Blossom Dearie - Give Him The Ooh-La La, released in 1958 on Verve Records, captures pianist and vocalist Blossom Dearie's signature blend of cool understatement, crisp diction, and harmonic finesse. Produced by Norman Granz, the session features Dearie on piano and vocals, leading a quartet with guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Jo Jones. The program includes songs by Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Noel Coward, along with two Dearie co-writes - "Try Your Wings" and "Bang Goes the Drum (And You're in Love)" - which showcase her wit and compositional touch. From the sly charm of the title track to the graceful melancholy of "Plus je t'embrasse," Dearie's performances balance elegance with rhythmic ease. The intimate arrangements leave space for subtle interplay between her voice and piano, supported by a rhythm section steeped in the language of swing and bop. The Verve Vault series is always mastered from analog tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

Vinyl LP pressing. Noted for a distinctive voice, a tender way with a ballad and a fierce sense of swing, singer-pianist Blossom Dearie invested even the most familiar standards with her delightful, one-of-a-kind wit and charm. The selections included here are from the iconic series of albums Dearie made for Verve Records beginning in 1956. Ooh-la-la!

Noted for a distinctive voice, a tender way with a ballad and a fierce sense of swing, singer-pianist Blossom Dearie invested even the most familiar standards with her delightful, one-of-a-kind wit and charm. The selections included here are from the iconic series of albums Dearie made for Verve Records beginning in 1956. Ooh-la-la!

Blossom Dearie was a jazz pianist and vocalist with a style and technique which skilfully interwove her piano and voice as she accompanied herself. Her approach to piano was distinctive, using chord voicings which inspired the likes of Bill Evans who named her as one of his models of piano playing, while her voice was also highly personal, with a light and airy flavour. Born in 1924, she spent some of her early career in France during the early '50s, which helped shape her style. This great-value 96-track 2-CD set comprises early recordings with Dave Lambert, Stan Getz & Kai Winding and King Pleasure, plus recordings in France with Les Blue Stars, who became The Swingle Singers, and then the complete content of her album Jazz Sweet for Barclay in France, followed by her albums for Verve between 1956 and 1962 Blossom Dearie, Give Him The Ooh-La-La, Once Upon A Summertime, Sings Comden And Green, My Gentleman Friend and Soubrette: Blossom Dearie Sings Broadway Hit Songs. It features recordings in small groups alongside top musicians of the day, including Ray Brown, Jo Jones, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Ed Thigpen, Cy Coleman Kenny Burrell, Bobby Jaspar, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath and Kenny Clarke. It's a feast of top quality, highly listenable jazz, and a great showcase for her talents both as instrumentalist and vocalist.