Blossom Dearie - She Is Hip!

One of my favourite jazz chanteuses, Blossom Dearie, died a couple of weeks ago, aged 82. Here's Doug Ramsey's piece on his Rifftides site, he's much better handling words than me. And on AAJ, you can read up a short bio.

See, I'm hip. I'm no square.
I'm alert, I'm awake, I'm aware.
I am always on the scene.
Making the rounds, digging the sounds.
I read People Magazine.
'Cuz I'm hip.
Like, dig! I'm in step.
When it was hip to be hep, I was hep.
I don't blow but I'm a fan.
Look at me swing. Ring a ding-ding.
I even call my girlfriend "man," 'cuz I'm hip.
Every Saturday night with my suit buttoned tight and my suedes on
I'm getting my kicks digging arty French flicks with my shades on.
I'm too much. I'm a gas.
I am anything but middle class.
When I hang around the band,
Popping my thumbs, digging the drums,
Squares don't seem to understand
Why I flip. They're not hip like I'm hip.
Scatting
I'm hip!

I'm on top of every trend.
Look at me go. Vo-dee-o-do.
Sammy Davis knew my friend.
I'm hip, but not weird.
Like, you notice, I don't wear a beard.
Beards were in but now they're out.
They had they're day. Now they're passé.
Just ask me if you're in doubt, 'cuz I'm hip.
Now I'm deep into Zen meditation and macrobiotics,
And as soon as I can I intend to get into narcotics.
'Cuz I'm cool as a cuke.
I'm a cat, I'm a card, I'm a kook, kook, kook.
I get so much out of life.
Really, I do. Skoo ba dee boo.
One more time play "Mack the Knife."
Let 'er rip. I may flip, but I'm hip.

(by Dave Frishberg/Bob Dorough)

Some more obituaries for those who haven't read them yet:
Guardian, Telegraph, NY Times, LA Times

This is one of Marian McPartland's great "Piano Jazz" shows - I got it from dime, thanks a lot to the original seeder there!


Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz with Blossom Dearie
Manhattan Beach Studios, New York, New York (USA)
2000

Blossom Dearie - vocals, piano [out on #8,14]
Marian McPartland - piano [out on #2,4,10,12]

1. Introduction & Interview (3:11)
2. I'm Shadowing You (Blossom Dearie & Johnny Mercer) 2:35
3. Interview (4:07)
4. I'm Hip (Dave Frishberg & Bob Dorough) 3:09
5. Interview (3:02)
6. Sweet Georgie Fame (Blossom Dearie & Sandra Harris) 5:29
7. Interview (3:42)
8. Velas Içadas (Ivan Lins) 3:59
9. Interview (2:00)
10. Inside a Silent Tear (Blossom Dearie & Linda Albert-King) 5:50
11. Interview (1:33)
12. Bye Bye Country Boy (Blossom Dearie & Jack Segal) 5:47
13. Interview (1:45)
14. Miss Blossom (Marian McPartland) 2:41
15. Interview (1:47)
16. Hey John (Blossom Dearie & Jim Council) 4:39
17. Interview (2:22)

TT: 57:46

Sound: A/A-
Lineage: FM>cassette>Total Recorder>HD>CD Wave Editor>FLAC Frontend (level 8, aligned on sector boundaries)>Azureus>Dimeadozen

McPartland mentions that "Blossom's Planet" (released 19 January 2000) is Dearie's new CD (http://www.amazon.com/Blossoms-Planet-Blossom-Dearie/dp/B00004RGES).
Broadcast after December 11, 2001 (http://www.myetv.org/about_etv/pressroom/releases/piano_jazz/fall_01/schedule.cfm)