Blossom Dearie, Billy Taylor, 1985 TV Special

[@assignmentearth2899]

Billy Taylor was an under recognized national treasure. And Blossom Dearie.....I think she deserved to be a bigger star.

[@mfreeman313]

She was huge in her genre for many decades. I only realized what she was late and I regret that, and I know what you're saying, but she wasn't entirely unrecognized.

[@elizabethmedway5470]

Adore Blossom Dearie to the moon. 100% original. LOVE her. What a talent. What a career.

[@MrJazzohjazz]

Blossom Dearie was the perfect name for her. How totally delightful and original was she. She was a glass of cold water on a hot day. She was perfect. I liked the way Billy respected her and stepped back with admiration.

[@francinetomlin6488]

..

[@ashbell1046]

So so true

[@cps6568]

I was a teenager living with my parents in the same apartment building in NYC as Billy Taylor and used to ride the elevator with him, and didn't appreciate him at the time. I wish I had then, and would have engaged him. Both he and Blossom are true national treasures.

[@kennethgross1993]

A hip original who always takes me back to those Hip, Swinging years......the fifties and the NYC jazz clubs.

[@elysium619]

I'm Hip was an awesome little song. Really clever, funny, engaging lyrics.

[@RobRVA]

Saw her play in NYC later in her life she was terrific. Signed a bunch of my records.

[@waltergiles86]

Blossom Dearie! Beautiful, Sublime, Unappreciated. Such is the world we live in😢

[@midnightmagnet1035]

AWESOME! I’m speechless‼️🌺🎹🎤🎼🎵Pure class & talent‼️ I applaud Blossom Dearie! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽Too KOOL😎,”Man,”‼️

[@jdb83]

❤🎉😅😢😊 - Blossom Dearie had it all - Little Rhode Island a must hear !!! Wonderful and a lost art we let slip past us, with much regret 😢 !! God Bless Blossom!!!

[@PRESTO5796]

Born in 1924, Blossom was 61 in this 🆒🎹video🎶🎤❤️‍🔥 Such a talented artist‼️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽A trailblazer in her time; no one compares to her🔥💥

[@michaeltekulsky5665]

so much talent. She sits quite high at the piano. Sings without a lot of obvious accents and lets the lyric do the work. A master of subtlety.

[@JoeL-zb1yd]

She was fabulous. She played beautiful piano. Surrey with a Fringe on Top on Jack Paar is one of my favorites.

[@waltergiles86]

Far as I am concerned. She was.one of the COOLEST EVER!!!😅❤❤

[@marmeecruz6191]

Blossom's such a delightful talent!

[@KB4QAA]

Still beautiful and fresh at age 61 here.

[@Tipledan]

I don't believe this artist ever got her true due recognition. She was entirely terrific, wonderful and also very good.

[@elvisleeboy]

Perhaps recognition is overrated. It seems to me that Blossom Dearie loved doing what she did. The lack of recognition just makes her work more special to those of us who have had the fortune to stumble across it.

[@aeropilot4419]

Clearly flying under the radar … those that knew were treated to great music

[@ald668]

Love her whimsical voice! SO CHARMING!

[@xhaxha1028]

So wonderful - so swinging - so unique - so Blossom!!!

[@suntzu6122]

Im so glad this was uploaded and recorded. Shes great.

[@LucianoAlaimo]

She and Billy Taylor together. Pure magic.

[@baxatakbaxatak2014]

An album of Blossom Dearie and Diana Krall performing together is what the world missed out on.

[@Shambolicoholic]

Once you hear her voice whenever you hear it again, you know it. Imo, you can't leave a bigger legacy than that.

[@cka2nd]

Always looked forward to Billy Taylor's pieces on CBS Sunday Morning.

[@assignmentearth2899]

He was a treasure.

[@paulmc3457]

She definitely was a no bullshit, strong woman who was incredibly talented. And the essence of class and hip cooool, baby! 😆 😎💪👏👏👏

[@Taka_Takata]

I don't know if she was ever hip, but she certainly was always cool! Instantly recognizable voice, great songs, wonderful personality.

[@geraldjohnson4013]

She was hip because she was being herself. That's really being hip and cool.

[@carolvogelman5261]

Talking on the phone one afternoon, Bob Doriugh told my son Charlie that he wished he played as well as Blossom! Charlie broke him up informing him our tortoiseshell cat was named Blossom Dearie! He yipped with laughter saying I can’t wait to tell Blossom about your cat! Blossom came to KCRW to record a Castaway’s Choice episode in the early 80’s! I was thought quite pretty then and when Miss Dearie got a look at me, she headed for the restroom and returned wearing a vivid shade of red lipstick! She was competitive it was a telling moment! And I felt an implied compliment; I was turned out well she felt so rose to the occasion! I really liked her she was prickly but she was worth the effort! Now, Dave Frischberg, Bob Dorough & Blossom Dearie have all passed I think PBS should do a triple biography of the three; they did. heavenly work together my they had chemistry as well as intellectual and artistic visions that walked so well together! Showing each in their younger days and then when they began to work together where one was, the other two were likely to follow! I would dearly love such a film thing of the wonderful soundtrack huh from I’m Hip to I’m Just Bill to 8 is a circle that turns on itself! They were down to the bone musicians, artists who looked straight ahead and just kept marching; damn those were the times! I once caught Dorough saying "I seem to be without a car tonight and I sure could use a ride!“ and informed him I knew he wasn’t between cars as he had never been on either end of one! He grinned like the Cheshire Cat, a wonderful grin! There must be lots of material of the three of them throughout their careers; they were all working when they passed! Artists and professors never retire; they retreat into teaching or lecturing, choreography!

