Helen Merrill

This release contains the complete original albums The Nearness of You (Emarcy) and You’ve Got a Date with the Blues (Metrojazz). These LPs present Merrill in splendid form backed by swinging combos featuring stars like Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham, Bobby Jaspar, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton & Jo Jones.

1)BYE BYE BLACKBIRD 2:57
2)WHEN THE SUN COMES OUT 4:48
3)I REMEMBER YOU 2:10
4)SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE 3:21
5)DEARLY BELOVED 2:07
6)SUMMERTIME 3:28
7)ALL OF YOU 3:33
8)I SEE YOUR FACE BEFORE ME 2:41
9)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

HELEN MERRILL, vocals on all tracks

1-12; THE NEARNESS OF YOU
Tracks 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. Tracks 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.

See 16-page booklet for complete information.