Horace Silver 1928-2014

[disaac]

One of my all time favorites. It seemed like just yesterday that we were mourning the passing of Marian McPartland leaving (I believe) only three wonderful and iconic musicians from the famous Art Kane photograph "A Great Day in Harlem" -- Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins and Horace. Heartbreakingly, now Horace has left us as well. One of the most swinging pianists I ever heard and a heck of a composer to boot. I was lucky enough to have met him once at the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Festival in the mid 90s. A great musician and an even greater gentleman and citizen of the world. You will be missed.

[Peter Friedman]

Another one of my all time favorites is gone. Back in the 50's when I first became interested in jazz, the Cafe Bohemia records with Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham and Doug Watkins grabbed me hard and I still love those sessions.

If Horace Silver is on a recording I will undoubtably like it.

My major recollection of seeing the Horace Silver Quintet dates back to 1957. I had been doing my Army basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas.when the initial training period ended I was entitled to a leave and headed home to Detroit by train. It was necessary to change trains in Chicago and A friend and I decided to spend a night in Chicago before continuing to Detroit. We learned that the Horace Silver Quintet was playing at the Sutherland Lounge. A cab took us there and we spent a glorious evening listening to Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, Horace Silver, Gene Taylor, and Louis Hayes. It was a special experience that has stayed with me all these years later.

[king ubu]

The world's longest going daily paper has put up an obit on their website:

http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/feuilleton/pop_jazz/wegbereiter-der-jazzmoderne-1.18206507

Now don't ask me where they got their info from ...

[Cyril]

I found this one, in Dutch.

http://www.nu.nl/muziek/3656383/jazzpianist-horace-silver-85-overleden.html

[Dan Gould]

Expecting something doesn't make it easier to accept when it happens. This really, really sucks.

I am remembering Horace with this concert from Wolfgang's - a great show including a cooking version of Me and My Baby, when it was quite fresh in the repertoire.

http://www.concertvault.com/horace-silver-quintet/newport-jazz-festival-july-02-1960.html

[paul secor]

A musician who transcended genres and influenced many musicians and composers.

Thanks, Mr. Silver. Your spirit can rest now.

[jlhoots]

Blowin' The Blues Away

R.I.P.

[clifford_thornton]

Wow - sorry to hear this sad news. Indeed, not unexpected, but another architect of the music has ascended.

[fasstrack]

Ugh. This has to be the worst year for deaths in the jazz world. I was expecting this, but still.....Horrible news.

[jazztrain]

Sigh, another giant gone.

RIP and thanks for all the memories.

[Rosco]

From NPR's A Blog Supreme Twitter feed:

NPR has spoken with Horace Silver's son, Gregory. Horace Silver is ALIVE, "drinking coffee and eating breakfast right now."

[BillF]

Wikipedia is now giving date of death as 2013-12-17, which I think means 17.12.2013.

Time again to remember Horace's fine autobiography:

From NPR's A Blog Supreme Twitter feed:

NPR has spoken with Horace Silver's son, Gregory. Horace Silver is ALIVE, "drinking coffee and eating breakfast right now."

In that case, I'd rather believe NPR than Wikipedia.

[Cyril]

From NPR's A Blog Supreme Twitter feed:

NPR has spoken with Horace Silver's son, Gregory. Horace Silver is ALIVE, "drinking coffee and eating breakfast right now."

OMG.

[Dan Gould]

I'll be smiling when I get in the car to drive home and hear him wail on "Blowin' The Blues Away"! Hang in there Mr. Silver.

Seriously, that Wolfgang's concert I linked to is fantastic, well worth it for the monthly membership to download and burn.

[clifford_thornton]

From NPR's A Blog Supreme Twitter feed:

NPR has spoken with Horace Silver's son, Gregory. Horace Silver is ALIVE, "drinking coffee and eating breakfast right now."

OMG.

Hahaha!

[Mike Schwartz]

I received the news from a very good private source with no reason to doubt....truly sorry if mistaken

now the NPR (no name) saying Mr.Silver's son reports he's alive.

I'm not quite certain that this is settled at this moment however...

Edited December 17, 2013 by Mike Schwartz

[Milestones]

So what do we know now? Is it a debunked rumor?

Horace is a great figure in jazz, and one of my favorites. So much of his music is so thoroughly joyful.

[BFrank]

When I Googled him, some of the links announcing his death were already taken down.

[page]

Is it possible to change the title of the thread? I hear jazzwise took the article away and jazzcorner posted an apology. Let's just be happy he is still with us and celebrate by playing his music.

[Cyril]

Is it possible to change the title of the thread?

I think that's not a good idea. It's better to remove the entire thread IMO.

[Jim Alfredson]

I changed the thread title. I don't see why the thread should be taken down.

[mikeweil]

Another great one gone ..... too many this year, especially pianists. I bought his autobiography only a few weeks ago, didn't find the time to read it so far. There was a time when I listened to some of his Blue Note sides every day and hummed along. His tunes were jazz in the truest sense of the word. I even love his later Blue Notes with electric piano, vocals, and larger bands - have them all. He left us so much music with a truly positive message - who's gonna do this now? R.I.P. in the eternal nitty gritty, while we grind on in the earthly domains. Thanks for everything.

p.s. just a rumor? Wouldn't be the first time - even Haydn was announced dead in his later years. Hope he's well and enjoying his days.

[Cyril]

I don't think he is enjoying his days, he's suffering from Alzheimer's disease !

[Mike Schwartz]

When I Googled him, some of the links announcing his death were already taken down.

...and Wiki had today as the date of his demise and removed it

[sidewinder]

Bizarre... Truly glad that he is still with us (hopefully). Poor Horace..

Edited December 17, 2013 by sidewinder