A child prodigy, Shirley Horn began playing piano at age 4 and the next year started formal musical training. She became so obsessed with the piano that her mother offered her bribes in an attempt to get her away from the instrument so she would play with the neighborhood children.
At just 12 years of age Horn studied composition at Howard University and at 18 was awarded a scholarship to study at Julliard in New York. Unfortunately her family was unable to afford her money for living conditions in New York. Instead she entered a special music studies class at Howard, leaving after several years to work full time in Washington D.C.
In 1960 Horn traveled to New York to record her first album Embers And Ashes. Although the record appeared on only a small label and received limited distribution it immediately established her as a gifted and sensitive jazz artist. So impressed was Miles Davis when he heard the disc he brought Shirley back to New York to appear with him at the Village Vanguard, a popular jazz venue in the city. Soon she was working in major clubs throughout the U.S., recording with Quincy Jones for Mercury Records, and singing on the movie soundtracks of For Love Of Ivy and A Dandy In Aspic.
Creative differences with Mercury and domestic life, in particular her young daughter Rainy, called her back home, and for more than a decade, she restricted her appearances to Washington D.C. area clubs and concerts.
In 1981, Paul Acket, director of Hollands North Sea Jazz Festival, caught her impromptu performance at a Jazz Times convention at the Shoreline Hotel. He arranged for her European debut at the Holland festival, where delighted audiences and overwhelming critical approval inspired her to revitalize her career.
With her daughter Rainy grown and married, herself the mother of two children; Horn was now at ease to go back on the road. She was soon working with her trio at some of the most prestigious jazz clubs and she recorded four albums. Her association with Verve records, beginning in 1986, cemented her rise in popularity and helped establish her as a top-notch artist worthy of national and worldwide notoriety and fame.
In later years, Ms. Horn performed with artists ranging from Davis, who reunited with her for a rare appearance as a sideman on her 1991 album ``You Won't Forget Me,'' to Wynton Marsalis.
She was nominated for multiple Grammys and won the award in 1991 for best jazz vocal performance. In 2004, Horn was honored by National Endowment for the Arts as a jazz master.
Shirley Horns piano playing drew on the influences of Ahmad Jamal and Wynton Kelly. Her intricacies in harmony bring to mind Duke Ellington. Her notes were always chosen wisely, placed expertly at well-chosen times. She had the rare ability to utilize rhythm through silence much as Count Basie and the aforementioned Jamal. Although these behemoths may come to mind when listening to Horn, she claimed the utilization of those manifestations as very much her own art. She was not an imitator.
Vocally Shirley Horn does not sound like anyone else. Although the way she carried out her vocals was akin to the personal relationship and intensity one feels when listening to Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, King Cole, or even Louis Armstrong; Shirley Horn was an original. Not a scat vocalist but rather a sensitive vocalist: she presented her lyrics with improvisational bending and changing of notes in an artistic style that is the essence of true jazz.
Shirley Horn died Thursday night October 20th, 2005 in her native Washington, D.C., after a long illness.
hi shirley, thanks for the add - love and respect to you... and you really gotta listen to me singing with the great gypsy guitarist lollo meier ... its marvellous!!!!!
HEY I JUST GOT A 500 DOLLAR MACYS GIFT CARD FOR FREE! I CHECKED THE MAIL TODAY AND LOOK WHAT CAME CLICK HERE FOR YOURS NOW. ILL TALK TO YOU LATER TIME FOR AN EARLY SHOPPING SPREE LOL!
There are recurring themes in life, only the players change. Here I commence on a personal quest of integrative thinking that guides and directs my expanding perspective of the music industry. Connecting with your brilliance and significance in history is invigorating. Therefore, I cannot confine my attention. It’s a honor to be amidst Legends..past, present, and future.
Fr: Mister G
To: shirley horn
Re: Word of the Week
WORD OF THE WEEK (5/4-5/21) IS: "CREATIVITY"
1.The use of the imagination or original ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work.
2. Use your mind to bring (something) new into existence.
3. Something the world can never have enough of.
Love and Respect from Camp G. Have a great week! - Your Friend, Jake Glasgow (Mister G)
place virgins don't tell the truth about what they think.
I am telling you this because it is the honest truth, look I should know, they say that it is all in the way you use it, not how big it is, well I got news for you all, that is pure lies.
I know from personal experience, I will tell you about a secret that kipper has made me promise to never ever tell anyone, but since he has not called me in three weeks after standing me up, I am going to break the promise and tell you how he went from having a tiny wang and in 4 months he is now about nine inches and get this, it is still getting bigger. He has been secretly taking grow jells from this site, copy and paste the address into your browser to see them.ABARDE.COM
I found out when I was at his house, three fridays ago, we were getting ready to go to the mall, so while he was in the shower, I went in his room, sneeked under his bed and found a box with jell bottles in it, there was like 9 full bottles and 4 empty ones, all ordered from ABARDE.COM I was laughing at first but then when he came in the room and caught me looking at them, he freaked out and made me sware to not ever tell anyone about them, especially girls from school or work that he has been dating for the past while, now that I think of it, he has been rather busy with all the popular girls around here, when just last year he was the shyest when it came to girls.
I just never put two and two together until he explained it all to me, I did see his package and yes, it is huge, pronostar huge, the thickest and longest one I ever seen.
I know this sounds really shallow, but I am considering ordering 6 bottles from the website at ABARDE.COM for you know who.. he does not have a myspace account, so he is not gonna see this. They guarentee that the jells will work on any man, or they give you your money back, living proof that they do work on any guy, seeing is believing.ABARDE.COM
K59552512
Fr: Mister G
To: shirley horn
Re: Word of the Week
WORD OF THE WEEK (4/15-4/22) IS: "BUMPIN'"
1. A term used for music when played at a pleasantly high volume. - "The bass on that track is bumpin'!"
2. A complimentary adjective, good to use in almost any situation. - "Wow, that song was bumpin'!" - "This party is bumpin'!" - "Look at that girl, her outfit is bumpin'!"
All the best from Camp G, always. Have a great week. - Jake Glasgow (Mister G)
Fr: Mister G
To: shirley horn
Re: Word of the Week
WORD OF THE WEEK (4/15-4/22) IS: "BUMPIN'"
1. A term used for music when played at a pleasantly high volume. - "The bass on that track is bumpin'!"
2. A complimentary adjective, good to use in almost any situation. - "Wow, that song was bumpin'!" - "This party is bumpin'!" - "Look at that girl, her outfit is bumpin'!"
All the best from Camp G, always. Have a great week. - Jake Glasgow (Mister G)
Fr: Mister G
To: shirley horn
Re: Word of the Week
WORD OF THE WEEK (2/25-3/4) IS: "DIG"
1. To understand fully: "I dig what you're sayin'"
2. To like, enjoy, or appreciate: "They really dig our music and, daddy, I dig swinging for 'em." - Louis Armstrong
3. To take notice of: "Wow! I totally dig what she is wearin'!."
**In its slang sense of "To enjoy," dig is one of the many words and expressions developed by musicians. Like "Cool," it is first recorded in 1930s jazz circles...much more about this word at my page.
Have a great week! Much Luv From Camp G - Jake Glasgow (Mister G)
In this forum we collect friends like exquisite artwork and forget they are each extraordinary. Know that you are loved and appreciated for your individual genius.
When she was starting to sing, I immediately dived into a kind of a movie, filled with pictures of my own life...This was the unbelievable magic Shirley had.
Thank you for all these moments and for your grace...
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