Shades Of Shirley Horn
Self-Released, 2019
8/10
Listen to Shades Of Shirley Horn
A jazz vocalist with an affinity for gospel influences, here Coniece Washington pays tribute to the late Shirley Horn with 12 carefully crafted tunes where an all star cast contribute trumpet, flute, keys and poetry to the affair.
“Here’s To Life” starts the album with soft keys and poetry from Seth Washington, before the agile jazz shuffling and feisty attitude of “Get Out Of Town”. Elsewhere, “How Am I To Know” showcases Washington’s passionate, expressive vocals with Latin nods, while “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying” brings horns to the emotive spirit.
Back half highlights includes the breathy “If You Go”, the dreamy and calm “Dindi”, and the highly rhythmic “Once I Loved”. The album ends on “I Just Found Out About Love”, a danceable finisher with a playful atmosphere and timeless elegance.
With a third of the songs having the word ‘love’ in the title, it’s not surprisingly a romantic affair that’s easy to digest, hard to forget and executed with tremendous grace. Washington is clearly very well versed in her craft, and any and all fans of jazz will find much to enjoy here.
Travels well with: Gloria Lynne- A Time For Love; Sarah Vaughan- Send In The Clowns