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Horace Silver
Horace Silver by Dmitri Savitski, 1989.
Horace Silver by Dmitri Savitski, 1989.
Background information
Birth name Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva[1]
Born September 2, 1928 (1928-09-02) (age 79)
Origin Flag of the United States Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
Genre(s) Post bop
Modal jazz
Mainstream jazz
Soul jazz
Jazz fusion
Hard bop
Occupation(s) Pianist
Composer
Bandleader
Instrument(s) Piano
Associated acts Horace Silver Quintet
Horace Silver Trio
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Horace Silver (born September 2, 1928), born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva[1] in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Post-bop is a term for a form of small-combo Jazz music that evolved in the early-to-mid sixties Modal jazz is Jazz using Musical modes rather than chord progressions as its harmonic framework Mainstream jazz is a genre of Jazz music that was first used in reference to the playing styles of musicians like Buck Clayton among others performers who once heralded Soul jazz was a development of Hard bop which incorporated strong influences from Blues, Gospel and Rhythm and blues in music for small Fusion or more specifically jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a Musical genre that merges Jazz with elements of other styles of music particularly Hard bop is a style of Jazz that is an extension of Bebop (or "bop" music A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance A bandleader is the leader of a band of Musicians The term is most commonly though not exclusively used with a group that plays Popular music as A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Arthur (Art Blakey ( October 11 1919 &ndash October 16 1990) born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Jazz piano has been an integral part of the Jazz idiom since its inception in both solo and ensemble settings His father was from Cape Verde and his mother was born in New Canaan, Connecticut and was of Irish-African descent. The Republic of Cape Verde ( Portuguese: Cabo Verde, 'kabu 'veɾdɨ is a Republic located on an Archipelago in the Macaronesia Silver is known for his distinctive humorous and funky playing style and for his pioneering contributions to hard bop. Hard bop is a style of Jazz that is an extension of Bebop (or "bop" music Silver was influenced by a wide range of musical styles, notably gospel music, African music, and Latin American music and sometimes ventured into the soul jazz genre.

Contents

Early life and career

Silver began his career as a tenor saxophonist but later switched to piano. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers His tenor saxophone playing was highly influenced by Lester Young, and his piano style by Bud Powell. The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the Saxophone family a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s Lester Willis Young ( August 27, 1909 &ndash March 15, 1959) nickname 'Prez' was an American Jazz tenor Saxophonist Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell ( September 27[[ 924]] &ndash July 31[[ 966]] in New York City) was an American Jazz pianist, usually considered Silver was discovered in the Sundown Club in Hartford, Connecticut in 1950 by saxophonist Stan Getz. Stanley Gayetzky ( February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia – June 6, 1991 in Malibu, California) usually known by Getz was playing at the club with Silver’s trio backing him up. Getz liked Silver’s band and brought them on the road, eventually recording three of Silver’s compositions. It was Getz with whom Silver made his recording debut.

He moved to New York City in 1951, where he worked at the jazz club Birdland on Monday nights, when different musicians would come together and informally jam. The City of New York Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City in December 15 1949 During that year he met the executives of the label Blue Note while working as a sideman. He eventually signed with them where he remained until 1980. It was in New York that he formed The Jazz Messengers, a co-operatively run group with Art Blakey. Arthur (Art Blakey ( October 11 1919 &ndash October 16 1990) born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1952 and 1953 he recorded three sessions with his own trio, featuring Blakey on drums and Gene Ramey, Curly Russell and Percy Heath on bass. Gene Ramey ( April 4 1913 - December 8 1984) was an American Jazz Double bassist Ramey was born in Austin Texas Curley Russell ( 19 March 1917 &ndash 3 July 1986) was an American Jazz Double-bassist, who played bass Percy Heath, ( April 30, 1923 &ndash April 28, 2005) was a Jazz musician, most famous for his 40+ years as the Double bass The drummer-pianist team lasted for four years; during this time, Silver and Blakey recorded at Birdland (A Night at Birdland Vol. 1) with Russell, Clifford Brown and Lou Donaldson, at the Bohemia with Kenny Dorham and Hank Mobley, and also in the studios. A Night at Birdland Vol 1 is a 1954 release by Jazz artist Art Blakey. Clifford Brown ( October 30, 1930 &ndash June 26, 1956) aka " Brownie," was an influential and highly rated Lou Donaldson (born November 1, 1926) is a Jazz alto Saxophonist. McKinley Howard (Kenny Dorham ( August 30, 1924 - December 5, 1972) was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Singer Henry (Hank Mobley ( July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American Hard bop and Soul jazz tenor Saxophonist He was also a member of the Miles Davis All Stars, recording the notable Walkin' in 1954. Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26 1926 &ndash September 28 1991 was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Bandleader, and Composer. Walkin is an album recorded on 3 April and 29 April 1954 by a group led by Miles Davis, for Prestige Records.

Blue Note years

From 1956 onwards, Silver recorded exclusively for the Blue Note label, eventually becoming close to label boss Alfred Lion who allowed him greater input on aspects of album production than was usual at the time. Alfred Lion (1909-1987 was a German-born American record executive who co-founded Blue Note Records in 1939 During his years with Blue Note, Silver helped to create the rhythmically forceful branch of jazz known as "hard bop", which combined elements of rhythm-and-blues and gospel music with jazz. Gospel elements are particularly prominent on one of his biggest hits, "The Preacher", which Silver had thought corny, but Lion had persuaded him to record.

While Silver's compositions at this time featured surprising tempo shifts and a range of melodic ideas, they caught the attention of a wide audience. Silver's own piano playing easily shifted from aggressively percussive to lushly romantic within just a few bars. At the same time, his sharp use of repetition was funky even before that word could be used in polite company. Along with Silver's own work, his bands often featured such rising jazz stars as saxophonists Junior Cook and Hank Mobley, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, and drummer Louis Hayes. Herman "Junior" Cook (b July 22, 1934, d February 3, 1992) was a Hard bop Tenor saxophone player Henry (Hank Mobley ( July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American Hard bop and Soul jazz tenor Saxophonist Richard Allen (Blue Mitchell ( March 13, 1930 &ndash May 21, 1979) was an American Jazz, Rhythm and blues, Louis Hayes (born May 31 1937 in Detroit MI is a Jazz Hard bop drummer Some of his key albums from this period included Horace Silver Trio (1953), Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (1955), Six Pieces of Silver (1956) and Blowin' the Blues Away (1959), which includes his famous, "Sister Sadie. Blowin' the Blues Away is the fourteenth Album by Jazz musician Horace Silver recorded in 1959 " He also combined jazz with a sassy take on pop through the 1961 hit, "Filthy McNasty".

Influences

Silver’s early influences included the styles of boogie-woogie and the blues. It includes but is not limited to Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Nat “King” Cole, and Thelonious Monk. Arthur Tatum Jr ( October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American Jazz Pianist and Virtuoso. Theodore Shaw "Teddy" Wilson ( November 24 1912 &ndash July 31 1986) was a jazz pianist from the United States Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17 1919 &ndash February 15 1965 known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 - February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz Pianist and Composer. He liked to quote other musicians within his own work and would often recreate famous solos in his original pieces as something of a tribute to the greats he was influenced by.

During Silver's time with Blakey he rarely recorded as a leader, but after splitting with him in 1956, formed his own hard bop quintet at first featuring the same line-up as Blakey's Jazz Messengers with 18-year-old Louis Hayes substituting for Blakey. Louis Hayes (born May 31 1937 in Detroit MI is a Jazz Hard bop drummer The quintet's more enduring line-up featured Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook. Richard Allen (Blue Mitchell ( March 13, 1930 &ndash May 21, 1979) was an American Jazz, Rhythm and blues, Herman "Junior" Cook (b July 22, 1934, d February 3, 1992) was a Hard bop Tenor saxophone player

In 1963 Silver created a new group featuring Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone and Carmell Jones on trumpet; this quintet recorded most of Silver's best-known album Song for My Father. Joe Henderson ( April 24, 1937 - June 30, 2001) was an American Jazz Tenor saxophonist. Carmell Jones is an American jazz Trumpet player (b Jul 19 1936 in Kansas City- d Song for My Father is a 1964 Album by the Horace Silver Quintet released on the Blue Note label When Jones left to settle in Europe, the trumpet chair was filled by a young Woody Shaw and Tyrone Washington replaced Henderson. Woody Herman Shaw II ( December 24, 1944 &ndash May 10, 1989) ( United States) was a Jazz Trumpeter and Tyrone Washington is an American basketball player who played for four years at Mississippi State University, before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in the

Silver's compositions, catchy and very strong harmonically, gained popularity while his band gradually switched to funk and soul. This change of style was not readily accepted by many long-time fans. The quality of several albums of this era, such as The United States of Mind (on which Silver himself provided vocals on several tracks), is to this day contested by fans of the genre. Silver's spirituality displayed on these albums also has a mixed reputation. However, many of these later albums featured many interesting musicians (such as Randy Brecker). Randal "Randy" Brecker (b Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1945) is an American Trumpeter and Silver was the last musician to be signed to Blue Note in the 1970s before it went into temporary abeyance. In 1981 he formed his own short-lived label, Silveto.

Later years

After Silver's long tenure with Blue Note ended, he continued to create vital music. The 1985 album, Continuity of Spirit (Silveto), features his unique orchestral collaborations. In the 1990s, Silver directly answered the urban popular music that had been largely built from his influence on It's Got To Be Funky (Columbia, 1993). Now living surrounded by a devoted family in California, Silver has received much of the recognition due a venerable jazz icon. In 2005, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) gave him its President's Merit Award.

In early 2008, it was reported by bassist Christian McBride that Silver is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Christian McBride (born May 31, 1972, Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is an American Jazz Bassist. Alzheimer's disease ( AD) also called Alzheimer disease or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of Dementia.

Legacy

Silver's music was a major force in modern jazz on at least four counts. He was one of the first pioneers of the style known as Hard Bop, influencing such pianists as Bobby Timmons, Les McCann, and Ramsey Lewis. Hard bop is a style of Jazz that is an extension of Bebop (or "bop" music Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr (b May 27, 1935) is an American Jazz icon Composer, and Pianist. Second, the instrumentation of his quintet (trumpet, tenor sax, piano, double bass, and drums) served as a model for small jazz groups from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. Further, Silver's ensembles provided an important training ground for young players, many of whom (such as Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, Woody Shaw, Junior Cook, and Joe Henderson) later led similar groups of their own. Woody Herman Shaw II ( December 24, 1944 &ndash May 10, 1989) ( United States) was a Jazz Trumpeter and Joe Henderson ( April 24, 1937 - June 30, 2001) was an American Jazz Tenor saxophonist. Finally, Silver refined the art of composing and arranging for his chosen instrumentation to a level of craftsmanship as yet unsurpassed in jazz.

As social and cultural upheavals shook the nation during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Silver responded to these changes through music. He commented directly on the new scene through a trio of records called United States of Mind (1970-1972) that featured the spirited vocals of Andy Bey. Andrew W Bey (born October 28, 1939 in Newark New Jersey) is a jazz singer and pianist The composer got deeper into cosmic philosophy as his group, Silver 'N Strings, recorded Silver 'N Strings Play The Music of the Spheres (1979).

Discography

As leader

(* As Co-Leader with Blakey)

As sideman

with Stan Getz :

with Lou Donaldson :

with Terry Gibbs :

with Coleman Hawkins :

with Lester Young :

with Sonny Stitt :

with Howard McGhee :

with Al Cohn :

with Kenny Dorham, Lou Donaldson, Gene Ramey, Art Blakey :

with Art Farmer :

with Art Blakey :

with Miles Davis :

with Phil Urso :

with Art Farmer and Gigi Gryce :

with Various :

with Clark Terry :

with Kenny Dorham :

with Milt Jackson :

with Hank Mobley :

with J. J. Johnson :

with Kenny Clarke :

with Nat Adderley :

with Gigi Gryce :

with Donald Byrd :

with Rita Reys :

with Paul Chambers :

with J. R. Monterose :

with Lee Morgan :

with Kenny Burrell :

with Clifford Jordan and John Gilmore :

with Sonny Rollins :

with Dee Dee Bridgewater :

References

  1. ^ a b Distinguished Americans & Canadians of Portuguese Descent. Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7 1930 in New York City) is an American Jazz tenor Saxophonist Dee Dee Bridgewater (born May 27, 1950) is an American Jazz Singer. Retrieved on 2008-01-09. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople.

External links

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