JAZZ REVIEW : Bridgewater Impressive in Homecoming

The old saw “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” certainly applies in the case of expatriate vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Bridgewater’s opening set Tuesday at Catalina Bar & Grill, her first Los Angeles club date since she relocated to Paris about 10 years ago, was an impressive homecoming that displayed just what’s been missed in her absence.

Before a capacity crowd sprinkled with celebrities, Bridgewater used a comfortable, knowing stage presence and an instrumental sense of her voice to demonstrate that she ranks among the very best practitioners in the art of jazz singing. That sense of the voice as instrument, with the kind of tone, volume and character changes one associates with saxophones and trumpets, made for heady readings of familiar standards and a handful of tunes written by pianist Horace Silver (Bridgewater’s new recording is a collection of Silver’s material).

Like the late Sarah Vaughan, to whom she dedicated “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” Bridgewater crafts her voice to fit the mood of the material. She soared, swooped and snapped during up-tempo material, coloring her sound with slight growls and gritty toughness when appropriate. During ballads, her voice carried more breath as she slowly stirred particular words with vibrato.

The instrumental weight of her voice came across best as she scatted. Here, she became an equal with her backing trio, singing wordless sounds in unison with bassist Hein Van de Geyn or echoing phrases from drummer Thierry Eliez. Nowhere was it more apparent than when she re-created tones of muted trumpet against bassist Van de Geyn’s walk on Silver’s “Doodlin’ ” or in her tight unison with the piano on the theme to Silver’s “Filthy McNasty.” A medley of Silver tunes--”Sister Sadie,” “Next Time I Fall in Love” and “Sen~or Blues” (arranged by Van de Geyn)--allowed the many sides of her personality to shine.

* Dee Dee Bridgewater appears at Catalina Bar & Grill, 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, today through Sunday, 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. $12 tonight and Sunday; $15 Friday-Saturday. Two-drink minimum per show. Information: (213) 466-2210.