Live At the 1994 Monterey Jazz Festival

Shirley Horn's sole appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival took place in 1994 and it is one of her most compelling performances of her career. The often raucous Monterey audience is captivated by her infectious vocals and swinging piano, accompanied by her long time bassist Charles Ables and drummer Steve Williams. Horn's vocal phrasing is devoid of the gimmickry, focusing on bringing the lyrics to life, including a mix of standards, ballads, and modern pop. Horn's mastery of ballads includes her dramatic take of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" with its shimmering piano and a spacious, dreamy setting of "Here's to Life," both songs readily identified with her, along with a sublime "The Look of Love." But she also shows of her considerable piano chops with a jaunty take of "I've Got the World on a String," her playful arrangement of "Foolin' Myself," a driving interpretation of "Hard Hearted Hannah" and a swinging rendition of Oscar Peterson's "Blues for Big Scotia," the sole instrumental of the set. Highly recommended.