Nicki Parrott - Dear Blossom (2017) CD-Rip

Australian bassist-vocalist Nicki Parrott is no stranger to performing with jazz giants. As an up-and-coming artist on the scene, she studied with trailblazers of her instrument such as Ray Brown and John Clayton. An apprenticeship with bass stalwart Rufus Reid soon followed. Then, with her career surging, she was tapped by none other than Les Paul to perform in his regular Monday-night session at Iridium. For her latest album, Parrott engages with a vocal legend of jazz past: Blossom Dearie. It's a tribute of sparkling endearment and somber reverence, with moods that alternate between smoke and sunshine. A sprightly, bossa-infused I Wish You Love launches the disc with levity and grace, while Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, Rhode Island Is Famous For You and I m Hip (with modern references to Twitter and Instagram) entrench it firmly in swing. Meanwhile, I Walk A Little Faster and Dear Blossom are elegant turns through balladry, and render Parrott's sweet, amiable voice with pronounced clarity and splendor. Brian Zimmerman -- Downbeat Magazine