Austrian-based jazz vocalist Lili Maljic has just released her debut album, The Nearness of You – In Loving Memory of Jim Rotondi, and it is a heartfelt, masterful tribute — as well as a bold artistic statement in its own right. Her smoky, vintage jazz voice wraps around each lyric and instantly invites the listener into a world of warmth and emotional intimacy. Her phrasing is exquisite and her talent as an arranger equals her vocal gift, proving she understands not just melody, but narrative and nuance.
On this album, Lili re-imagines beloved standards from the "Great American Songbook" with deep emotional insight. The result is both familiar and freshly personal — a respectful nod to tradition, rendered with her own unmistakable voice.
Jim Rotondi’s presence looms large over the entire record. As trumpeter, arranger, and mentor — and sadly, now in memoriam — he helped shape the mood, texture, and harmonic soul of this project. The album becomes more than a collection of songs; it feels like a musical conversation, a farewell, a celebration, and a beginning all at once.
I have attached two songs from this album, the first is the title tune, "The Nearness Of You". This Carmichael classic is usual performed as a ballad but Jim Rotondi has provided a spirted 7/8 time arrangement that Lili performs perfectly. The second is "The Shadow Of Your Smile" set to a Bossa Nova beat that make this tune new again!
Playlist:
1.The Shadow of Your Smile
Easy To Love
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Never Let Me Go
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The Touch of Your Lips
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The Nearness of You
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This Can't Be Love
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You Go To My Head
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The Song Is You
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I Didn't Know About You
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That Old Black Magic
Players:
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Lili Maljic — vocals (and arrangements on some tracks)
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Jim Rotondi — trumpet and arrangements (notably on several tracks)
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Oliver Kent — piano
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Miloš Čolović — bass
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Mario Gonzi — drums
"The Nearness Of You"
"The Shadow Of Your Smile"
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