to the Malian music of *Red Earth* (2007), from her exploration of Billie Holiday’s repertoire, Eleanora Fagan (2010), to the tributes to New Orleans and Memphis in *Dee Dee’s Feathers* (2015) and Memphis… Yes, I’m Ready (2017). *We Exist! * reaffirms the versatility, authenticity, and authority of a timeless performer.