She was born Margrethe Blossom Dearie in East Durham, close to Albany in upstate New York in 1924, and with a reputation like hers it appears solely pure that she ought to change into a star.
Blossom Dearie studied classical piano as a toddler, earlier than switching to jazz as a young person. She joined Woody Herman’s vocal group, The Blue Flames, having moved to New York shortly after the top of the Second World Struggle; she later joined the Blue Reys, the singing group with Alvino Rey’s band.
By 1952, Blossom was dwelling in Paris, showing in nightclubs with singer Annie Ross. This was additionally the yr wherein she had her first – uncredited – hit with King Pleasure’s “Moody’s Mood for Love,” on which she sings. She fashioned a vocal group, the Blue Stars that included Michel Legrand’s sister, Christiane Legrand, and Bob Dorough. In 1954 they’d successful in France with a French-language model of “Lullaby of Birdland,” organized by Michel Legrand. The Blue Stars later advanced into The Swingle Singers.
It was in Paris in 1956 that Norman Granz heard Blossom singing at a membership and he signed her to Verve to file her debut in September that very same yr.
Accompanying herself on piano, her debut additionally options Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jo Jones on drums, and was typical of what Blossom was doing in cabaret, transforming requirements in her distinctive, girlish voice. Deceptively easy and simple, Blossom understood these songs from the within out, giving them an intimacy matched by few singers.
Over the following 4 years, she made one other 5 albums for Verve, and all are value looking for out. In 1964, she recorded the album Might I Come In?, an uncommon album for Blossom because it featured her with an orchestra.
Working the New York supper-club circuit within the early Nineteen Sixties, she was a preferred draw, and her reputation as soon as extra unfold throughout the Atlantic within the later Nineteen Sixties, when she started showing at Ronnie Scott’s membership in London and recorded extra albums within the UK.
In 1970 she launched the album That’s Simply the Approach I Wish to Be which incorporates the cult tune “Dusty Springfield,” an ode to the British pop star, co-written by Dearie with Norma Tanega.
She was a fixture in New York golf equipment proper up till 2006 when she turned sick, stopping her from performing. She later handed away on February 7, 2009, on the age of 84.
Comply with the Blossom Dearie playlist to listen to extra songs from this unsung expertise.
