Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 19, 1931 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 23, 2017 (aged 86) Korsør, Denmark |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Labels | Blue Note, SteepleChase |
Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017)[1] was an American hard bop and post-bop pianist and composer. He was known for his contributions to the Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots.
Early life[edit]
In his birth year, Parlan was stricken with polio, resulting in the partial crippling of his right hand. The handicap contributed to his development of a particularly "pungent" left-hand chord voicing style, while comping with highly rhythmic phrases with the right.[2]
Later life and career[edit]
Between 1952 and 1957, he worked in Washington DC with Sonny Stitt, then spent two years with Mingus' Jazz Workshop.[2] In 1973, Parlan moved to Copenhagen, Denmark. He later settled in the small village of Rude in southern Zealand. In 1974 he completed a State Department tour of Africa with Hal Singer.[2]
His later work, such as a series of duos with the tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp included the album Goin' Home, steeped in gospel music.
Parlan received the 2000 Ben Webster Prize awarded by the Ben Webster Foundation.
Discography[edit]
As leader[edit]
- Movin' & Groovin' (Blue Note, 1960)
- Us Three (Blue Note, 1960)
- Speakin' My Piece (Blue Note, 1960)
- Headin' South (Blue Note, 1960)
- On the Spur of the Moment (Blue Note, 1961)
- Up & Down (Blue Note, 1961)
- Happy Frame of Mind (Blue Note, 1963)
- Arrival (SteepleChase, 1974)
- No Blues (Steeplechase, 1975)
- Frank-ly Speaking (Steeplechase, 1977)
- Goin' Home (Steeplechase, 1977) with Archie Shepp
- Blue Parlan (Steeplechase, 1978)
- Hi-Fly (Steeplechase, 1978)
- Musically Yours (Steeplechase, 1979)
- The Maestro (Steeplechase, 1979)
- Trouble in Mind (Steeplechase, 1980) with Archie Shepp
- Pannonica (Enja, 1981)
- Like Someone in Love (Steeplechase, 1983)
- Jazzbühne Berlin (Repertoire, 1983[1991]) with Mal Waldron Sextet
- Glad I Found You (Steeplechase, 1984)
- Little Esther (Soul Note, 1987)
- Duo Reunion (L+R, 1987) with Archie Shepp
- Keep Your Hands Wide Open (Olufsen, 1988) with Søren S. Eriksen
- Joinin' Forces (Olufsen, 1994) with Jan Kaspersen
- We Three (Baybridge, 1997)
- The Horace Parlan Trio (M&I, 1998) aka Kojo No Tsuki
- Voyage of Rediscovery (Storyville, 1999)
- Behind the Blues (Leafage Jazz, 2001) with Staffan William-Olsson
- Relaxin' with Horace (Stunt, 2004)
- My Little Brown Book (Stunt, 2007)
As sideman[edit]
With Gene Ammons
- Gene Ammons in Sweden (Enja, 1973 [1981])
With Dave Bailey
- One Foot in the Gutter (Epic, 1960)
- Gettin' Into Somethin' (Epic, 1961)
- Motoring Along (Sonet, 1975)
With Johnny Coles
- New Morning (Criss Cross Jazz, 1982)
- Tough Tenor Favorites (Jazzland, 1962) – with Johnny Griffin
- Goin' to the Meeting (Prestige, 1962)
- Jaw's Blues (Enja, 1981)
With Lou Donaldson
- The Time Is Right (Blue Note, 1959)
- Sunny Side Up (Blue Note, 1960)
- Midnight Sun (Blue Note, 1960 [1980])
With Pierre Dorge
- The Jazzpar Prize (Enja, 1992)
With Booker Ervin
- That's It! (Candid, 1961)
- Exultation! (Prestige, 1963)
With Frank Foster
- The House That Love Built (SteepleChase, 1982)
With Dexter Gordon
- Doin' Allright (Blue Note, 1961)
- Stable Mable (SteepleChase, 1975)
With Slide Hampton
- Jazz with a Twist (Atlantic, 1962)
- Explosion! The Sound of Slide Hampton (Atlantic, 1962)
With Hugo Heredia
- Mananita Pampera (Cote d'azur, 1976)
With Langston Hughes
- Weary Blues (MGM, 1958)
With Roland Kirk
- Gifts & Messages (Mercury, 1964)
- I Talk with the Spirits (Limelight, 1964)
- Slightly Latin (Limelight, 1965)
With Charles Mingus
- Blues & Roots (Atlantic, 1959)
- Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959)
- A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry (Bethlehem, 1957)
With Doug Raney
- I'll Close My Eyes (SteepleChase, 1982)
- Meeting the Tenors (Criss Cross, 1983)
With Archie Shepp
- Goin' Home (SteepleChase, 1977)
- Trouble in Mind (SteepleChase, 1980)
- Splashes (L+R, 1987)
- Duo Reunion (L+R, 1987)
- Black Ballads (Timeless, 1992)
With Idrees Sulieman
- Bird's Grass (SteepleChase, 1976 [1985])
- Groovin' (SteepleChase, 1985)
With Stanley Turrentine
- Look Out! (Blue Note, 1960)
- Comin' Your Way (Blue Note, 1961)
- Up at "Minton's" (Blue Note, 1961)
- Salt Song (CTI, 1971)
With Tommy Turrentine
- Tommy Turrentine (Time, 1960)
With Kai Winding and Curtis Fuller
- Giant Bones '80 (Sonet, 1980)
With various artists
- A Moon of Roses[3]
