Verve's Ultimate Shirley Horn may not live up to its billing, but the budget-priced collection is nevertheless a terrific introductory sampler. Diana Krall selected the 17 songs on the compilation; she also wrote the liner notes, and she has done an excellent job of summarizing Horn's latter-day recordings for Verve, which is when Horn truly began to hit her stride. Some may argue that a favorite or two are missing, but by and large, these 17 songs capture the essence of Horn, which is enough to make this a worthwhile sampler. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide