Shirley Horn - A Lazy Afternoon
Vocals, Piano – Shirley Horn [click here to see more vinyl featuring Shirley Horn]
Bass – Buster Williams
Drums – Billy Hart
Written by Jerome Kern (A1), Johnny Mercer (A1), Hal Hopper (A2), Tom Adair (A2), Gordon Jenkins (A3), Michael Leonard (A4), Herbert Martin (A4), Dave Barbour (A5), Peggy Lee (A5), Jerome Moross (B1), John La Touche (B1), Luiz Bonfá (A1), Matt Dubey (A1), Bill Withers (B3)? Arthur Schwartz (B4), Howard Dietz (B4)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape: YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified (Netherlands)
Label: SteepleChase
Original Label : SteepleChase
Recorded July 9, 1978
Recorded by Elvin Campbell
Mixed by Freddy Hansson
Produced by Nils Winther
Liner Notes by Chris Sheridan
Photography by Richard Goines
Originally released in 1979
Reissued in 2016
Tracks :
Side A:
- I'm Old Fashioned
- There's No You
- New York's My Home
- Why Did I Choose You
- Take A Little Time to Smile
Side B:
- Lazy Afternoon
- Gentle Rain
- Gra'ma' s Boots
- I'll Go My Way By Myself
Reviews :
“One of a series of recordings that helped Shirley Horn relaunch her career after taking time off to raise her daughter, A Lazy Afternoon is a fine studio set with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Billy Hart. An always effective vocalist who provided her own top-notch accompaniment on piano, Horn's almost conversational style of singing works very well whether she is swinging an oldie like "I'm Old Fashioned" or delivering a lush, infectious interpretation of a ballad like "A Lazy Afternoon." In addition to well-known material, she uncovers lost gems like Gordon Jenkins' "New York's My Home" (delivered in a narrative-like style that has a funky flavor) and Peggy Lee's neglected swinging song "Take a Little Time to Smile." The one instrumental is an extended workout of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Gentle Rain." If there's a weak track on the date, it is Bill Withers' "Gra'ma's Hands," as even her best effort at casting it in a slow blues-gospel arrangement doesn't overcome the repetitious nature of the composition, a frequent problem with adapting Withers' work into a jazz setting.” AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden
Ratings :
AllMusic : 3.5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.67 / 5