DDB PRODUCTIONS + DDB RECORDS is a growing group of seasoned, creative and entertainment professionals. Founded in 1996 by triple Grammy® and Tony® award winning Jazz legend, Dee Dee Bridgewater.
DDB PRODUCTIONS is a boutique Music Production, Global Tour Management and Talent Development company. Specializing in Jazz, World, and Alternative music, DDB RECORDS is an independent record label conceived by Dee Dee Bridgewater to support and promote artistic diversity. Through its negotiated distribution agreements with such industry giants as Sony, Universal Music Group, Decca/EmArcy and Navarre, DDB Records artists receive premier exposure and product support.
TEAM DDB
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER... Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics.
Ever the fearless voyager, explorer, pioneer and keeper of tradition, the three-time Grammy-winner most recently won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee. Bridgewater’s career has always bridged musical genres. She earned her first professional experience as a member of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, and throughout the 70’s she performed with such jazz notables as Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie. After a foray into the pop world during the 1980s, she relocated to Paris and began to turn her attention back to Jazz.
Bridgewater began self-producing with her 1993 album Keeping Tradition (Polydor/Verve) and created DDB Records in 2006 when she signed with the Universal Music Group as a producer (Bridgewater produces all of her own CDs). Releasing a series of critically-acclaimed CD's, all but one, including her wildly successful double Grammy Award-winning tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Dear Ella - have received Grammy nominations. Bridgewater also pursued a parallel career in musical theater, winning a Tony Award for her role as “Glinda” in The Wiz in 1975. Having recently completed a run as the lead role of Billie Holiday in the off-Broadway production of Lady Day, her other theatrical credits include Sophisticated Ladies, Black Ballad, Carmen, Cabaret and the Off-Broadway and West End Productions of Lady Day, for which Bridgewater received the British Laurence Olivier Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
As a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Bridgewater continues to appeal for international solidarity to finance global grassroots projects in the fight against world hunger. In April 2017 was the recipient of an NEA Jazz Masters Fellows Award with honors bestowed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In December 2017, Bridgewater was presented with the ASCAP Foundation Champions award acknowledging her charitable contributions. 2019 brought her induction in the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to music and in celebration of her latest CD, "Memphis, Yes...I'm Ready."
Transitioning into the world of television, Tulani helped rebuild the Talent department of kid-cabler, Nickelodeon, handling celebrity and network talent for domestic and international outlets, both on and off-air. After nearly four years with the network, she decided to resume her career in music management and production.
Together with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tulani expanded DDB Productions into a full-fledged international management and production firm. She also helped develop DDB Records, which has put out Grammy award-winning titles for Dee Dee Bridgewater and released Theo Croker's critically acclaimed "AfroPhysicist". Croker’s subsequent releases “DVRKFUNK” and “Escape Velocity” have been called the future of Jazz.
Dee Dee's most recent album, “Memphis...Yes, I’m Ready”, was co-produced by Bridgewater-Kowalski and has been an unprecedented foray into R&B and Blues fused with Jazz and is being heralded as one of Bridgewater’s finest albums to date. 2019 brings the anticipated release of Theo Croker's newest album "Star People Nation" (Sony Masterworks). After appearing on albums for J.Cole, Ari Lennox and Common, SPN is already being lauded as a breakthrough.
In addition to running daily operations for DDB Productions and DDB Records, Bridgewater-Kowalski also helms her management firm Bridgewater Artists Management.
Shelby began her behind-the-scenes career in music as an Assistant Tour Manager to the Eagles, supporting each of the legendary band members and industry titan Irving Azoff. She then went on to work as Ticketing and Fan Package Program Coordinator for Rock giants, Van Halen.
She transitioned to Production Management during her work with world-renown magician David Copperfield. Shelby returned to music providing her expertise as Tour and Operations Management for Grammy winning Jazz icon Ramsey Lewis and the Grammy winning contemporary Classical Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird.
Managing a crew of 35+ while touring with a company that performed 500+ shows/ year, Her strong budget preparation and analysis experience, coupled with her strong interpersonal and team building skills make her an indispensable part of the DDB team.
Tim draws on over 15 years experience in video production from camera operation and editing to final product master creation. Continuing to seek new challenges and opportunities in the entertainment industry with special focus on live event, multi-track audio recording, surround sound mixing and HD video production.
In addition, Zick does studio production, recording and live event production. His projects include voice-over, dialogue, commercials and streaming.
Tim has provided Front of House engineering for DDB since 2015. In addition, he handles all technical elements, including advance, pre-production, audio, lighting, stage set-up, tech logistics and more.
