Adderley is remembered for his 1966 single "Mercy Mercy Mercy", a crossover hit on the pop charts, and for his work with trumpeter Miles Davis, including on the epochal album Kind of Blue (1959). He was the brother of jazz cornetist Nat Adderley, a longtime member of his band.
The name 'Canonball' is supposed to have originated from his being nicknamed 'cannibal' in his youth, on account of his prodigious eating
Early life and career
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Adderley moved to New York in the mid-1950s. His nickname derived originally from "cannibal", a title imposed on him by high school colleagues as a tribute to his voracious appetite.
His educational career was long established prior to teaching applied instrumental music classes at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cannonball moved to Tallahassee, Florida when his parents obtained teaching positions at Florida A&M University. Both Cannonball and brother Nat played with Ray Charles when Charles lived in Tallahassee during the early 1940s. Cannonball was a local legend in Florida until he moved to New York City in 1955, where he lived in Corona, Queens.
It was in New York during this time that Adderley's prolific career began. Adderley visited the Cafe Bohemia, where Oscar Pettiford's group was playing that night. Adderley had brought his saxophone into the club with him, primarily because he feared that it would be stolen, and he was asked to sit in as the saxophone player was late. That performance established his reputation.
Prior to joining Miles Davis' band, Adderley formed his own group with his brother Nat after signing onto the Savoy jazz label in 1957. He was noticed by Miles Davis, and it was because of his blues-rooted alto saxophone that Davis asked him to play with his group.
Adderley joined the Miles Davis Sextet in October 1957, three months prior to John Coltrane's return to the group. Adderley played on the seminal Davis records Milestones and Kind of Blue. This period also overlapped with pianist Bill Evans' time with the sextet, an association that led to recording Portrait of Cannonball and Know What I Mean?.
His interest as an educator carried over to his recordings. In 1961, Cannonball narrated The Child's Introduction to Jazz, released on Riverside Records.
Band leader
The Cannonball Adderley Quintet featured Cannonball on alto sax and his brother Nat Adderley on cornet. Cannonball's first quintet was not very successful; however, after leaving Davis' group, he formed another, again with his brother, which enjoyed more success.
Later life
By the end of the 1960s, Adderley's playing began to reflect the influence of the electric jazz, avant-garde, and Davis' experiments on the album Bitches Brew. On his albums from this period, such as Accent on Africa (1968) and The Price You Got to Pay to Be Free (1970), he began doubling on soprano saxophone, showing the influence of Coltrane and Wayne Shorter. In that same year, his quintet appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California, and a brief scene of that performance was featured in the 1971 psychological thriller Play Misty for Me, starring Clint Eastwood. In 1975 he also appeared (in an acting role alongside Jose Feliciano and David Carradine) in the episode "Battle Hymn" in the third season of the TV series Kung Fu.
Joe Zawinul's composition "Cannon Ball" (recorded on Weather Report's album Black Market) is a tribute to his former leader. Pepper Adams and George Mraz dedicated the composition "Julian" on the 1975 Pepper Adams album (also called "Julian") days after Cannonball's death.
Songs made famous by Adderley and his bands include "This Here" (written by Bobby Timmons), "The Jive Samba", "Work Song" (written by Nat Adderley), "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (written by Joe Zawinul) and "Walk Tall" (written by Zawinul, Marrow and Rein). A cover version of Pops Staples' "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)?" also entered the charts.
Adderley was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity (Gamma Theta chapter, University of North Texas, '60, & Xi Omega chapter, Frostburg State University, '70) and Alpha Phi Alpha (Beta Nu chapter, Florida A&M University).
Adderley died of a stroke in 1975. He was buried in the Southside Cemetery, Tallahassee, Florida. Later that year he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.
The Nearness Of You
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That thrills and delights me, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
It isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation, oh no
Its just the nearness of you
All my wildest dreams come true
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you'll only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
The song "The Nearness of You" by Cannonball Adderley, is a love song about the overwhelming feeling of being in love with someone. The lyrics begin by stating that it is not the exterior elements such as the moon or the stars that excite the singer's passions, but rather the sheer proximity of their lover. Even when there is no conversation happening between them, the mere presence of their lover creates an electric atmosphere.
The chorus keys in on the physical contact they share as being the most exciting thing in their life. When they are holding their lover in their arms and feeling their warmth, it is as if all of their dreams are becoming a reality. Even without any special lighting, all they need to feel enchanted is the embrace of the person they love.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this song is how subtle it is in its lyrics. The song doesn't rely on vulgar language or descriptions to convey the intensity of the singer's feeling towards the object of their affection. Instead, there is a palpable warmth that emanates from the words and leaves the listener with visions of a perfect love story.
Line by Line Meaning
Its not the pale moon that excites me
The moon's appearance alone does not excite or stir any emotions in me
That thrills and delights me, oh no
It doesn't provide any kind of thrill or delight for me
Its just the nearness of you
It is solely your close proximity that brings me joy and excitement
It isn't your sweet conversation
Your words and verbal communication do not cause these sensations
That brings this sensation, oh no
It is not something that can be attributed to conversation, but rather something else entirely
Its just the nearness of you
It is solely your close proximity that brings me this inexplicable sensation
When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me
When you are physically close to me and in my embrace
All my wildest dreams come true
All of my deepest desires and longings are fulfilled
I need no soft lights to enchant me
I do not require any special lighting or ambiance to be enchanted and captivated
If you'll only grant me the right
If you will allow me the privilege
To hold you ever so tight
To be able to embrace you very closely
And to feel in the night the nearness of you
And to experience the sensation of your close proximity, especially at night
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D H
What's the name of this album please?
Ken_MMXXII
To the Ivy League From Nat - Nat Adderly.