Blossom Dearie – The Early Years Collection 1948-60 – 4CD

Blossom Dearie was a jazz pianist and vocalist with a style and technique which skilfully interwove her piano and voice as she accompanied herself. Her approach to piano was distinctive, using chord voicings which inspired the likes of Bill Evans who named her as one of his models of piano playing, while her voice was also highly personal, with a light and airy flavour. Born in 1924, she spent some of her early career in France during the early ‘50s, which helped shape her style. This great-value 96-track 2-CD set comprises early recordings with Dave Lambert, Stan Getz & Kai Winding and King Pleasure, plus recordings in France with Les Blue Stars, who became The Swingle Singers, and then the complete content of her album “Jazz Sweet” for Barclay in France, followed by her albums for Verve between 1956 and 1962 “Blossom Dearie”, “Give Him The Ooh-La-La”, “Once Upon A Summertime”, “Sings Comden And Green”, “My Gentleman Friend” and “Soubrette: Blossom Dearie Sings Broadway Hit Songs”. It features recordings in small groups alongside top musicians of the day, including Ray Brown, Jo Jones, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Ed Thigpen, Cy Coleman Kenny Burrell, Bobby Jaspar, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. It’s a feast of top quality, highly listenable jazz, and a great showcase for her talents both as instrumentalist and vocalist.

Track Listing:

CD1:
1. In the Merry Land of Bop -   2. Be Still TV -   3. Short P, Not LP -   4. Moody's Mood for Love (I'm in the Mood for Love) -   5. La Legende Du Pays Des Oiseaux -   6. Embrasse-Moi Bien (Hold Me Close) -   7. Toute Ma Joie (That's My Girl) -   8. The Portuguese Washerwoman (Les Lavandieres Du Portugal) -   9. Tout Bas (Speak Low) -   10. La Danse Du Baiser (The Kissing Dance) -   11. Mambo Italiano -   12. Plus Je T'embrasse (Heart of My Heart) -   13. Mister L'Amour (Mister Sandman) -   14. En 1920 (In 1920) -   15. The Continental -   16. The Boy Next Door -   17. They Can't Take That Away from Me -   18. Moonlight Saving Time -   19. The Surrey With the Fringe On Top -   20. April in Paris -   21. Blue Moon -   22. Down in the Depths On the Ninetieth Floor -   23. Old Devil Moon -   24. Autumn in New York -   25. Flamingo -   26. There Will Never Be Another You -  

CD2:
1. 'Deed I Do -   2. Lover Man -   3. Everything I Have Got Is Yours -   4. Comment Allez Vous -   5. More Than You Know -   6. Thou Swell -   7. It Might As Well Be Spring -   8. Tout Doucement -   9. You for Me -   10. Now at Last -   11. I Hear Music -   12. Wait Till You See Him -   13. I Won’t Dance -   14. A Fine Spring Morning -   15. Just One of Those Things -   16. Like Someone in Love -   17. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea -   18. They Say It’s Spring -   19. Try Your Wings -   20. Bang Goes the Drum (And You're in Love) -   21. The Riviera -   22. The Middle of Love -   23. Plus Je T'embrasse (Heart of My Heart) -   24. Give Him the Ooh-la-la -   25. Let Me Love You -  

CD3:
1. I Walk a Little Faster -   2. Tea for Two -   3. The Surrey With the Fringe On Top -   4. Moonlight Saving Time -   5. It Amazes Me -   6. If I Were a Bell -   7. We're Together -   8. Teach Me Tonight -   9. Once Upon a Summertime -   10. Down With Love -   11. Manhattan -   12. Doop-doo-de-doop (A Doodlin' Song) -   13. Love Is Here to Stay -   14. Lucky to Be Me -   15.Just in Time -   16. Some Other Time -   17. Dance Only With Me -   18. I Like Myself -   19. It’s Love -   20. The Party’s Over -   21. How Will He Know -   22. Hold Me, Hold Me, Hold Me -

CD4:
1. Lonely Town -   2. Little Jazz Bird -   3. Gentleman Friend -   4. It's Too Good to Talk About Now -   5. Chez Moi -   6. You Fascinate Me So -   7. You've Got Something I Want -   8. Boum -   9. L'etang -   10. Hello Love -   11. Someone to Watch Over Me -   12. Guys and Dolls -   13. Confession -   14. Rhode Island Is Famous for You -   15. To Keep My Love Alive -   16. Too Good for the Average Man -   17.The Gentleman Is a Dope -   18. Always True to You in My Fashion -   19. Napoleon -   20. Life Upon the Wicked Stage -   21. The Physician -   22. Love Is the Reason -   23. Buckle Down, Winsocki -