Honi gordon biography husband

Honi gordon biography Honi Gordon, whose time in the jazz spotlight was all too brief, came from a musical family. Eschewing the standard song-book repertoire one might expect on a debut album she performs fairly obscure material, some of which was composed by her father. There is a mystery concerning My Kokomo which has the hallmarks of an Annie Ross piece of vocalese. Perhaps one of our well-informed readers can identify the origin of this track? The timbre of her voice reminds me a little of Frances Faye but she is a far more accomplished singer as she demonstrates on this fine set of well-known songs.

Honi Gordon

American jazz musician

Honi Gordon (sometimes Honey Gordon) was a jazz vocalist.

Career

Honi Gordon sang as a member of the Gordons (with her father and two brothers) in the early s.[1] Her first recordings, in , were with them and Hank Jones (piano), Charles Mingus (bass), and Max Roach (drums).[2] They were released on Debut Records' Autobiography in Jazz.[2] The Gordons also appeared on recordings led by Lionel Hampton in , and on the album Dizzy Gillespie and Stuff Smith in [2]

Gordon herself sang on a few tracks led by Eddie Jefferson in [2] In she recorded, as a leader, the album Honi Gordon Sings, for Prestige Records.[1] This included well-known jazz musicians – Makanda Ken McIntyre (alto sax, flute), Wally Richardson (guitar), Jaki Byard (piano), George Duvivier (bass), and Ed Shaughnessy (drums).[1][2] This was her only album as leader.[1] The Gordons recorded together again the following year, this time on Mary Lou Williams' Black Christ of the Andes,[2] but the group was not commercially successful and broke up, with Honi Gordon pursuing a solo career.[1]

Gordon again recorded with Williams in [2] In and she appeared on recordings led by Mingus.[2] These were released principally as the albums Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert and Mingus Moves.[2] Early in she also sang on Mary Lou's Mass, which was led by Williams.[2] Gordon reprised some of the material from this session in a memorial Mass for Williams.[3]

Singing style

The AllMusic biographer observed that Gordon "had an appealing style that was influenced by Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday, as well as Annie Ross.

There were also hints of Chris Connor in some of her performances."[1] Gordon was bebop-influenced in style.[1]

References