I hope everyone else is enjoying Sun Ra, I know I am, and I want to thank everyone for their contributions.
Enjoy the music.
Jazz for aficionados
Aficionado's, I've got "Silver N' Percussion" release date 1978, which I think is OK; of course that's not a good recommendation for a Horace Silver Lp, but that's all it gets. As a result of 1978 being the apparent cut off date for the best LP's, I'm going to go back in time from that point and anyone who wants to suggest an album we'll review it together. Silver's Serenade is an album that doesn't ring a bell with me, so that's where I'll start. AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek Horace Silver's LP Silver's Serenade is a swan song; it was the final recording with his most famous quintet, which included drummer Roy Brooks, bassist Gene Taylor, saxophonist Junior Cook, and trumpeter Blue Mitchell. The band had made five previous recordings for the label, all of them successful. The program here is comprised of Silver compositions. The blowing is a meld of relaxed, soulful, and swinging hard bop, as evidenced in the title track. However, "Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty" has one of those beautiful winding heads, beginning so slowly and then jumping a notch in both tempo and intensity. By the time the tune gets to full steam, though there are short stops, the joint is swinging in blues -- check Mitchell's solo on this tune and how he keeps returning to Silver's theme as the root for his blowing. "Sweetie Sweetie Dee" moves from hard bop to funky bop. The dissonant chords that open "The Dragon Lady" have an Eastern tinge. The tune's head is spacious and breezy within a minute, and the tune begins to swing. Silver returns to those chords again and again as if to keep the players inside the mode he's created, letting them solo for only a bit at a time. The knotty turn-on-a-dime changes in "Nineteen Bars," the final track, are pure instrumental and compositional virtuosity. Cook's blowing on his solo is matched by Silver's comping, moving through octaves and key changes. The tune smokes from start to finish as the album comes to a close. This is another excellent recording by the greatest Silver quintet. The 2006 Rudy Van Gelder Edition features no bonus tracks, but sound fanatics will be pleased by the clarity and separation here. Aficionados can go to "you tube" for a test drive on these tracks, or write a review on any they are familiar with. Enjoy the music. |
I agree "Silver n Percussion" was probably not one of his best (certainly not one of my favorites) and that his very "best" was probably before that date. However, I think a cutoff date of 1978 might be a little premature. Personally, I wouldn’t want to ignore everything after that date. Imo, Silver was one of those rare musicians who deserved a listen to everything he did. Some really good stuff after 1978 like: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lHUkX1cfDBk Love Clark Terry, talk about sense of humor. Here’s "Silver’s Serenade". Classic Silver composition. Man, the guy could write! And always with his personal stamp all over it. Blue Mitchell is great as usual. O-10, listen to Gene Taylor on brushes; very Art Blakey-like. Very laid back and not particularly propulsive; a particular style, that’s all, and creates a certain feel. Great tune. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ROht6SP6JdM |
Horace Silver Quintet; "The Dragon Lady"; this jam starts off to my liking; the beginning certainly fits the title. The Dragon Lady was a boss chic in the comic strip "Terry And The Pirates"; I know most of you are too young to remember that. I didn't care too much for "Terry And The Pirates" but I sure nuff dug The Dragon Lady; she was exotic, Oriental, and everything else that went with her name. I think this tune does a good job of depicting, "The Dragon Lady" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nE9u3VuwUM Enjoy the music. |
"Horace Silver", Hangin Loose; the piano definitely sounds like a cross between Horace Silver, and Bobby Timmons on some "Messengers" Album that I can't think of at the moment. "Clark Terry"; definitely has a sense of humor, sounds like he done had one too many; reminds me of some argument I've overheard before in a lounge; that was a good tune. Enjoy the music. |