Blossom Dearie - Verve Jazz Masters 51 (1996)

Tracklist

01. They Say It's Spring (3:42)
02. Let Me Love You (2:44)
03. Once Upon A Summertime (2:46)
04. Little Jazz Bird (3:42)
05. Bang Goes The Drum (3:23)
06. Someone To Watch Over Me (6:00)
07. L'Etang (2:28)
08. Give Him The Ooh-La-La (2:40)
09. Rhode Island Is Famous For You (2:13)
10. Tea For Two (3:23)
11. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (4:19)
12. I Won't Dance (2:46)
13. Down With Love (1:40)
14. Dearie's Blues (3:12)
15. Manhattan (4:17)
16. The Party's Over (4:22)

personnel :

Bass – Ray Brown
Drums – Ed Thigpen, Jo Jones
Guitar – Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell, Mundell Lowe
Piano – Blossom Dearie

Long an icon among jazz musicians and fans alike, this album samples tunes from the six albums Blossom Dearie made for Norman Granz' Verve label during the period 1956 to 1960. Dearie doesn't have a particularly big voice, but, like a will-o-wisp, she skirts through her material in a whispery, smoky tone that demands and receives attention from her audience, whether that audience be in a club or concert, or listening to one of her many albums. She exudes a coy sexiness that adds an aura to her interpretations few other vocal artists have been able to match. This album is loaded with Dearie gems. Her classic rendition of "Once Upon a Summertime" with Mundel Lowe, Ray Brown, and Ed Thigpen typifies her ability to avoid the routine by turning the song she is performing into an intimate storytelling session.