Blossom Dearie

One day at least 35 years ago I went to a local charity sale on my lunch hour and picked up a handful of vocal albums, which were decidedly not one of my interests at the time (jazz and classical music were). But these were records from the 50s, and I was intrigued. My haul included Frank Sinatra's Songs for Swinging Lovers, one of Ella Fitzgerald's Gershwin records, an autographed copy of Carmen McRae's Blue Moon, and Blossom Dearie's first Verve album. And that started a love affair with all four voices and a rather extensive collection of vocal records.

On Saturday, the last surviving member of the quartet, Blossom Dearie, passed away at 82.

My friend Bill Reed of the People vs. Dr. Chilledair blog knew Dearie and can speak first hand of her artistry and eccentricities. I have no such knowledge, but can instead speak of her wee but at times forceful voice, her great taste (although I can do without such efforts as her John Lennon song and "Sweet Georgie Fame"), and her fine pianism. But most of all her elegance, which comes through so well on that first LP.

All of her Verve records and some of her later records can easily be found. Instead I'll offer these non-LP singles from the vocal group she formed in Paris in the 1950s, the Blue Stars. Their claim to fame back then was a vocal rendition of "Lullaby of Birdland." Here we have a French version of "Hernando's Hideway," a vocal edition of the Basie instrumental "Jumpin' at the Woodside," and "Broadway at Basin Street." But seek out those Verve recordings, won't you?