Capping a 12-city national tour, singer and actress Dee Dee Bridgewater performs Nov. 5-10 at Iridium Jazz Club (44 West 63rd St) in Manhattan. The songstress, whose new album is titled "Prelude To A Kiss - The Duke Ellington Album," has subtitled her show, "A Tribute To Ella Fitzgerald."

Accompanied by the Jacky Terrasson Trio, Bridgewater will pay tribute to both Ellington and Ella, the former with songs from her "Prelude" album including "Mood Indigo," "Come Sunday" and "Bli Blip"; the latter with such tunes associated with Fitzgerald as "Miss Otis Regrets," "Love For Sale," and "A-Tisket, A Tasket."

Following this Iridium engagement, Bridgewater will headline the maiden voyage of a new Club Med cruise ship, then participate in an AIDS benefit in Geneva.

Born in Memphis, Denise Bridgewater began singing professionally in Flint, Michigan at age sixteen. She joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in 1970 and then sang with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie and Dexter Gordon. In 1975, Bridgewater won a Tony for her role as Glinda, the Good Witch in Broadway's The Wiz. She was nominated for a 1986 Best Actress Olivier Award for her work as Billie Holliday in Lady Day At Emerson's Bar &;Grill in London. Paris 1995 saw Bridgewater become the first black actress to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret.

For tickets ($25-$30 + $5 food/drink minimum) and information on Dee Dee Bridgewater's twelve performances at Iridium, call (212) 582-2121. -- By David Lefkowitz