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BLOSSOM DEARIE
April 29, 1926 - February 2008
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 Minogh 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 &
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.”
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