Despite a childhood bout with polio that partially paralyzed his right hand, Pittsburgh pianist Horace Parlan became a prominent hard bop (yet forward-looking) stylist. He started his career in the 1950s with Charles Mingus, then partnered with some of the best saxophonists of the '60s: Johnny Griffin, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In the '70s, Parlan relocated to Denmark, dividing his time between leading his own groups and accompanying fellow expatriates such as Dexter Gordon along with European players like Michal Urbaniak. He died in Denmark in 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Mark Keresman