“It was time for me to embrace my African heritage.”

This was jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater‘s state of mind when she decided to trace her lineage in hopes of finding her native roots. Unfortunately, Bridgewater (pictured right), who is performing on Sunday at the Kennedy Center, could only trace them back 150 years, to Mississippi. She then began listening to a variety of West African music, and it was Mali’s music that struck the deepest chord. This, in turn, led to a visit to Mali in 2004, where she says she had several profound personal experiences.

“An elderly man approached me and hugged me at the airport,” she recounted. “He kept telling me, in his native language, that I was his long lost niece.”

Bridgewater also felt a strong connection to the land itself because it was reminiscent of her native Memphis. “I was at the hotel. I opened the windows and saw rich red earth and the Niger River flowing right in front of me. I knew I was home.”

These experiences, along with local jam sessions, led to the decision to record an album that would be a collaboration between Bridgewater, her band, and traditional Malian musicians. The result of this collaboration is Red Earth: A Malian Journey, which was recorded in Mali in 2006. The recording features over 40 Malian musicians, and seven of them will be joining Bridgewater’s own trio for Sunday’s concert.

Image from Dee Dee Bridgewater’s website