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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Blossom Dearie| image = Blossom Dearie.jpg| caption =| image_size = 280px| background = solo_singer| birth_name =| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1924|04|28|birth_place = Durham, New York|East Durham, New York , United States|USA | death_date = death date and age|2009|02|07|1924|04|28|death_place = New York, New York , United States|USA | genre = Vocal jazz , cool jazz , bebop , Swing music|swing , traditional pop | occupation = Vocalist , pianist | years_active = 1952–2006| label = Verve Records Daffodil Records Barclay Records Capitol Records|Capitol / EMI|EMI Records | notable_instruments = Piano Vocals Margrete Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/arts/music/09dear.html? scp=1& sq=blossom%20dearie& st=cse "Blossom Dearie, Cult Chanteuse, Dies at 84", The New York Times , 8 February 2009.) was an United States|American jazz singer and pianist , often performing in the bebop genre and remembered for her girlish voice.Allmusic|class=artist|id=p6385|pure_url=yes Profile at Allmusic.com One of the last supper club performers, she performed regular engagements in London and New York City over many years.
Early life
Dearie was born on April 28, 1924,Usually cited as 1926, her year of birth was 1924 according to her obituary in the 2009 Current Biography Yearbook , p. 653; ISBN 9780824211042/ISSN 0084-9499 in Durham, New York|East Durham , New York to a father of Irish-Scottish descent and a mother of Scandinavian descent. As a child she studied Classical music|classical piano but switched to jazz in her teens.
Career beginnings
After high school Dearie moved to New York City to pursue a music career and began to sing in groups such as the Blue Flames (with the Woody Herman|Woody Herman Orchestra ) and the Blue Reys (with Alvino Rey 's band) before starting her solo career.
She moved to Paris in 1952 and formed a vocal group, The Blue Stars of Paris , which included Michel Legrand 's sister, Christiane Legrand , and Bob Dorough . In 1954 the group had a hit in France with a French language|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, Belgium|Belgian flutist 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 " Riviera (song)|The Riviera ", which was written and composed by Cy Coleman and Joseph McCarthy (lyricist)|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 Today (NBC program)|The Today Show and an early fan of Dearie, featured her on several occasions, increasing her exposure with the popular audience. In 1962, she recorded 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 the album May I Come In? ( Capitol Records|Capitol / EMI|EMI Records ). It was recorded (atypically for her) with an orchestra. During this same period, Dearie performed frequently in New York supper club s and in 1966 made her first appearance at Ronnie Scott 's club in London . She recorded four albums in the United Kingdom during the 1960s which were released on the Fontana label.
1970s and later
After a period of inactivity, Dearie recorded the album ''That's Just the Way I Want to Be'' (containing the cult song " Dusty Springfield ", an ode to the British pop star co-written by Dearie with Norma Tanega ), which was released in 1970. In 1974, Dearie established her own label, Daffodil Records , which allowed her to have full control of the recording and distribution of her albums. Dearie appeared on television throughout her career, most notably giving her voice to the children's educational series Schoolhouse Rock! . Some of her pieces in this series were written by her good friend Bob Dorough , the jazz singer and composer. Her voice can be heard on "Mother Necessity",Yohe, et al., p. 59 "Figure Eight",Yohe, et al., p. 19 and "Unpack Your Adjectives".Yohe, et al., p. 39
Songwriter Johnny Mercer , with whom she collaborated for her 1975 song, "I'm Shadowing You", gave one of his final compositions to Dearie for the title song of her 1976 Daffodil album, My New Celebrity is You . Los Angeles Times , 9 February 2009. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php? id=10249 "Blossom Dearie & Johnny Mercer's My New Celebrity Is You Finally Out on CD", Allaboutjazz.com, 21 June 2006.
In 1983, Dearie was awarded the first Mabel Mercer Foundation Award.Jones, Kenneth. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126076.html "Blossom Dearie, Vocalist Whose Wispy Voice Caressed Show Music and Standards, Has Died", Playbill.com, 8 February 2009.
Her voice and songs have been featured on the soundtracks of several films, including Kissing Jessica Stein , My Life Without Me , The Squid and the Whale , The Adventures of Felix , and The Artist (film)|The Artist . She also recorded songs with other singers, including Lyle Lovett . She continued to perform in clubs until 2006.
Dearie died "after a long illness" on February 7, 2009, at her apartment in Greenwich Village , New York City . She was survived by her older brother as well as a nephew and a niece. Her interment was in Flushing, Queens|Flushing, New York 's All Faiths Cemetery.
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
April in Paris (song)|Blossom Dearie Plays "April in Paris" (1956) (piano only)
;Verve Records
Blossom Dearie (album)|Blossom Dearie (1957)
Give Him the Ooh-La-La (album)|Give Him the Ooh-La-La (1957)
Once Upon a Summertime (album)|Once Upon a Summertime (1958)
Balliett, Whitney (1988). American Singers: 27 Portraits in Song . New York, Oxford University Press . ISBN 0-19-504610-2.
Yohe, Tom and George Newall (1996). Schoolhouse Rock!: The Official Guide . New York, Hyperion Press . ISBN 0-7868-8170-4.
External links
http://www.blossomdearie.com/ Blossom Dearie official website
IMDb name|id=0213154
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=100441748 NPR August 25, 1992 Interview with Blossom Dearie. The Girlish Voice Of Blossom Dearie.
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
http://www.legacy.com/NYTimes/DeathNotices.asp? Page=LifeStory& PersonID=123975648 AP Obituary in the New York Times
Persondata | NAME =Dearie, Blossom | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =April 28, 1924 | PLACE OF BIRTH = East Durham, New York , U.S. | DATE OF DEATH =February 7, 2009 | PLACE OF DEATH = New York, New York , U.S.DEFAULTSORT:Dearie, Blossom Category:1924 births Category:2009 deaths Category:American female singers Category:American jazz singers Category:Bebop pianists Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Musicians from New York City Category:People from the Catskills Category:Female jazz musicians
