In 1961 and 1965, singer-songwriter and pianist Blossom Dearie returned to Paris on tour. She had first lived there from 1952 to '57—when she sang, played and recorded with the vocal group Les Blue Stars. In Paris, she also met and married Belgian saxophonist Bobby Jaspar and was introduced to producer Norman Granz, who signed her to a six-record Verve deal.
Dearie returned to the States in '57 to begin recording for Granz and then in '64 recorded one delightful album for Capitol, arranged by Jack Marshall. She recorded much more, of course, in the years that followed. I mention these sessions because they relate to what I'm about to tell you.
Last week, eagle-eyed reader Duane Peirick spotted these two recent uploads at YouTube and sent along links...
Here's I Wish You Love in '65, followed by a duet with Jack Diéval on Impro Blues. Diéval—who died last October—was a pianist and host of French TV's Paris: Crossroads of the World...
Here's Dearie in '61 in Paris singing It Might as Well Be Spring and Heart of My Heart...