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Horace Parlan (1931-2017)


clifford_thornton

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Listening to the BBC documentary, it was moving to think what playing spirituals like "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" with Archie Shepp must have meant to Mr. Parlan. Also it hit me that he lived more years in Denmark than he lived in the U.S. 

Thanks so much for posting the link, Sidewinder.

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I first became aware of Horace Parlan early in my jazz-listening days through Mingus Ah Um, and later through his work as a sideman on Blue Note.  That Parlan/Tucker/Harewood is one of the great rhythm sections, and all three men are underrated.  In the past year or two, I've been exploring more of his work as a sideman and leader.  Over a year ago, I picked up the download of his Blue Note material, and have been slowly working my way through the set by savoring each album before moving on to the next.  I had just made it to Up and Down about a week before he passed.  

Beyond his incredible music, I was touched when listening to the recent radio documentary by his positive outlook in the face of personal loss and health issues.  That outlook, in addition to what he achieved, is inspirational.  I look forward to continuing to delve into his work.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Parlan, and rest n peace.

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R.I.P. He was really a great stylist on the piano. Was really aware of how he sounds even before I knew he had a semi paralised right hand. Always wondered how he got that sound and bluesy touch.

I think he was the natural pianist for Mingus. Even after he had left the states, he would play some Mingus.

Like "Duke Ellington´s Sound of Love". This was written in 1974, right ? And Parlan played it in Europe on several occasions. And his version is the deepest, the best. If I listen to "Duke Ellington´s Sound of Love", I have Horace Parlan in my mind.

And he was such a nice person.

One of the albums I like most is one little thing he did for Steeplechase around the time I saw him live, with the really really great Jesper Lundgaard on bass and my favourite Dannie Richmond on drums. Oh, I love that album.
Strange, though I´m really a BN-man, I can´t find the same inspiration in his BN stuff, that I find in the earlier Mingus stuff and the later work. I think it´s cause Harewood might not be my very first choice as a drummer......

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4 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

R.I.P. He was really a great stylist on the piano. Was really aware of how he sounds even before I knew he had a semi paralised right hand. Always wondered how he got that sound and bluesy touch.

I think he was the natural pianist for Mingus. Even after he had left the states, he would play some Mingus.

Like "Duke Ellington´s Sound of Love". This was written in 1974, right ? And Parlan played it in Europe on several occasions. And his version is the deepest, the best. If I listen to "Duke Ellington´s Sound of Love", I have Horace Parlan in my mind.

And he was such a nice person.

One of the albums I like most is one little thing he did for Steeplechase around the time I saw him live, with the really really great Jesper Lundgaard on bass and my favourite Dannie Richmond on drums. Oh, I love that album.
Strange, though I´m really a BN-man, I can´t find the same inspiration in his BN stuff, that I find in the earlier Mingus stuff and the later work. I think it´s cause Harewood might not be my very first choice as a drummer......

Agreed on this little gem .... and Jesper Lundgaard is sheer class ....

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