He and Cortez hit it off after Horn, whose aunt lived across the street from where the band was rehearsing, took the initiative to start jamming with them. After a time playing with Cortez at major clubs like The Twenty Grand, the keyboardist hooked up with The Axe Band, which was renowned as singer Cherelle’s backing band and toured with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
Horn later played keys and acted as road manager for Kiara, which scored a #2 on Billboard R&B chart a duet with Shanice Wilson on Arista Records, and opened for everyone from Gerald Albright to Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross; they also created pop crossover remixes for saxophonist Marion Meadows and worked for a time with Toni Braxton just as she was about to emerge.
Horn is releasing The Horn Connection EP on the heels of his 2022 debut album Summertime, whose popular, vocal-driven title track single was played on Smooth Jazz and soft rock radio and internet stations throughout the U.S. and Europe.
“Nairobi,” an infectious and spirited mid-tempo ballad that showcases Mr. Horn’s sparkling piano magic and features dynamic solos by Billboard #1 Smooth Jazz hit makers, guitarist Nils and flutist Ragan Whiteside.
The Horn Connection will include four other tracks by Horn featuring collaborations with various artists. These include the whimsical and romantic yet grooved-out original “I’ll Be There for You” and fresh, keyboard-centric re-imaginings of some of his favorite R&B and contemporary jazz songs – the Chuck Mangione classic “Feels So Good,” Stephanie Mills’ “I Feel Good All Over” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s brassy funk jam “In The Stone.”
