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Horace Parlan

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American pianist and composer
Horace Parlan
Born(1931-01-19)January 19, 1931
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 23, 2017(2017-02-23) (aged 86)
Korsør, Denmark
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentPiano
LabelsBlue Note, SteepleChase
Musical artist

Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots.

Early life

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. 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.

Later life and career

Between 1952 and 1957, he worked in Washington, D.C., with Sonny Stitt, then spent two years with Mingus' Jazz Workshop. 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.

His later work, such as a series of duos with the tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp included the album Goin' Home (1977), steeped in gospel music.

Parlan received the 2000 Ben Webster Prize awarded by the Ben Webster Foundation.

He died at a nursing home in Naestved, Denmark at the age of 86. He had been suffering from multiple ailments, including diabetes and failing eyesight.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Recording date Title Label Year released Notes
1960-02 Movin' & Groovin' Blue Note 1960 Trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Al Harewood (drums)
1960-04 Us Three Blue Note 1960 Trio, with George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)
1960-07 Speakin' My Piece Blue Note 1960 Quintet, with Tommy Turrentine (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)
1960-12 Headin' South Blue Note 1961 Some tracks trio, with George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums); most tracks quartet, with Ray Barretto (congas) added
1961-03 On the Spur of the Moment Blue Note 1961 Quintet, with Tommy Turrentine (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)
1961-06 Up & Down Blue Note 1961 Quintet, with Booker Ervin (tenor sax), Grant Green (guitar), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)
1963-02 Happy Frame of Mind Blue Note 1986 One track quintet, with Johnny Coles (trumpet), Booker Ervin (tenor sax), Butch Warren (bass), Billy Higgins (drums); other tracks sextet, with Grant Green (guitar) added; originally released as part of Booker Ervin's Back from the Gig; released in Parlan's name in 1986
1973-12 Arrival SteepleChase 1974 Some tracks trio, with Hugo Rasmussen (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums); some tracks quintet, with Idrees Sulieman (flugelhorn), Bent Jædig (tenor sax) added
1975-12 No Blues Steeplechase 1976 Trio, with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass), Tony Inzalaco (drums)
1977-02 Frank-ly Speaking Steeplechase 1977 Quintet, with Frank Foster (tenor sax), Frank Strozier (alto sax), Lisle Atkinson (bass) Al Harewood (drums)
1977-04 Goin' Home Steeplechase 1977 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor sax, soprano sax)
1978-02 Hi-Fly Steeplechase 1978 Trio, with Doug Raney (guitar), Wilbur Little (bass)
1978-11 Blue Parlan Steeplechase 1979 Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums)
1979-11 Musically Yours Steeplechase 1980 Solo piano
1979-11 The Maestro Steeplechase 1982 Solo piano
1980-02 Trouble in Mind Steeplechase 1980 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor sax, soprano sax)
1981-02 Pannonica Enja 1984 Trio, with Reggie Johnson (bass), Alvin Queen (drums)
1983-03 Like Someone in Love Steeplechase 1983 Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums)
1983-06 Jazzbühne Berlin '83 / Jazzbühne Berlin '79 Repertoire 1991 album shared with Mal Waldron; Solo piano
1984-07 Glad I Found You Steeplechase 1984 Quintet, with Thad Jones (flugelhorn), Eddie Harris (tenor sax), Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Aage Tanggaard (drums)
1987-03 Little Esther Soul Note 1987 Quartet, with Per Goldschmidt (baritone sax), Klavs Hovman (bass), Massimo De Majo (drums)
1987-05 Duo Reunion L+R 1987 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor sax)
1988-01 Keep Your Hands Wide Open Olufsen 1988 Most tracks duo, with Soren S. Eriksen (alto sax); one track trio, with Thomas Helmig (vocals) added
1991-09 Swing Low Plainisphare 1993 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor sax, alto sax, vocals); in concert
1994-04 Joinin' Forces Olufsen 1994 Duo, co-led with Jan Kaspersen (piano)
1997-06 We Three Baybridge 1998 Trio, with Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)
1998-08 The Horace Parlan Trio
also released as Kōjō no Tsuki (荒城の月) 		M&I 1999 Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)
1999-01 Voyage of Rediscovery Storyville 1999 Solo piano
2001-09 Behind the Blues Leafage Jazz 2002 Some tracks trio, with Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums); some tracks quartet, with Staffan William-Olsson (guitar) added
2003-12 Relaxin' with Horace Stunt 2004 Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums)
2007-03 My Little Brown Book Stunt 2007 Trio, with Christina Von Bulow (alto sax), Jesper Lundgaard (bass)

Main source:

Documentary, released on DVD: Horace Parlan by Horace Parlan

As sideman

With Dave Bailey

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

With Lou Donaldson

With Booker Ervin

With Dexter Gordon

With Slide Hampton

With Roland Kirk

With Charles Mingus

With Doug Raney

With Archie Shepp

  • Splashes (L+R, 1987)
  • Black Ballads (Timeless, 1992)

With Idrees Sulieman

With Stanley Turrentine

With others

References

  1. "Jazzlegenden Horace Parlan er død". Sn.dk. 25 February 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1911. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  3. ^ Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (18 November 1999). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-19-972907-4. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Google Books.
  4. "Horace Parlan, Jazz Pianist Who Overcame Disability, Dies at 86". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  5. "Horace Parlan, jazz pianist who overcame disability, dies at 86 - the Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  6. "Blue Note Records Catalog: 4100 series". jazzdisco. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  7. Erlewine, Stephen Thomans. "Happy Frame of Mind: Horace Parlan". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  8. Yanow, Scott. "Swing Low: Archie Shepp". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. "Horace Parlan Discography". jazzdisco. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  10. "Horace Parlan by Horace Parlan". loc.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  11. "A Moon Of Roses (1994, CD)". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved October 3, 2021.

External links

Horace Parlan
Years indicated are for the recording(s), not release.
Albums as leader
With
Stanley Turrentine
With others
Categories: