Cunard Kicks Blue Note Jazz-Themed Transatlantic Crossing into High Gear with the Addition of a Second Vocal Legend: Dee Dee Bridgewater

SOUTHAMPTON, England, Jan. 19, 2016 /CNW/ -- Cunard is excited to announce that jazz icon Dee Dee Bridgewater will be co-headlining Queen Mary 2's third Blue Note jazz-themed Transatlantic Crossing from New York to Southampton on October 25, 2016.

Bridgewater is a Triple Grammy® Award Winner, a TONY® Winner, a UN Goodwill Ambassador, producer, record label head, and much more. Widely celebrated for her depth of artistry across mediums, Bridgewater will perform three intimate, powerhouse shows in The Royal Court Theatre as well as a Q&A session on board Queen Mary 2's 7-night crossing.

Bridgewater joins booming baritone Gregory Porter on the Transatlantic Crossing. Fellow jazz musician Gregory Porter is also a Grammy® Winner and was awarded "International Jazz Artist of the Year" in 2015 by Jazz FM. (Porter's upcoming participation was announced in November, 2015.)

"I am thrilled to join Cunard and Blue Note for such a unique musical experience on board Queen Mary 2," said Bridgewater. "To me, jazz symbolizes liberty and freedom of expression, and I look forward to sharing this jazz experience with guests on board and with my dear friend, Mr. Gregory Porter."

Bridgewater's career spans more than four decades, and began with her phenomenal debut in New York City in 1970 as the lead vocalist for the band led by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, one of the premier jazz orchestras of the day. Bridgewater marked an early career in concerts and recordings with musical giants including Dizzy Gillespie, before beginning a career on Broadway, where she won a Tony Award for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wiz. Her time on Broadway led to work in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and beyond. In London's West End, she garnered the coveted "Laurence Olivier" Award nomination as Best Actress for her tour de force portrayal of jazz legend Billie Holiday in Stephen Stahl's Lady Day.

"On behalf of Cunard, we are delighted to welcome Dee Dee Bridgewater on board Queen Mary 2," said Richard Meadows, president, Cunard North America. "Dee Dee is a phenomenal entertainer who captivates audiences worldwide, and we are thrilled for our guests to have a front-row seat to this intimate jazz experience with both her and Gregory Porter on this very special Transatlantic Crossing."

For more information about Queen Mary 2 or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Consultant, call Cunard toll free at 1-800-728-6273, or visit www.cunard.com.

About Queen Mary 2
Christened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2004, Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 defines luxury travel for the 21st Century and continues a 175-year legacy of transatlantic travel. Queen Mary 2 achieved her 200th Transatlantic Crossing in July 2013. Famous names who have experienced this iconic voyage since 2004 include President George H.W. Bush, Desmond Tutu, James Taylor, Wes Anderson, Tilda Swinton, George Takei, Kim Novak, Uma Thurman, Richard Dreyfuss, John Cleese and Angela Bassett.

About Cunard
Defining true excellence at sea with over 175 years of legendary voyages, Cunard is the operator of luxury ocean liners Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth that are renowned for impeccable White Star Service, gourmet dining and world-class entertainment. Cunard has long been synonymous with the quest for new discoveries since the company's first paddle-wheeled steamer, Britannia, crossed the Atlantic in 1840. Today Cunard offers the only regularly scheduled Transatlantic liner service and continues the legacy of world cruising which it began in 1922.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
Cunard is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Seabourn and fathom. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

About Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records was founded when a German immigrant named Alfred Lion produced his first recording session with two boogie woogie pianists on January 6, 1939 in New York City. Blue Note has gone on to represent The Finest In Jazz, tracing the entire history of the music from Boogie Woogie, Hot Jazz and Swing, through Bebop, Hard Bop, Post Bop, Soul Jazz, Avant-Garde, and Fusion, and into Jazz's numerous modern day incarnations. Blue Note's legendary catalog includes a true Who's Who of Jazz history: Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Donald Byrd, Andrew Hill, Ornette Coleman, and many more. Blue Note has since established itself as the most respected and longest running Jazz label in the world, remaining home to some of the most prominent stars and cutting-edge innovators in Jazz today while at the same time broadening its horizons to include quality music in many genres. Under the leadership of current President Don Was, Blue Note has renewed its dedication to Lion's original vision that "any particular style of playing which represents an authentic way of musical feeling is genuine expression." Blue Note Records is one of the flagship labels of the Capitol Music Group.

About Blue Note Entertainment Group
Blue Note Entertainment Group, founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns and operates New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Subrosa, and Lucille's Grill; The Howard Theatre (Washington D.C.); and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide (Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan;  Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii and Beijing, China). The company also programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA). Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY®-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel, Management Group and Media Group. The organization has presented many of the music industry's greatest artists over the past 35 years, including jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughn, Chris Botti, and many more.

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For additional information about Cunard, contact:
Jackie Chase, Cunard Line, 661-753-1035, [email protected] 
Maria Andriano, MGA Media Group, 212-251-1015, [email protected]

For additional information about Blue Note, contact:
Cem Kurosman, Capitol Music Group/Blue Note Records, 212-786-8634, [email protected]

For additional information about Blue Note Jazz Clubs, contact:
Jonathan Kantor, Director of Marketing & Publicity, Blue Note Entertainment Group, 212-475-0049, [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160115/322704 

SOURCE Cunard Line