[@glennwa1]

Two of the greatest jazz artists ever!

[@YankeeClippa]

2 wonderful artists :D

[@fredericmenestreau4890]

Ladies and gentlemen, remember 1985. Where were you, What did you, and me too, when Blossom played. It's fast today, it was yesterday, unreachable, no come-back. And Mr Taylor, so smooth operator. No hell of "beastial" question of color. Just friend. F

[@gLeek450291853]

I'm Hip (Dearie) - 1:29 If I Were A Bell (Loesser) - 4:59 Sophisticated Lady (Ellington) - 9:39 In A Sentimental Mood (Ellington) - 14:45 Ev'rything I've Got (Rogers and Hart) - 18:49 After Me (Dearie) - 24:52

[@lastnickeldrifter]

Fabulous ♪♫ ♥

[@thedogwooddandy]

This is holy.

[@swingmanic]

What fabulous duetting between these two..I love how Billy shines through on "Everything I've Got Belongs To You"...You can see and feel that he just wants to take it away!

[@adrianekelly2966]

I’d love to see her converse and play tunes with Mr Rogers and Johnny Costa. Incredibly gentle and light-hearted. Can’t help smiling. 😊💕🎶

[@vova47]

Blossom Dearie was great. Her voice is acquired taste, but her time is flawless and her harmonies are wonderful.

[@jasbegs1258]

Fabulous.

[@crossleydd42]

Oh, those wonderful alternative chords between 16:09 to 16:23!

[@songsinthekeyofboard]

Thank you for uploading this wonderful conversation and performance. Blossom was such a gift to the world.

[@funkygh]

Blossom is the real deal. She pretty much puts to bed the idea that European/African/American music is the providence of a specific ethnicity, gender, look, age, or cultural background.

[@paulmc3457]

Interesting comment, and true. 😉

[@michaelmorphites6733]

A muddled comment, I don’t understand it

[@Gary_Jaffe]

I believe what the commentor means is that Ms. Dearie, at the time of this filming, was not young, or conventionally beautiful, not African American - nor was her vocal style typical of the vast number of great vocal jazz interpreters. And therefore, she lays to rest the notion that you have to possess some - or even all - of the qualities mentioned to successfully communicate the unique and powerful language of jazz. If I’m wrong, I hope the commentor will clarify.

[@JonTigert]

“Speaking of, uh, jazz things” is the segue of the century

[@peterbridge9394]

I think it's difficult to get past your voice unless you can appreciate her musicianship. I worshiped Billy Taylor. I was very lucky to get a chance to talk to him, once in Denver and once a Macky auditorium in Boulder

[@fearsomebunny]

Oh my, what attractive people...

[@fredericmenestreau4890]

Ô Blossom, can you hear us saying to you how we continue to LOVING YOU. F. We'll meet again, for sure.

[@MSYNGWIE12]

She's timeless hip!

[@sclogse1]

Her 50's recordings are super hip. Her piano on them like Bill Evans. Here, the piano has a bigger sound wirh some distortion. Get the 50's stuff. Sublime.

[@crossleydd42]

I think the distortion mainly come from the ageing of the video - a shame really - this is such classic stuff!

[@TheRealGnolti]

I could spend a 20 year weekend on Long Island (or wherever) with Blossom.

[@SusanTrishelMonson]

This is so fantastic but can’t anyone remaster the Audio, such a tragedy!

[@bfm01]

pure magic!

[@parmeenus]

The Dorothy Parker of Jazz vocal!!

[@anthonyschaefer8511]

I wish Blossom had had more time to speak about her own career @23:55. Not sure what info is out there about her own label, or working with Verve.

[@jimbrown1559]

Blossom was a treasure. Got to hear her live once, in a small club, on a visit to NYC on biz. Sound on this is atrocious.

[@waltergiles86]

So wonderful!!! THAT'S Entertainment!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@emastino6152]

Does anyone here know of any other Blossom Dearie interviews? I heard one on NPR and one with Brian Bury. Is it me or are they rare?

[@Bluetown66]

Blossom Dearie and Shirley Horn are similar with their paired down and beautiful piano playing and gentle vocals.

[@waltergiles86]

Her technique!!! 😮😮😮❤

[@mikeh66]

Billy came to my Elementary School every year in NYC. P.S.(Public School) 98 in the upper Westside of Manhattan. In the 200 streets. If I didn't know better,I say Blossom did some of those ABC Saturday morning Schoolhouse Rock cartoons!!! "Figure 8" comes to mind!😮

[@aeichler]

Yes she did.

[@mikeh66]

@@aeichler : Thanks!

[@AllenManor]

I never realized how tiny Billy Taylor is (7:11) -- or is it that Blossom Dearie was much larger than I realized?

[@nurahone1]

So so Nice 🎉🪅🎉🪅🎉🪅

[@elvisleeboy]

I wonder if Lesley Gore was a Blossom Dearie fan.

[@Tornado1994]

Leslie was a HARDCORE Feminist and had a Personal Loathing of Men(Yeah, she was a Hardcore Lipstick Lesbian), so of course, Gore would like Blossom Dearie and ANY Female singer for that matter.

[@rocantenrocanten4150]

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