Over the past fifty years, Hard Bop’s bluesy mixture of bebop harmonies, soulful melodies, and tight band breaks has held the attention of the jazz world with one musical figure standing at the forefront: pianist Horace Silver. Moving from an early jump into the professional music world with Stan Getz to a regular gig at Birdland in New York, Silver made his presence known from the beginning of his career. He collaborated with Art Blakey to form the legendary Jazz Messengers, a group that went on to influence generations of jazz musicians. After leaving the group, Silver recorded a series of influential albums as a leader for the Blue Note label, including the 1959 recording Finger Poppin’ With The Horace Silver Quintet, the 1960 album Horace-Scope, and the 1964 release Song for My Father. His groups served as a training ground for several strong musicians, such as saxophonist Joe Henderson, trumpet player Art Farmer, and trumpeter Donald Byrd. Silver recorded and performed into his elder years, and now at the age of 80, he has a legacy of recorded works that maintain his influence.

Silver thrived as a player - his funky piano style captured the attention of many young musicians; but his compositions have exerted an equal if not greater influence. He took his advanced sense of harmony from bebop, mixing it with the heavy modal ideas of gospel and soul. The resultant mixture retained the raw bluesy sensibility that a younger generation craved while maintaining enough complexity to intrigue most jazz musicians. His melodies included all the chromatic complexities and heavy doses of blues notes found in bebop, but they were incredibly catchy and unforgettable. The fine balance that ran through the harmonic and melodic foundations of his songs served as excellent launching points for improvisation. Several generations of jazz musicians have agreed upon that point, and his compositions have been recorded by an endless list of outstanding artists. When compiling a list of essential jazz standards, the name Horace Silver will inevitably arise several times.

The Latin Jazz community has long found common ground with the aesthetics of Hard Bop, and as a result, Silver’s compositions have been a favored repertoire. These songs work in a Latin Jazz context on many levels - they are popular songs that many listeners will recognize, but the rhythmic intensity and harmonic interest of Silver’s work translates so logically into Latin Jazz. There’s a compatibility that allows Latin Jazz artists to not only perform these songs, but also interpret them in a unique voice. At the core, Silver’s compositions are just so solid that they can work across a variety of musical scenarios, including the diversity of the Latin Jazz world. I’ve chosen 10 outstanding of Horace Silver compositions interpreted by a wide range of Latin Jazz artists; check out these tracks - the strength of Silver’s compositions and their compatibility with the Latin Jazz realm all shine strongly.

———-
1. Sister Sadie - Contact!, Ray Barretto and New World Spirit
As this track begins the classic sound of “hard hands” dominates the track, but once the horns jump into the melody, the recording becomes an unmistakable piece of Silver. A witty arrangement of the melody over a son montuno segues into a bebop-tinged solo from saxophonist Adam Kolker. The band comes down for a bluesy solo from pianist John Di Martino, which draws some inspiring interplay from drummer Vince Cherico. A unison interlude leads into a series of stop breaks for trumpet soloist Michael Mossman who immediately lights a fire with his statement. Barretto’s work always displayed a deep insight into the aesthetics of both jazz and Latin music - this track shows his understanding of both Silver and Hard Bop while organically connecting them to Latin music.

2. Nica’s Dream - Listen Here!, Eddie Palmieri
Palmieri consistently finds powerful ways to hold onto his strong sound while respecting other musician’s compositions - a task that he pull off with flying colors on this track. Guest violinist Regina Carter shares the melody with longtime Palmieri collaborator, trumpet player Brian Lynch, as the two musicians bring out the melody’s natural beauty and rhythmic underpinnings. Lynch, a hard bop expert that played with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, throws the band into high gear with an exciting solo that simultaneously explores the changes while creating rhythmic tension. Palmieri leads the band into a repeated vamp for a solo from Carter, who builds a significant amount of energy with quick runs and high note emphasis. A swinging mambo opens the door for Carter and Lynch to trade ideas in a spontaneous and sympathetic conversation. Two important pianists from different worlds collide on this track, and the resultant mixture is a powerful arrangement and an inspired performance.

