Helen Merrill
The Nearness of You (131507)
Sale! 
View larger
View larger 
- Remove this product from my favorite's list.
- Add this product to my list of favorites.
The Nearness of You
Helen Merrill
Phoenix
8436539310075
PHX 125271
131507
JAZZ
1
The Nearness of You
2 ALBUMS ON 1 CD
The complete original LPs The Nearness of You and You’ve Got a Date with the Blues, presenting Merrill in splendid form backed by swinging combos.
Featuring Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham, Bobby Jaspar, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton & Jo Jones.
The complete original LPs The Nearness of You and You’ve Got a Date with the Blues, presenting Merrill in splendid form backed by swinging combos.
Featuring Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham, Bobby Jaspar, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton & Jo Jones.
Includes 16-page booklet
Although she was well-known among fellow musicians, Helen Merrill wasn’t a star like Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald at the time these
two albums were made. Her recording debut consisted of a few songs made with the Earl Hines sextet in December 1952, followed by a couple of tunes with Jimmy Raney in 1953. She would also record four tracks with an orchestra conducted by Johnny Richards
in February 1954 prior to her participation on the justly celebrated sessions with Clifford Brown (December 22 & 24, 1954), which would mark her first LP. (The album featured musicians of the highest calibre, including Jimmy Jones, Barry Galbraith and Milt Hinton, who are also
present on You’ve Got a Date With the Blues, and the arrangements were made by the one and only Quincy Jones.) In fact, Merrill would never become as “commercial” as Sarah, Ella, or even Dinah Washington, and she only gained greater fame after she started touring Europe shortly after the two albums compiled here were made.
two albums were made. Her recording debut consisted of a few songs made with the Earl Hines sextet in December 1952, followed by a couple of tunes with Jimmy Raney in 1953. She would also record four tracks with an orchestra conducted by Johnny Richards
in February 1954 prior to her participation on the justly celebrated sessions with Clifford Brown (December 22 & 24, 1954), which would mark her first LP. (The album featured musicians of the highest calibre, including Jimmy Jones, Barry Galbraith and Milt Hinton, who are also
present on You’ve Got a Date With the Blues, and the arrangements were made by the one and only Quincy Jones.) In fact, Merrill would never become as “commercial” as Sarah, Ella, or even Dinah Washington, and she only gained greater fame after she started touring Europe shortly after the two albums compiled here were made.
Personnel:
HELEN MERRILL, vocals on all tracks
1-12; THE NEARNESS OF YOU
(2, 7, 9, 10 & 12) Bobby Jaspar (fl), Bill Evans (p), George Russell (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Jo Jones (d).
New York, February 21, 1958.
(1, 3-6, 8 & 11) Mike Simpson (fl), Dick Marx (p), Fred Rundquist (g), Johnny Frigo (b), Jerry Slosberg (d).
Chicago, December 18 & 19, 1957.
13-23: YOU’VE GOT A DATE WITH THE BLUES
Kenny Dorham (tp), Jerome Richardson or Frank Wess (fl, ts), Jimmy Jones (p, arr), Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton or Al Hall (b), Johnny Cresci (d). New York, 1959.
Tracks:
01 BYE BYE BLACKBIRD 2:57
02 WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT 4:48
03 I REMEMBER YOU 2:10
04 SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE 3:21
05 DEARLY BELOVED 2:07
06 SUMMERTIME 3:28
07 ALL OF YOU 3:33
08 I SEE YOUR FACE BEFORE ME 2:41
09 LET ME LOVE YOU 2:49
10 THE NEARNESS OF YOU 4:04
11 THIS TIME THE DREAM’S ON ME 2:21
12 JUST IMAGINE 3:23
13 THE BLUES [from BLACK, BROWN & BEIGE] 5:24
14 AM I BLUE? 3:35
15 BLUE GARDENIA 3:22
16 YOU’VE GOT A DATE WITH THE BLUES 3:31
17 THE THRILL IS GONE 3:38
18 WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG 3:11
19 BLUES IN MY HEART 3:41
20 VOUS M’EBLOUISSEZ (YOU GO TO MY HEAD) 3:25
21 LORSQUE TU M’EMBRASSES (JUST SQUEEZE ME) 2:49
22 THE MEANING OF THE BLUES 3:10
23 SIGNING OFF 1:32
TOTAL TIME: 75:10
