Blossom Dearie

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Blossom Dearie
| Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Blossom Dearie
Alias =
Born = birth date|1926|4|28
flagicon|USA East Durham, New York, U.S.
Died =
Genre = vocal jazz, cool jazz, bebop, swing, traditional pop
Occupation = Vocalist
Years_active = 1952–present
Label = Verve, Daffodil, Barclay
URL =

Blossom Dearie (born April 28 1926) is an American jazz singer and pianist, often performing in the bebop genre. Dearie is known for her "distinctive, girlish voice" [http://wc09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifixqt5ldke~T1 allmusic.com bio] .

Early career

Dearie was born in East Durham, New York. As a child, she studied classical piano but switched to jazz as a teenager. After high school Dearie moved to New York City to pursue her music career. Here she began singing in groups such as the Blue Flames (with the Woody Herman Orchestra) and the Blue Reys (with Alvino Rey's band) before launching her solo career.

In 1952, she moved to Paris and formed a vocal group, The Blue Stars. In 1954 the group had a hit in France with a French-language version of "Lullaby of Birdland". The Blue Stars would later evolve into the Swingle Singers. While in Paris she met her future husband, the Belgian flautist and saxophonist Bobby Jaspar. On her first solo album, released two years later, she plays the piano but does not sing.

One of her most famous songs from that period is "The Riviera", written and composed by Cy Coleman and Joseph McCarthy Jr. in 1956.

Late 1950s and 1960s

After returning from France, Dearie made her first six American albums as a solo singer and pianist for Verve Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s, mostly in a small trio or quartet setting. Dave Garroway, host of the Today show and an early fan of Dearie, featured her several times, increasing her exposure to the popular audience. In 1962, she recorded a song for a radio commercial for Hires Root Beer. As it proved very popular, the LP "Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' Songs" was released as a premium item that could be ordered for one dollar and a proof of purchase.

In 1964, she recorded her best known album for Capitol Records, "May I Come In?", recorded, atypically for her, with an orchestra. During this same period Blossom performed frequently in New York supper clubs and honed her own distinctive style. In 1966, she made her first appearance at Ronnie Scott's club in London and quickly became a popular act. She went on to record four albums in England, released on the Fontana label, in the 1960s.

1970s and later

In 1974, Dearie established her own label, Daffodil Records, to allow her full control in the recording and distribution of her albums. Dearie has also appeared on television throughout her career, most notably giving her voice to the children's educational series "Schoolhouse Rock!" Many of her pieces in this series were written by her good friend, the jazz singer and composer Bob Dorough. Her voice can be heard on "Mother Necessity", "Figure Eight" and "Unpack Your Adjectives".

Her distinctive voice and songs have been featured on the soundtracks of many films including "Kissing Jessica Stein", "My Life Without Me","The Squid and the Whale" and "The Adventures of Felix". She has also recorded with various musicians, including Bob Dorough and Lyle Lovett.

Dearie has continued to perform in clubs. As one of the last remaining supper club performers, she still performs regular engagements in London and New York City. [http://www.myspace.com/blossomdearie Blossom's MySpace page] ]

Discography

EmArcy/Mercury Records

*"The Blue Stars of France: Lullaby of Birdland and Other Famous Hits" (1954) (with the Blue Stars vocal group)

Barclay Records

*"Blossom Dearie Plays "April in Paris"" (1956) (piano only)

Verve Records

*"Blossom Dearie" (1957)
*"Give Him the Ooh-La-La" (1957)
*"Once Upon a Summertime" (1958)
*"Blossom Dearie Sings Comden and Green" (1959)
*"Soubrette Sings Broadway Hit Songs" (1960)
*"My Gentleman Friend" (1961)

Hires Root Beer/DIW Records

*"Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' Songs" (1963)

Capitol Records

*"May I Come In?" (1964)

Fontana Records

*"Blossom Time at Ronnie Scott's" (1966) (live)
*"Sweet Blossom Dearie" (1967) (live)
*"Soon It's Gonna Rain" (1967)
*"That's Just the Way I Want to Be" (1970)

Daffodil Records

*"Blossom Dearie Sings" (1974)
*"" (1975)
*"My New Celebrity is You" (1976)
*"Winchester in Apple Blossom Time" (1977)
*"Needlepoint Magic" (1979) (live)
*"Simply" (1983)
*"Positively" (1983)
*"Et Tu Bruce" (1984) (live)
*"" (1985)
*"Songs of Chelsea" (1987)
*"Tweedledum & Tweedledee (Two People Who Resemble Each Other, In This Case Musically)" (1991) (with Mike Renzi)
*"Christmas Spice So Very Nice" (1991)
*"Our Favorite Songs" (1996) (compilation)
*"I'm Hip" (1998) (compilation)
*"Blossom's Planet" (2000)
*"It's Alright to Be Afraid" (2003) (single)

EMI albums

*"Me and Phil" (1994)

With other artists

*"Alan Jay Lerner Revisited"
*"Arthur Schwartz Revisited"
*"Cole Porter Revisited Volume IV"
*"DeSylva, Brown & Henderson Revisited Volume I"
*"Frank Loesser Revisited"
*"Harold Arlen Revisited"
*"Harold Arlen & Vernon Duke Revisited Volume II"
*"Ira Gershwin Revisited"
*"Irving Berlin Revisited"
*"Kurt Weill Revisited Volume II"
*"Oscar Hammerstein Revisited"
*"Rodgers & Hart Revisited Volume II"
*"Rodgers & Hart Revisited Volume III"
*"Rodgers & Hart Revisited Volume IV"
*"Unpublished Cole Porter Volume II"
*"Vernon Duke Revisited"
*"Vincent Youmans Revisited"
*"Hold On To Your Hats (Complete Score)"

References

External links

*
* [http://www2.odn.ne.jp/airstructures/review%20blossom%20dearie.html detailed discography]
* [http://destinyland.mondoglobo.net/2006/10/02/blossom-dearie-the-secret-sweetheart-of-schoolhouse-rock/ Destinyland — podcast biography with songs]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WQBxL53HE0 Dearie performs several songs]