Horace Parlan

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.

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
InstrumentsPiano
LabelsBlue Note, SteepleChase

Early life

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

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.

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.[3]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

With Dave Bailey

With Al Cohn and Zoot Sims

With Johnny Coles

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

With Lou Donaldson

With Pierre Dorge

With Booker Ervin

With Frank Foster

With Dexter Gordon

With Slide Hampton

With Hugo Heredia

  • Mananita Pampera (Cote d'azur, 1976)

With Langston Hughes

With Roland Kirk

With Charles Mingus

With Doug Raney

With Archie Shepp

With Idrees Sulieman

With Stanley Turrentine

With Tommy Turrentine

  • Tommy Turrentine (Time, 1960)

With Kai Winding and Curtis Fuller

With various artists

  • A Moon of Roses[4]

References
  1. Jazzlegenden Horace Parlan er død - sn.dk - Forsiden - Midt-Sydsjælland - Slagelse
  2. Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz Oxford University Press US, 2007 ISBN 9780195320008
  3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/horace-parlan-jazz-pianist-who-overcame-disability-dies-at-86/2017/02/25/80c68522-fb6e-11e6-bf01-d47f8cf9b643_story.html
  4. Various - A Moon Of Roses (CD, Album) at Discogs
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