Diggin' For Blossom

There are so many jazz vocalists nowadays that it is really difficult to keep track of every single one of them. I have never heard of Amy Cervini, a Canadian singer who has released a new album, "Digging Me Digging You," which is a Blossom Dearie tribute album.  A brilliant idea, it is, because Blossom was one of the greats in my book, a unique and distinct voice as there ever was in jazz history. At the same time, though, this has got to be the worst idea in the world because these songs are so iconic (especially the ones she wrote herself) and I don't know if I could listen to them without hearing Blossom in my head. The latter proves to be the case.  While Ms. Cervini is a good musician, her voice is colorless, and her style too generic to make a dent for these songs. One just wants to pull out Blossom's original versions of these songs as soon as one plays this album. It doesn't help that her arrangements - while strong - don't really offer much variation from the originals. Still, it is a treat to hear these songs, all my Blossom faves like "Hey John," which was written for John Lennon, who was a fan of Ms Dearie, and "Im Shadowing You," which is the best stalker song since "On The Street Where You Live."  As an album, this has got to have one of the best collection of songs - there's variety, there's depth, and there's a lilt in the mood that is carefree. And then I realize - those are adjectives that I could describe the whole Blossom Dearie experience.