Released on 22/02/10. Blossom Dearie was one of the unique jazz voices of the second half of the 20th century; one of the great interpreters of American song in the post-war era. She liked to describe herself as a songwriters singer. Blossom Dearie’s work blurred the line between jazz and cabaret. An interpretive minimalist with caviar taste in songs and musicians, she was a genre unto herself. Her preference was for small groups comprising the best jazz musicians available. In the late fifties (the period covered by Little Jazz Bird) these groups invariably featured the guitarists Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis and Mundell Lowe, the bassist Ray Brown and the drummers Jo Jones and Ed Thigpen, with Dearie’s own piano playing by no means outclassed by such stellar performers.

Little Jazz Bird / Gentleman Friend / It's Too Good To Talk About Now / Chez Moi / You Fascinate Me So / You've Got Something I Want / Boum / L' Etang / Hello Love / Someone To Watch Over Me / Lucky To Be Me / Just In Time / Some Other Time / Dance Only With Me / I Like Myself / The Party's Over / How Will He Know / It's Love / Hold Me, Hold Me, Hold Me / Lonely Town / Be Still TV / Short P, Not LP / Surrey With The Fringe On Top

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Released 16th February 2009. When Blossom Dearie first emerged as a solo artist she was already unique in many ways. Straightaway there was that voice - kittenish, intimate, coquettish and understated where so many other jazz divas were straining to belt out every song.

With the fascinating 1957-58 albums Give Him the Ooh-la-la and Once Upon a Summertime Blossom finds a unique, light, refined niche on the pop side of jazz. Ray Brown remains for the 1958 set with Herb Ellis and Jo Jones replaced by Mundell Lowe and Ed Thigpen.

Tea For Two / The Surrey With The Fringe On Top / Moonlight Saving Time / It Amazes Me / If I Were A Bell / We're Together / Teach Me Tonight / Once Upon A Summertime / Down With Love / Manhattan / Doop-Doo-De-Doop (A Doodlin' Song) / Our Love Is Here To Stay / Just One Of Those Things / Like Someone In Love / Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea / They Say It's Spring / Try Your Wings / Bang Goes The Drum (And You're In Love) / The Riviera / The Middle Of Love / Plus Je T'embrasse / Give Him The Ooh-La-La / Let Me Love You / I Walk A Little Faster / I'm In The Mood For Love

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Compilations of sublime early recordings by Blossom Dearie; one of the most distinctive vocalists Jazz has ever produced. Americans know Blossom's voice, mostly through her unforgettable performances of 'Unpack Your Adjectives' and 'Figure 8' for "Schoolhouse Rock". The Japanese - who see her as pop rather than jazz -long ago succumbed to her charm and she has toured there regularly throughout her career.

Unlikely as it may sound, Kylie Minogue claims that it was Blossom Dearie who inspired her to sing! What is clear is that her emergence in the mid fifties was something shockingly different; a breath of fresh air for popular music.

'Deed I Do / Lover Man / Everything I’ve Got / Comment Allez-Vous? / More Than You Know / Thou Swell / It Might As Well Be Spring / Tout Doucement / You For Me / Now At Last / I Hear Music / Wait Till You See Her / I Won¹T Dance / A Fine Spring Morning / Move / Old Devil Moon / Autumn In New York / Flamingo / There Will Never Be Another You / The Continental / The Boy Next Door / They Can't Take That Away From Me / Moonlight Saving Time / The Surrey With The Fringe On Top / April In Paris / Blue Moon / Down The Depths Of The 90th Floor

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