Shirley Horn is still singin’ and swingin’….

Shirley Horn I am a one-man fan club for vocalist/pianist Shirley Horn. I have been enjoying her music for the past 10 years and was probably one of the youngest people in the audience when I saw her perform in 1993. I first heard Shirley when I bought the movie soundtrack, “Glengarry Glen Ross” and on which she sang, “You’d Better Go Now.” I also first heard Jimmy Scott on this same soundtrack. Soon after I purchased her critically acclaimed 1992 album, “Shirley Horn With Strings Here’s To Life” and my love affair with Shirley began. I will be doing future blogs on her so you will definitely get to know her music.

Shirley will be performing with Ahmad Jamal on Saturday, 11/2, at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. This has been a very challenging year for Shirley. First, she lost Charles Ables, her bassist of 33 years to cancer and later she lost her right foot to diabetes. She is being fitted with a special prosthesis which will allow her to hold the sustaining pedal on the piano. Her vocals and piano are so intertwined that you cannot help but enjoy both.

Read more on Shirley in the featured 10/20 SF Chronicle Article entitled, “There’s no stopping Shirley Horn/Singer adjusting after a couple of difficult losses”

Tickets are still available for the concert on the SF Jazz Festival website. This is going to be a great concert.

3 Responses to “Shirley Horn is still singin’ and swingin’….”

  1. Peter Goldblum says:

    James,
    A few nights ago I heard a wonderful radio documentary on Shirley Horn on the Jazz PBS station, including many eamples of her singing and playing. I agree she’s wonderful. I want to hear more.
    Peter

  2. don says:

    This is an incredible CD. Shirley Horn is simply amazing! Her sultry, smoking voice takes you to another world.

  3. Lee Clark says:

    Hi, I am a huge fan of Shirley Horn. I am desperate to get hold of either a DVD or Video of her but cannot seem to find anything anywhere.
    I know there was a DVD of the making of “Here’s to Life” but I haven’t been able to get a copy of that either.
    If anybody has anything they would like to sell on her please contact me and I would only be too willing to sort things out.
    Cheers, Lee

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