Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap, Elemental Review

by Stamish Malcuss

The art of the duo album is one of the most exposed and intimate formats in jazz. There’s nowhere to hide, no rhythm section cushion, just two artists laying it all bare. On Elemental, released June 13, 2025, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap lean all the way into this vulnerability with interplay, swing, and storytelling.

Right from the downbeat, “Beginning to See the Light,” the duet displays its storytelling. Bridgewater kicks things off emulating brushes on a snare and hi-hat with her voice, a percussive nod to the roots of swing. Charlap answers with spattered piano clusters, and the two tease out the form, leading to a wonderful jazz blues feel. The genius is in how they move from this swing feel to the next one. It’s conversational, rooted in a shared rhythmic pulse.

On “Mood Indigo,” Charlap taps into Duke’s harmonic palette with a series of gently dissonant intervals. Bridgewater draws the emotional ink line from the melody’s lyrics and character. Her expression clings to each phrase. Together, they color with the blues, letting Ellington’s harmonic patterns simmer. It’s chamber-vocal-jazz with attitude.

“Honeysuckle Rose” is all jubilant bounce and rhythmic wink. The joy here lies in the rhythmic interplay. Charlap nods to stride and classic swing. Bridgewater sings the theme, scats, and whistles. Charlap meets her with rhythmic support that blooms into full-on conversational phrasing.

“Here’s That Rainy Day” has interesting colors and minimalism. Bridgewater lets the lyric lead, her tone present and resonating, singing Johnny Burke’s words with emotion. Every note she sings matters, letting the irony of the words land harder. It’s a performance that understands the emotional power of lyrics within the musical mood.

At just 2:40, “’S Wonderful” is proof that you don’t need long solos to make a point. They keep things up with a straight-ahead medium swing, both improvising together during the solo section in a style that feels joyful. This track swings with clarity.

“Love for Sale” is a jazz blues delight. Bridgewater’s phrasing is expressive in her timbre, dark and theatrical convenience. Charlap’s harmonic language manages tension with chromatic side-slips and beautiful chordal voicings. The groove is full of energy that simmers just under the surface, making this Cole Porter standard feel fresh, dangerous, even a little wicked.

At over eight minutes, “In the Still of the Night” stretches the terrain patiently. The pacing is everything. Charlap’s reharmonizations bloom slowly with soft pastel hues that never overshadow Bridgewater’s classic vocal lines. As the rhythmic activity subtly increases and the rhythmic interplay grows, the song transforms from torchlight ballad into full-on jazz blues reverie.

“Caravan” is a high-octane selection that one might expect. Charlap digs into an angular pointillistic Latin feel, and Bridgewater dances over it with an expressive, shape-shifting vocal performance. The edge is there, but it’s cloaked in elegance, less big band brass and more whispered intrigue. It ends with a bang and a knowing smile.

Elemental is two artists with nothing to prove and everything to share. Bridgewater’s voice, as ever, is elastic and capable of sass, sorrow, and spiritual uplift in a single phrase. Charlap, always the gentleman of the piano, provides architecture and dialogue, guiding without ever dictating.