Blossom Dearie R.I.P.
Ron Hearn
from a post to Jazz West-Coast:
BLOSSOM DEARIE
April 29, 1926 - February 2009
New York: Feb. 7, 2009: Legendary songwriter/singer Blossom Dearie died
peacefully in her Greenwich Village home following a lengthy illness. She
was 84 years old. Her longtime manager/representative Donald Schaffer said
she died of natural causes.
Ms. Dearie was always known for her girlish voice and writing urbane songs
about love and humor and collaborations with the likes of Cy Coleman and
Johnny Mercer. Her last professional engagement was at Danny's Skylight Room
(now closed) on Restaurant Row where she performed regularly for seven years
through 2006.
Born Marguerite Blossom Dearie in East Durham, New York on April 29, 1926,
and after studying classical music, began her career in earnest as a teen
when she switched from classical piano to jazz. She moved to New York City
after graduating high school to pursue a serious music career. Initially,
she began singing with groups such as The Blue Flames with The Woody Herman
Orchestra and another group called the The Blue Reys (with Alvino Rey's
Band) before embarking on a solo career.
In 1952, she moved to Paris where she shared an apartment with rising jazz
singer Annie Ross. Soon, she formed a vocal group called The Blue Stars. In
1954, the group had a hit with a French language version of "Lullaby of
Birdland." In time, the group would become The Swingle Sisters. While living
in Paris, she met her future husband, a Belgian flutist and saxophonist
named Bobby Jaspar. On her first solo album, released in France, she played
piano but did not sing. Her most famous song of that period was titled, "The
Riviera," co-written and composed with Cy Coleman and Joseph McCarthy in
1956.
Returning to New York in the late '50's, she recorded six albums on the
Verve label through the early sixties. Most were recorded using a trio or
quartet. "Today" talk show host Dave Garroway was an early fan and featured
her on the program several times. Her fan base was rabid and growing by
then. In 1962, she recorded a song for a radio show for Hires Root Beer. Its
popularity was such that it led to the LP, "Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin'
Songs." In 1964, she recorded her best known album for Capitol Records, "May
I Come In?" which was recorded with a full orchestra. It was during this
time that Ms. Dearie started performing in supper clubs in New York where
she began honing her distinctive singing style. In 1966, she made an
appearance at Ronnie Scott's night club in London and quickly became a
popular attraction there. She also gained notoriety for frequent appearances
with Dudley Moore and Peter Cook on television. Also while in London, she
went on to record four albums on the Fontana label.
In 1974, she established her own record label, Daffodil Records. This
allowed her complete artistic, recording and distribution control over her
growing cache of material. Through the years, she also appeared on many
television programs most notably the children's series called "Schoolhouse
Rock." Here, many of her pieces were co-written with Bob Dorough. Her
child-like voice can be heard on "Mother Necessity," "Figure Eight" and
"Unpack Your Adjectives." Her distinctive voice can also be heard on
soundtracks of several films including, "Kissing Jessica Stein," "My Life,"
"Without Me," "The Squid and the Whale" and "The Adventures of Felix." She
also recorded with several musicians including Bob Dorough and Lyle Lovett.
In 2007, Australian singer Kylie Minogue said that Blossom Dearie was one of
her strongest influences.
Her musical sensibilities were always rooted in jazz as well as popular
song, but her voice and style were uniquely hers ("chic, sleek and
squeaky-clean, a voice in a million" said Leonard Feather in the Los Angeles
Times). She often toured in Europe, Australia and across the globe
performing her light-hearted, fanciful and funny songs for sophisticated
audiences. Her very special repertoire ranged from Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers
and Hart and Johnny Mercer favorites to comic gems by John Wallowitch and
Dave Frishberg and many romantic ballads she composed herself to lyrics by
Jack Segal.
Early in her New York Career she recorded six albums for Norman Granz's
Verve. The following four have been re-released: "Blossom Dearie," "Once
Upon A Summertime," Give Him The Ooh-La-La," and "Sings Comden and Green,"
and "Verve Jazz Masters 51: Blossom Dearie."
Since 2002, "Soubrette Sings Broadway Hit Songs," and "My Gentleman Friend."
have been available on her Daffodil Records. Rex Reed called her "one of New
York's treasures," in the New York Observer, while Rogers Whittaker of The
New Yorker asserted that her performances range "from the meticulous to the
sublime." And Blossom always said about her songs, "They appeal to all
ages."
She is survived by a brother named Barney from New York State. Funeral plans
have not been announced.
Loudon Briggs
>
>from a post to Jazz West-Coast:
>
>
>BLOSSOM DEARIE
>
>April 29, 1926 - February 2009
>
>
>New York: Feb. 7, 2009: Legendary songwriter/singer Blossom Dearie died
>peacefully in her Greenwich Village home following a lengthy illness. She
>was 84 years old. Her longtime manager/representative Donald Schaffer said
>she died of natural causes.
>
>Ms. Dearie was always known for her girlish voice *****
My late wife was a huge fan of Blossom Dearie and once had this to say
about her voice...
I paraphrase... "when I first heard her as a youngster, I thought she
sounded like a little old lady, but, the older she got, the more she
sounded like a little girl!"
Kind of an apt description... young or old, she was a good'un and will
be missed!
--
Loudon Briggs lar...@bbz.net Phoenix, Arizona, USA)
ptk...@gmail.com
I made a special trip to New York in early Sept 2001 (the weekend
before 9/11) to hear Blossom Dearie perform at Danny's Skylight Room.
I'd been enjoying her music for 25 years, and felt that the
opportunity to hear her in-person wouldn't be available much longer.
I'm glad she had the opportunity to continue performing for several
more years. She was a charming, witty and sweet lady. Her musical
styling is unique, and her voice is instantly recognizable. The world
is a poorer place for her passing.