Nearness of You: The Ballad Book

Nearness of You: The Ballad Book
Studio album by Michael Brecker
Released	June 19, 2001
Recorded	December 18–20, 2000
Studio	Right Track Recording (New York, NY)
Genre	Jazz
Length	60:23
Label	Verve
Producer	Pat Metheny Steve Rodby
Michael Brecker chronology
Time Is of the Essence (1999) Nearness of You: The Ballad Book (2001) Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall (2002)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[2]

Nearness of You: The Ballad Book is the seventh studio album by saxophone player Michael Brecker. Accompanied by Herbie Hancock on piano, Pat Metheny on guitars, Charlie Haden on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and a special guest appearance by James Taylor, the album was released by Verve Records on June 19, 2001.

Brecker was awarded his eighth Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo on "Chan's Song". Taylor also won his fourth Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy for "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight". ^[3] With his win, he became the first American recording artist to garner a win in that category since Michael Bolton in 1992.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chan's Song"	Herbie Hancock	5:15
2.	"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"	James Taylor	4:43
3.	"Nascente"	Murilo Antunes, Flavio Venturini	6:18
4.	"Midnight Mood"	Joe Zawinul	6:22
5.	"The Nearness of You"	Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington	4:37
6.	"Incandescence"	Michael Brecker	5:21
7.	"Sometimes I See"	Pat Metheny	5:26
8.	"My Ship"	Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin	7:10
9.	"Always"	Irving Berlin	5:37
10.	"Seven Days"	Metheny	5:32
11.	"I Can See Your Dreams"	Brecker	3:50

Personnel

Musicians

• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Herbie Hancock – grand piano
• Pat Metheny – guitars
• Charlie Haden – bass
• Jack DeJohnette – drums
• Dave Samuels – additional percussion
• James Taylor – vocals (tracks 2, 5)

Technical personnel

• Pat Metheny – producer
• Steve Rodby – co-producer, digital assembly
• Richard Seidel – executive producer
• James Farber – recording and mixing
• Andrew Fellus – assistant engineer
• Paul Gregory – assistant engineer
• Timmy Olmstead – assistant engineer
• Jason Stasium – assistant engineer
• Pete Karam – technical assistance
• Carolyn Chrzan – technical coordinator
• David Oakes – technical coordinator
• Tom Sheehan – piano tuning and technician
• Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City, USA
• Stephanie Faraci – project coordinator
• Darryl Pitt – project coordinator
• David Sholemson – project coordinator
• Carrie D'Amelio – release coordinator
• Theodora Kuslan – release coordinator
• Gil Goldstein – music preparation
• Hollis King – art direction
• Rebecca Meek – design
• Sylvia Otti – cover photography
• Michael Piazza – photography
• Ken Takewaki – photography

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
US Billboard Top Jazz Albums [4]	5

Awards

2001 - 44th Annual GRAMMY Awards ^[3]

Year	Winner	Title	Category
2001	Michael Brecker	"Chan's Song"	Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
2001	James Taylor	"Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"	Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

References

1. Edelstein, Paula. Michael Brecker: Nearness of You: The Ballad Book > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
2. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 168. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.
3. "Past Winners Search". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
4. "Nearness of You: The Ballad Book - Michael Brecker > Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2011.