Jazz Reviews : Shirley Horn Displays Dual Talents at Catalina Bar

Since her last local nightclub appearance just a year ago, the singer and pianist Shirley Horn has partially emerged from the cocoon of semi-obscurity that had kept her based in Washington, D.C. Her live album, recorded at Vine St. Bar & Grill, enjoyed enough acceptance to provide a needed reminder of her exceptional dual talents.

At Catalina Bar and Grill, where she opened Thursday, Horn offered a somewhat restrained set, possibly occasioned by the small crowd on hand. As is her custom, she began with two piano solo numbers, flanked by her regular accompanists, Steve Williams on drums and Charles Abels on bass.

“Too Late Now,” an old Burton Lane melody, displayed her agile technique and rhythmic creativity, but Abel’s overloud electric bass (later subdued) hampered the proceedings. “Emily,” given the advantage of an unaccompanied opening passage, went more smoothly, as Horn extracted the rich harmonic essence of the Johnny Mandel melody.

The balance of the show was primarily vocal. Horn’s sound--distinctive, unpretentious and subliminally jazz tinged--worked well on “Love Is Here to Stay,” though the reason for singing the same set of dated lyrics three times seemed obscure. “Someone to Watch Over Me” suffered from a tempo that dragged almost to a halt.

With Harold Arlen’s delightful “The Eagle and Me” Horn belatedly hit her stride; the up-tempo, the cheerful singing and her self-accompaniment worked in a splendid synergy. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Meditation” alternated between gentle, pleading vocals and a sumptuously chorded piano chorus.

Horn by now may have settled in for performances on the high level of which she has long shown herself capable. She closes Sunday.