“Embers And Ashes” is Shirley Horn’s debut album, recorded in 1960 in New York City and originally released on Stereocraft Records (SC-500). The Jazz Workshop Vinyl reissue as a 180-gram audiophile LP (JW-081) revives this record with remastering that highlights the vocals and piano’s warmth. The lineup features Shirley Horn (vocals, piano), Joe Benjamin (bass), and Herb Lovelle (drums). The album includes standards like Come Rain or Come Shine and If I Should Lose You, performed with deep emotion. The music is jazz vocals with hard-bop elements, with Horn crafting an intimate atmosphere through refined piano and soulful singing. The Jazz Workshop reissue, limited to 500 copies, is prized for its crystalline sound, capturing the magic of her performance. “Embers And Ashes” is a touching debut, revealing Horn’s unique talent.
Shirley Horn (May 1, 1934 – October 20, 2005) was an American jazz vocalist and pianist, renowned for her intimate, emotive style. Born in Washington, D.C., she began playing piano as a child, studying classical music, but embraced jazz as a teenager, inspired by Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson. In the 1950s, Horn started performing in clubs, and in the 1960s, she caught Miles Davis’s attention, who championed her career. Her style blended refined piano playing with soft, soulful vocals, creating an atmosphere of closeness and warmth. Horn recorded numerous albums, and her work remains a benchmark for jazz vocals. Later, she taught, inspiring young artists.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Like Someone in Love (Burke-Van heusen) 2:30
2. He Never Mentioned Love (Curtis Lewis) 3:19
3. Softly As in a Morning Sunrise (Romberg-Hammerstein) 3:20
4. I Thought About You (Mercer-Van Heusen) 3:02
5. Mountain Greenery (Rodgers-Hart) 2:16
6. God Bless the Child (Herzog-Holiday) 3:38
Side Two:
1. Blue City (Curtis Lewis) 3:32
2. Day by Day (Cahn-Stordahl-Weston) 2:32
3. If I Should Lose You (Robin-Rainger) 3:20
4. Wild Is the Wind (Tiomkin-Washington) 3:42
5. Come Rain or Come Shine (Mercer-Arlen) 2:53
6. Just in Time (Comdem-Green-Styne) 2:07
Personnel:
The Shirley Horn Trio
Shirley Horn (piano & vocals), Joe Benjamin (bass), Herb Lovelle (drums).
Lewis Packer, bass, and Harry Saunders, drums, replace Benjamin and Lovelle on “Day by Day”
Recorded in New York City, 1960
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