Doc: Shirley Horn Sings & Plays 'Here's to Life'

Vocalist Shirley Horn's 1992 album Here's to Life (Verve) is a jazz masterpiece. The album has long been considered Horn's most emotionally penetrating album and Johnny Mandel's greatest triumph as a string arranger and orchestra conductor. He won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for the album. Unfortunately, Horn lost in the Best Jazz Vocal Performance category that year to Bobby McFerrin for his vocal of 'Round Midnight on his Play album with Chick Corea.

Many fans of the album may be unaware that Horn and Johnny were filmed for a documentary during the Here's to Life recording session. The documentary, Shirley Horn Sings and Plays Here's to Life, was directed and produced by Gene A. Davis and released on LaserDisc in 1992, when that 12-inch, high-resolution format was popular in the early days of the digital home-video revolution. You need a LaserDisc player to watch LaserDiscs. Many who do know about the film have never seen it, largely because it was never released on DVD.

A month ago, the video was uploaded to YouTube. I urge you to see the film fast, before it disappears again.

Here's the hour-long documentary...