Come A Little Closer: A Tribute To Shirley Horn at The Ethical Society

Join New Jersey singer and pianist, Matt Hayden for his tribute to NEA Jazz Master, Shirley Horn! Featuring Dean Schneider, Steve Beskrone, and Dan Monaghan.

I was first introduced to the music of Shirley Horn when I was a sophomore in high school, by my mentor, George Mesterhazy. Shirley was a Grammy award winning jazz singer and pianist from Washington DC. She was the embodiment of the term balladeer, and opened my ears to the use of space in music where others spun webs of intricate patterns. George, whom I met as a child at The Merion Inn, in Cape May, NJ, was a pianist and her accompanist after her foot was amputated from diabetic complications. Shirley mentored George, and passed on to him what was important to her. George mentored me and passed on what Shirley taught him, as well as what was important to him. George once proudly told me he felt I was the keeper of his flame. On November 18, 2022, I’ll be debuting my show “Come a little closer; a tribute to Shirley Horn” in the Auditorium at the Philadelphia Ethical Society. This performance will showcase everything I learned from George and Shirley, and pay homage to them both. If you are familiar with Shirley’s music, you can expect to hear some familiar sounds, alongside some new interpretations, and maybe even something to dance to! If you are not familiar with the sounds of Shirley Horn (quick, get on YouTube!), you will hear some beautiful ballads that explore space in music and time, fun medium tempo songs, and some surprises throughout. I would be honored if you joined me in paying tribute to my musical hero, Shirley Horn....

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Join New Jersey singer and pianist, Matt Hayden for his tribute to NEA Jazz Master, Shirley Horn! Featuring Dean Schneider, Steve Beskrone, and Dan Monaghan.

I was first introduced to the music of Shirley Horn when I was a sophomore in high school, by my mentor, George Mesterhazy. Shirley was a Grammy award winning jazz singer and pianist from Washington DC. She was the embodiment of the term balladeer, and opened my ears to the use of space in music where others spun webs of intricate patterns. George, whom I met as a child at The Merion Inn, in Cape May, NJ, was a pianist and her accompanist after her foot was amputated from diabetic complications. Shirley mentored George, and passed on to him what was important to her. George mentored me and passed on what Shirley taught him, as well as what was important to him. George once proudly told me he felt I was the keeper of his flame. On November 18, 2022, I’ll be debuting my show “Come a little closer; a tribute to Shirley Horn” in the Auditorium at the Philadelphia Ethical Society. This performance will showcase everything I learned from George and Shirley, and pay homage to them both. If you are familiar with Shirley’s music, you can expect to hear some familiar sounds, alongside some new interpretations, and maybe even something to dance to! If you are not familiar with the sounds of Shirley Horn (quick, get on YouTube!), you will hear some beautiful ballads that explore space in music and time, fun medium tempo songs, and some surprises throughout. I would be honored if you joined me in paying tribute to my musical hero, Shirley Horn.


There will be a wine reception before the show, along with an advanced seating option. Make sure to select it with your ticket purchase if you’d like to gather with the band beforehand!

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