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Horace Parlan

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Horace Parlan
Parlan (right) with Alan Dawson at Lennie's on the Turnpike, Peabody, Massachusetts
Parlan (right) with Alan Dawson at Lennie's on the Turnpike, Peabody, Massachusetts
Background information
Born(1931-01-19)January 19, 1931
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedFebruary 23, 2017(2017-02-23) (aged 86)
Næstved, Zealand, Denmark
Genres
OccupationsMusician, composer
InstrumentPiano
LabelsBlue Note, SteepleChase

Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017)[1] was an American jazz pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles. In addition to his work as a bandleader, Parlan was known for his contributions to the Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um (1959) and Blues & Roots (1960).

Early life

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Horace Parlan was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.[2] In his birth year, Parlan was stricken with polio, resulting in the partial crippling of his right hand. This handicap contributed to his development of a particularly "pungent" left-hand chord voicing style, while comping with highly rhythmic phrases with the right.[3]

Later life and career

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Parlan at Lennie's on the Turnpike, Peabody, Massachusetts, 1964

Between 1952 and 1957, he worked in Washington, D.C., with Sonny Stitt, then spent two years with Mingus's Jazz Workshop ensemble.[3] 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.[3]

His later work, such as a series of duos with the tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp, included the album Goin' Home (1977),[2] steeped in gospel music.

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

He died at a nursing home in Næstved, Denmark, at the age of 86.[a] He had been suffering from multiple ailments, including diabetes and failing eyesight.[5][6]

Discography

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As leader/co-leader

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Recording date Title Label Release year 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 1963 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[7][8]
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 [2in1 CD] 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 saxophone), Klavs Hovman (bass), Massimo De Majo (drums)
1987-05 Duo Reunion L+R 1987 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor saxophone)
1988-01 Keep Your Hands Wide Open Olufsen 1988 Most tracks duo, with Soren S. Eriksen (alto saxophone); one track trio, with Thomas Helmig (vocals) added
1991-09 Swing Low Plainisphare 1993 Duo, co-led with Archie Shepp (tenor sax, alto saxophone, vocals); in concert[9]
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:[10]

As sideman

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Film

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  • Horace Parlan by Horace Parlan [DVD][12] – documentary

Notes

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  1. ↑ The New York Times obituary notes Parlan's place of death as Korsør, Denmark.[4] Both Korsør and Næstved are located in Zealand, Denmark.

References

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  1. ↑ "Jazzlegenden Horace Parlan er død". Sn.dk. February 25, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Larkin, Colin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1911. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  3. 1 2 3 Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (November 18, 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. ↑ Keepnews, Peter (March 1, 2017). "Horace Parlan, Jazz Pianist, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Horace Parlan, Jazz Pianist Who Overcame Disability, Dies at 86". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Horace Parlan, jazz pianist who overcame disability, dies at 86 – the Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Blue Note Records Catalog: 4100 series". jazzdisco. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomans. "Happy Frame of Mind: Horace Parlan". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Yanow, Scott. "Swing Low: Archie Shepp". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Horace Parlan Discography". jazzdisco. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ "A Moon Of Roses (1994, CD)". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Horace Parlan by Horace Parlan". loc.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
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