Nearness of You: The Ballad Book

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Nearness of You: The Ballad Book
Album.Nearness.of.You.Cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 19, 2001
RecordedDecember 18–20, 2000
Genre Jazz
Length60:23
Label Verve
Producer Pat Metheny, Steve Rodby and Richard Seidel
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
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [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.

Contents

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.TitleWriter(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 Venturini6:18
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"Metheny5:32
11."I Can See Your Dreams"Brecker3:50

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

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

Awards

2001 - 44th Annual GRAMMY Awards [3]

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

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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. 1 2 "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.