Alternately breathy and atmospheric or bright and dynamic, Helen Merrill
often reaches a bit too far on The Nearness of You, though her distinct
style and strong personality may be refreshing to vocal fans tired of
the standard versions of standards. Leading two separate sextets -- the
rather more famous one, with Bill Evans, Bobby Jaspar, Oscar Pettiford,
and Jo Jones, appears on only four tracks -- Merrill breezes over a raft
of mid-tempo standards, with several detours through high-drama
territory. Her powerful voice occasionally gets her into trouble,
breaking from breathy to brash and often occupying a rather awkward
middle ground. Still, her ebullient tone and playful way with "Bye, Bye
Blackbird," "Let Me Love You," and "All of You" is a treat to hear, and
flutist Mike Simpson cuts it up behind her as well. Merrill really
shines on the darker material, with just a plucked bass to accompany her
on "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," and a similarly spare
accompaniment on a long, drawn-out tribute to "Summertime" and "I See
Your Face Before Me." by John Bush
Tracklist :
1 Bye Bye Blackbird 2:56
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
2 When The Sun Comes Out 4:46
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Jo Jones
Flute – Bobby Jaspar
Guitar – George Russell
Piano – Bill Evans
3 I Remember You 2:09
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
4 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 3:18
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
5 Dearly Beloved 2:05
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
6 Summertime 3:26
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson (5)
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
7 All Of You 3:31
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Jo Jones
Flute – Bobby Jaspar
Guitar – George Russell
Piano – Bill Evans
8 I See Your Face Before Me 2:39
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
9 Let Me Love You 2:47
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Jo Jones
Flute – Bobby Jaspar
Guitar – George Russell
Piano – Bill Evans
10 The Nearness Of You 4:03
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Jo Jones
Flute – Bobby Jaspar
Guitar – George Russell
Piano – Bill Evans
11 This Time The Dream's On Me 2:19
Double Bass – Johnny Frigo
Drums – Jerry Slosberg
Flute – Mike Simpson
Guitar – Fred Rundquist
Piano – Dick Marx
12 Just Imagine 3:22
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Jo Jones
Flute – Bobby Jaspar
Guitar – George Russell
Piano – Bill Evans
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