Blossom Dearie—”I Wish You Love” (1965)

“I Wish You Love” is jazz chanson composed in 1942 by two Frenchmen: singer Charles Trenet (1913-2001) and his accompanist Léon Chauliac (1913-1977). Trenet also wrote the French lyrics, calling the song “Que reste-t-il des nos amours.” The English version of the song was written by Albert Askew Beach (1924-1997), and was first introduced to America in 1957 by singer Keely Smith as the title song of her debut album.

Singer and pianist Blossom Dearie -- who died 10 years ago this month -- appeared on TV France in 1965 performing “I Wish You Love” with the accompaniment of bass player Jacques Hess and drummer Franco Manzecchi. It is followed by a piano-duet with Jack Dieval called “Impro Blues.”

Singer/songwriter/pianist Margarethe Blossom Dearie (1924-2009) was the daughter of a father of Irish and Scottish descent and a mother with Norwegian roots. She started learning classical piano at five and by the time she was ten she was advised by a teacher to enroll at Baltimore’s Peabody Institute. Instead she went back to her New York birth-town East Durham and turned to jazz. “I’m definitely a jazz musician,” Blossom once said, “learning to be a jazz singer.”

Blossom worked in vocal groups from the start of her career, such as Woody Herman Orchestra’s Blue Flames and Alvino Rey Orchestra’s Blue Rays. After that she pursued her own singular solo career as a supper club and cabaret performer. Her unique voice, combined with that exquisitely shaded piano accompaniment that was hers, blurred the line between jazz and cabaret.

Blossom Dearie’s playful style influenced many youngsters such as singers Kylie Minogue and Stacey Kent and pianist Daryl Sherman. Blossom also has given some excellent interpretations of Brazilian bossa nova songs. The New York Times described Blossom Dearie as “an interpretive minimalist with caviar taste in songs and musicians” who was “a genre unto herself.”