Dear Blossom Dearie passed away on February 7th. She was a master interpreter of the great songs and has committed to record some of my favourite versions of standards - When the world was young, On Broadway, The Party's Over - to name a handful.
Her tiny voice could fill palaces with it's style and poise and I always thought her elegant and swinging piano playing was just perfect. I am sad I never got to see her play as she did regularly up until 2005, although she did speak to me on the phone when I played the Oak Rooms in NYC. Bob Dorough was a old friend of hers and he knew I was a fan. He called her while I was unaware and then passed the phone over: "Someone called Blossom wants to speak with you!"
The beautiful little voice was instantly recognizable as Blossom's. She briefly wished me luck on my month long run at the Oak Room - the kind of shows she had been holding court at her entire life. She said she might come down to see me play if she was well enough and said her goodbyes.
Merely to speak to her on the phone was a gift. She never came to the Oak Room but I'll never forget my phonecall with Blossom.
The world misses you.
