The Nearness of You

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The Nearness of You (m. Hoagy Carmichael, w. Ned Washington)

from Wikipedia:

The biggest selling 1938 version was recorded by the Glenn Miller orchestra, with a vocal by Ray Eberle (Bluebird catalog number 10745)^. This recording first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on July 20, 1940 [No explanation given for the time discrepancy except that “it was Billboard’s first chart.”] and lasted 8 weeks on the chart, peaking at #5. Other popular contemporary versions were recorded by Kay Kyser’s orchestra (vocal: Harry Babbitt, by Dinah Shore with Paul Weston’s orchestra, and by Eddy Howard with Lou Adrian’s Orchestra.

Many accounts say that the song was featured in the 1938 film Romance In the Dark. JazzStandards.com indicates that this is an error brought about by confusing two similar sounding film titles. According to Richard Sudhalter’s Hoagy Carmichael biography Stardust Melody: The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael, Carmichael wrote the song for a feature called Romance in the Rough which was never produced. It was never scheduled for inclusion in Romance in the Dark.

Glenn Miller and Orchestra, vocal: Ray Eberle – 1938

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Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians with vocal chorus by Mert Curtis — recorded 20 May 1940 (Decca 3214)

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Connee Boswell — 1940

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Kay Kyser & his Orchestra, vocal by Harry Babbitt – 1940

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Sarah Vaughan

recorded December 1949; issued on the 78 rpm single Columbia 39071, c/w “You’re Mine You”

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(below) Snader telescription #8202, 1951 (colorized)

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Bing Crosby with Buddy Cole and his Trio — recorded on 18 November 1954 for The Bing Crosby Show (CBS recordings for radio)

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Frank Morgan — recorded on 31 March 1955 in Los Angeles, CA for the label Gene Norman Presents (GNP)

personnel (from jazzdiscography.com):
Frank Morgan (ldr, alto sax)
Wardell Gray (ts)
Conte Candoli (t)
Howard Roberts (g)
Carl Perkins (p)
Leroy Vinnegar (b)
Larance Marable (d)

• Frank Morgan NPR’s Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland, recorded 16 February 2004; originally broadcast 5 October 2004

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Milt Jackson Quartet — recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey 20 May 1955 —  released on the LP Milt Jackson (Prestige PRLP 7003)

Personnel :
Milt Jackson — vibes
Horace Silver – piano
Percy Heath – bass
Connie Kay — drums

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Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and his “Music from Hollywood” — recorded on 23 April 1956; issued on the 1956 album Ski Trails, Columbia ‎CL 910

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Dick Haymes — from the 1955 LP Rain or Shine

• AllMusic album review by Nick Dedina

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The George Shearing Quintet with Nancy Wilson – 1961

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Judy Garland — from The Judy Garland Show, Episode 26; taped on 13 March 1964 and aired on 29 March 1964

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Mel Tormé — from his 1965 album That’s All, arrangements by Robert Mersey

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Don Cherry – from the album The World of Don Cherry – 1973

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Norah Jones – from Come Fly With Me – 2002

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George Shearing –  date unknown

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Sir George Shearing and his wife Ellie at home in Lee, Massachusetts

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