Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) 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 Horace Parlan 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. This 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's Jazz Workshop ensemble. 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 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. He had been suffering from multiple ailments, including diabetes and failing eyesight.

Discography As leader/co-leader Recording dateTitleLabelRelease yearNotes1960-02Movin' & Groovin'Blue Note1960Trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Al Harewood (drums)1960-04Us ThreeBlue Note1960Trio, with George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)1960-07Speakin' My PieceBlue Note1960Quintet, with Tommy Turrentine (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)1960-12Headin' SouthBlue Note1961Some tracks trio, with George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums); most tracks quartet, with Ray Barretto (congas) added1961-03On the Spur of the MomentBlue Note1961Quintet, with Tommy Turrentine (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)1961-06Up & DownBlue Note1963Quintet, with Booker Ervin (tenor sax), Grant Green (guitar), George Tucker (bass), Al Harewood (drums)1963-02Happy Frame of MindBlue Note1986One 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 [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 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 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:

As sideman

With Dave Bailey One Foot in the Gutter (Epic, 1960) Gettin' Into Somethin' (Epic, 1961) – rec. 1960

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Goin' to the Meeting (Prestige, 1961) – rec. 1960 Tough Tenor Favorites (Jazzland, 1962) also with Johnny Griffin 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, 1980) – rec. 1960

With Booker Ervin That's It! (Candid, 1961) Exultation! (Prestige, 1963)

With Dexter Gordon Doin' Allright (Blue Note, 1961) Stable Mable (SteepleChase, 1975)

With Slide Hampton Jazz with a Twist (Atlantic, 1962) – rec. 1961 Explosion! The Sound of Slide Hampton (Atlantic, 1962)

With Roland Kirk Gifts & Messages (Mercury, 1964) I Talk with the Spirits (Limelight, 1965) – rec. 1964 Slightly Latin (Limelight, 1965)

With Charles Mingus A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry (Bethlehem, 1957) Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959) Blues & Roots (Atlantic, 1960) – rec. 1959

With Doug Raney I'll Close My Eyes (SteepleChase, 1982) Meeting the Tenors (Criss Cross, 1983) – rec. 1984

With Archie Shepp Splashes (L+R, 1987) Black Ballads (Timeless, 1992)

With Idrees Sulieman Bird's Grass (SteepleChase, 1985) – rec. 1976 Groovin' (SteepleChase, 1986) – rec. 1985

With Stanley Turrentine Look Out! (Blue Note, 1960) Up at "Minton's" (Blue Note, 1961) Salt Song (CTI, 1971) Comin' Your Way (Blue Note, 1987) – rec. 1961

With others Gene Ammons, Gene Ammons in Sweden (Enja, 1981) – rec. 1973 Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, Motoring Along (Sonet, 1975) Johnny Coles, New Morning (Criss Cross Jazz, 1982) Pierre Dorge, The Jazzpar Prize (Enja, 1992) Frank Foster, The House That Love Built (SteepleChase, 1982) Hugo Heredia, Mananita Pampera (Cote d'azur, 1976) Langston Hughes, Weary Blues (MGM, 1958) Tommy Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine (Time, 1960) Kai Winding and Curtis Fuller, Giant Bones '80 (Sonet, 1980) various artists, A Moon of Roses

Film

Horace Parlan by Horace Parlan [DVD] – documentary

Notes

References

External links

"A Portrait of Horace Parlan" – BBC World Service "Horace Parlan" at All About Jazz Soul Note Catalogue Horace Parlan – Pittsburgh Music History