3. Silver’s Serenade - Silver in the Bronx, The Bronx Horns
This group of alumni from the Tito Puente band deliver a Latin Jazz tribute to Silver on this album, which contains a collection of 10 classic Silver compositions such as this one. The melody retains its inherent serenity as it rides over a driving cha cha cha, with the horn players sustaining long lush notes through rich harmonies. Alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli indulges the rich harmonic structure with gently running lines that match the rhythmic momentum without stepping outside Silver’s original tone. Tenor saxophonist Mitch Frohman takes a slightly more aggressive approach, mixing long notes with rapid streams of chromatic lines. Pianist Oscar Hernandez breaks away from Silver’s influence with a distinctly personal sound that presents a classy approach. A bebop influenced melodic interlude from the horns leads into an engaging solo from timbalero Jose Madera that shows some Puente influence. The tracks on Silver in the Bronx really illuminate the possibilities of Silver’s compositions in a Latin Jazz setting, which will hopefully continue throughout many more albums.

4. Nutville - Tres, Sonando
The Seattle based band Sonando shows some big time jazz credentials with this original arrangement of the Silver classic over a rumba guaguanco. Bassist Barney Brazitis opens the track with an unaccompanied bass solo that wanders creatively throughout the sonic spectrum before falling into a strong groove with the piano. After pianist Fred Hoadley presents the first piece of the melody, the horns join and the band kicks into high gear. Hoadley builds from that energy, creating an improvisation that simultaneously shows Silver’s influence and reveals a strong study of Cuban piano techniques. Tenor saxophonist Jim Coile assertively spins lines through the band’s forward motion, revealing a distinct familiarity with Silver harmony. Brazitis and Hoadley establish a short ostinato, paving the way for an enthusiastic and cleverly constructed improvisation from drummer Chris Stromquist. There’s a fine mix of Silver influence and creative ingenuity that makes this version of “Nutville” stand apart as a tribute to both the integrity of both Silver and Sonando.

5. Señor Blues - The Legend of Cuban Percussion, Patato
Legendary percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdes makes a meaningful statement about the connection between Africa and its diaspora on this track. The familiar sound of a 6/8 bembe rhythm takes on new meaning as West African vocalist Samba Mapangala opens the recording with a piece of traditional song. Bassist Joe Santiago joins the mix, introducing the original Silver melody, which flautist John Calloway plays in overdubbed harmony. Calloway enthusiastically improvises over the changes, using bluesy phrasing to wind through the song. A sudden transition finds most of the band disappearing, leaving only Patato and kora player Abbou M’Boup. Mapangala appears again, singing over the mixture of congas and kora, making a distinct connection to West African culture. Santiago and Calloway return with the Silver melody that eventually fades back into percussion, kora, and voice. Patato teaches us a valuable lesson here, showing that Silver’s work transcends the basic line between jazz and Latin music; it reaches all the way back to its West African roots.

6. Peace - Land of Nod, Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band

This classic Silver ballad takes on a completely new meaning when placed into Washburne’s Land of Nod, a politically charged statement about life in the modern day United States. Washburne moves into the melody carefully, playing in the trombone’s low register. Only the sound of long notes from Ole Mathisen’s clarinet fills the texture against Washburne’s trombone. Bassist Leo Traversa lightly plays a combination of chords and low notes as Mathisen takes over the melody. Both Washburne and Mathisen stretch the phrasing, utilizing a rubato approach that creates a strikingly somber mood. Washburne returns to the melody one last time, performing with a thought-provoking intensity as Traversa and Mathisen wrap lines around him. This free form and deeply personal reading of the song creates a bold contrast against the rest of the album’s Latin Jazz intensity and the re-contextualization of Silver’s work in the album’s overtly political statement brings a powerful new meaning to the song.

