We sat at lunch on Sunday with a few Italian friends, a couple of jazz vocal albums on random play as we enjoyed our gelato and candied orange peel at meal's end. Simonetta very casually asked if it was Blossom Dearie singing. I was surprised as the marvelous Miss Dearie is not a singer familiar to most people. The conversation turned to how old she must be etc.
It was not until I happened to read Jeff's facebook entry on Tuesday that I found out she had died on Saturday evening. I honestly don't remember how I began to collect her recordings but I had most of the vinyl she put out - and then got duplicates on CD. There's one song that I've never been able to find again called The Pro Musica Antiqua, which featured her at her wittiest and most original.
There was often a satirical undercurrent to that little-girl voice and nowhere is it more apparent than in Dave Frishberg-Bob Dorough's I'm Hip!
But she also had a wistfulness and there was an ache to her love songs that spoke of a much wounded heart.
Jeff has posted a tribute to her and included a few more songs that show the subtle talent that was Blossom Dearie.
And my good Blog Buddg EG has posted another tribute and an example of what Miss Dearie could do with an Irving Berling tune.
And once again the world has been left a little less rich.
11 febbraio - Nostra Signora di Lourdes
2 comments:
I had no idea who she was..thanks for the videos.
Im with sage...thanks for the introduction.sorry she's gone..
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