Biography
Cecil Bridgewater stands out as a superior hard bop trumpeter whose long association with the Max Roach Quartet has defined much of his career. Following his music studies at the University of Illinois, he joined forces with tenorman Ron Bridgewater to form the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969. During part of the 1970s he was married to vocalist Dee Dee Garrett, also known as Dee Dee Bridgewater. The year 1970 found him performing alongside Horace Silver before he joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis orchestra, remaining a member from 1970 through 1976. Bridgewater first began working with Max Roach during the early 1970s and has remained an essential member of Roach’s ensembles ever since. In 1993 he finally issued his debut recording as a leader on the Bluemoon label.