7. Barbara - Cafe Con Leche, Richie Zellon
Zellon proves that Silver’s music has significant depth works across stylistic boundaries by placing this treasured waltz in the context of an Afro-Peruvian lando rhythm. Zellon uses his unique tone as well as guitar slides and bends to add a distinctive touch to the melody, while Jerry Bergonzi’s soprano sax intersperses soft lines. As Zellon moves into an improvisation, he spins quick lines through the changes, displaying equal balances of both virtuosity and taste. Pianist Jose Luis Madueno moves into his improvisation slowly, playing with a light touch until he builds into longer strings of quick notes. Bergonzi works with the soft side of his soprano’s tone, starting a lyrical statement and building into a strong forward motion. There’s a complimentary match between Silver’s composition and the lando feel, showing that Silver often broke formula and wrote each piece from a diverse direction.

8. Enchantment - Sabu’s Jazz Espagnole, Sabú Martínez

This track from the classic Alegre album Sabu’s Jazz Espagnole brings out some of the best qualities of the New York scene with authentic Latin rhythms and jazz improvisation. The rhythm section maintains a steady Afro rhythm while trumpet player Marty Sheller plays the classic melody and alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli provides a harmony. Porcelli’s classic tone frames his classy improvisation, while he takes his time to develop a jazz fueled statement that grows into a rapid flight by the end of the form. Pianist Arty Jenkins takes a more aggressive approach on his solo, balancing between rhythmic punches, quick runs, and blues flair. There’s a lot of great musical moments on this track - from Sheller and Porcelli’s dynamic shape on the melody to Martínez’s spontaneous and interactive fills - it’s a classic cut that can’t be missed. These musicians recognized Silver’s importance early in the game, recording this album in 1961; it’s a testament to the power of Silver’s compositions and overall musicianship.

9. Where You At? - Havana Blues, Armando Rodriguez & Victor Rendon
This big band cut brings one of Silver’s lesser known tracks to life with an up-beat arrangement that flips between son montuno and swing with plenty of flair and style. The saxes establish a firm groove while the brass flies through the melody with dexterity and a blues fueled aggression. Trumpet player Armando Rodriguez winds through the chord changes with a bebop influenced melodic approach, charging through long streams of notes. Baritone saxophonist Charlie Lagond emits a powerful sound through his instrument, using a combination of rhythmic drive and quick runs to build his statement. As the band lowers its dynamic, pianist Arturo O’Farrill applies his consistent ability to build interesting rhythmic and melodic lines that always capture your ears. A clave driven mambo leads directly into an unaccompanied feature for drummer Victor Rendon who provides an exciting display of percussion fire. Silver’s work translates well to the big band format, with the groove driven mambo feel providing a perfect match to Silver’s blues based writing.

10. Tokyo Blues - Royal ‘T’, Tito Puente
Throughout his career, Tito Puente always displayed a talent for capturing a song’s essence and placing it in a Latin context; something that he skillfully accomplishes with this Silver composition. Puente plays upon the song’s Asian connotations with a dramatic gong behind a marimba statement before his wind players assertively storm through the melody. Mario Rivera attacks his improvisation with his soprano sax’s biting tone, aggressively moving rapid combinations of notes through the changes. Trumpet player Tony Lujan matches Rivera’s intensity with quick percussive lines, followed by trombone player Art Valesco’s contrasting solo full of short rhythmic jabs. The band lights a fire behind trumpet player Piro Rodriguez’s muted solo, that explodes into a ferocious stream of notes in his second chorus. Puente slyly combines rolls and syncopated rhythm figures on his marimba solo which transitions into a winding and virtuosic band soli. Always a musician that naturally found connections between jazz and Latin music, Puente strongly connects with Silver’s classic composition, constructing an arrangement that respects the original song while burning with a Latin Jazz intensity.

———-
Check Out These Related Posts:
10 Latin Jazz Perspective on Charlie Parker
10 Latin Jazz Perspectives of John Coltrane
4 Contemporary Cuban Pianists That Moved Latin Jazz Into The 21st Century
4 Latin Jazz Vocalists Forging Their Own Identity

———-
Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!

Stumble it!