Once Upon a Summertime
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars This Blossom will never fade
Wonderful, witty and warm. Blossom Dearie is a national treasure and her late 50’s – early 60’s recordings for Verve make life worth living. There is no one like her in the world. Thank you for The Surrey With the Fringe On Top.
5 Stars Jazz in a gentler time
This is second only to ‘Give Him the Ooh-la-la’ in Blossom’s Verve years. Blossom’s voice is such a treat, and she really attacks a range of songs in this album. You’ve never heard Surrey with a Fringe on Top done like this. She adds a wonderful intro onto the beginning of ‘Like Someone in Love’.
The one gripe I have with this album is that the overall tempo is just a touch slow.
5 Stars Deceptively Simple, Sweet and Swinging…
The comparisons to Dave Frishberg make good sense to me… and she’s definitely one hip gal (Blossom Dearie was the lady answering King Pleasure in his famous recording of Moody’s Mood for Love.) – - What’s most amazing is that while lacking both the “operetics” of other aspiring Jazz vocalists and the improvisational venturousness of the bebop singers, she has something “else” which is hard to pinpoint… Cuteness ? Perhaps some, but then again she also has a way of phrasing, telling stories through the music and holding the listeners’ attention… as a result, whereas the “cuteness” and “novelty” might wear off with other singers taking this approach, Blossom Dearie’s style proves itself itself to have an eternally hip deepness that’s easy to miss with just a quick listen and comparison.. in time one realizes beyond “cuteness” better words are “honesty” and “insight” to describe her playing… incidentally her piano playing ain’t so bad either… (Check out her swinging solo on If I Were A Bell For Example….) the accompanyment of Eddie Thigpen and Ray Brown definitely doesn’t hurt…. Ray Brown’s bass solo over Eddie Thigpen’s masterful brush drumming on Teach Me Tonight is worth the purchase of this CD 10 times over ! ! ! …not to mention Mundell Lowe’s presence and the ridiculously cute and silly Doop-Doo-De-Doop…
5 Stars Gentle Jazz
This collection of Blossom Dearie backed up by Ray Brown and company is simply delightful. It swings. No histrionics. No miserable Mitch Miller influence that derailed so many good female vocalists of the ’50’s. Just cool head bobbing good groovy music. Combining her “less is more” approach with Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen and Mundell Lowe shows that, once again, Norman Granz knew what he was doing. The rendition of Moonlight Saving Time is one of those tunes by Blossom that really frames the Blossom Touch. Of course, The Doodlin’ Song will make a true jazz fan smile. Do not miss this music.
5 Stars Jazz in a gentler time
This is second only to ‘Give Him the Ooh-la-la’ in Blossom’s Verve years. Blossom’s voice is such a treat, and she really attacks a range of songs in this album. You’ve never heard Surrey with a Fringe on Top done like this. She adds a wonderful intro onto the beginning of ‘Tea for Two’.
The one gripe I have with this album is that the overall tempo is just a touch slow.
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