One of the most influential jazz vocalists who doesn’t get much acclaim anymore has to be Shirley Horn (1934-2005). Countless modern female singers sight her as a major influence, even though there is not much these days to listen to in order to see what the excitement is all about. This single disc, two album set features two albums separated by 12 years, and it’s worthwhile to see how she keeps steady on track while still changing with the times.
The first album, Embers and Ashes, has her on piano and vocal with Joe Benjamin-Lewis Packer/b and Herb Lovelle-Harry Saunders/dr for a sophisticated mix of standards. She’s warm and composed on “Like Someone In Love” and bluesy and emotional for “God Bless The Child”. Her fingers dance around the happy “Mountain Greenery” and dig into the dramatic “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” while her voice is penetrating for “If I Should Lose You”. The 1972 session with Marshall T. Harris/ b, Bernard Sweetney/dr and Al Gafa/g has her in a seductive mood on “Do It Again” while she tackles modern material with a deftness on “Taste Of Honey” and “LA Breakdown”. There’s a harrowing “Consequences of a Drug Addict Role” that is not for the faint of heart, while ”Just In Time” plays to her strengths. Classy, tasty and timelessly uptown.