Horace Silver

2-4-08 Horace Silver

I do not generally listen to a lot of jazz. I like jazz, and I own jazz LP’s & CD’s (and videos), but “rock music” has always been my frontrunner. Probably the closest I come to bigtime jazz fandom is of pianist Horace Silver, who has recorded many, many albums for the Blue Note label. To whit:

BLOWIN' THE BLUES AWAY BLUE NOTE US CDP 746526.2

CAPE VERDEAN BLUES, THE kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9514

DOIN' THE THING BLUE NOTE US CDP 784076.2

FINGER POPPIN' BLUE NOTE US CDP 784008.2

FURTHER EXPLORATIONS BY… kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9175

HORACE SILVER / JAZZ MESSENGERS BLUE NOTE US CDP 746140.2

HORACE SILVER TRIO BLUE NOTE US 80906.2

HORACE-SCOPE kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9130

IN PURSUIT OF THE 27th MAN BLUE NOTE US 35758.2

JODY GRIND, THE BLUE NOTE US CDP 784250.2

MUSIC FOR LOVERS (Collection) BLUE NOTE US 64720.2

SERENADE TO A SOUL SISTER kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9580

SILVER 'N PERCUSSION BLUE NOTE US BN-LA853-H

SILVER'S SERENADE kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9534

SIX PIECES OF SILVER BLUE NOTE US CDP 781539.2

SONG FOR MY FATHER TOSHIBA JPN CP32-5213

STYLINGS OF SILVER, THE kami TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-9113

TOKYO BLUES, THE TOSHIBA JPN TOCJ-4110

All titles that I recommend heartily. His sidemen are always talented and tasteful, the albums uniformly well-recorded. The albums listed run roughly from 1956 to1972, a virtually contiguous run on the Blue Note label – though I own some Japanese Toshiba-pressed CD’s, too. The ‘kami’ sleeves are particularly nice; beautiful cover reproductions, loving re-masterings.

I recently found his autobiography, “Let’s Get To The Nitty Gritty” (2006). His clear-headed writing is as smooth as his piano playing – lots of great jazz stories and a fascinating “session-ography” – that goes all the way back. If only all jazz reference works were as clear and concise as Mr. Silver’s autobiography!

I can hear you saying, “But there are so many! Where to start?” – Well, I started with “In Pursuit of the 27^th Man” (1973) – perhaps Silver’s best-loved 70’s work. One of my friends just freaked after hearing “The Stylings of Silver” (1957), another friend likes “Song For My Father” (1964). All are good places to start an investigation into the art and work of Mr. Horace Silver. And try his book, it’s a quick read – and lots of fun. I loved the (non-judgmental) stories about the antics of some of the drug-addled musicians he knew and worked with (Stan Getz, Miles Davis etc.)

I have continued to try his newer works – for the Columbia and Impulse labels – always good, solid jazz works (usually in the ‘hard bop’ style).