The Scope of Horace (Silver)

[Adam]

I saw the Roy Haynes Quartet tonight at Catalina's in LA. Seated in the front row, right in front of the drums, was Horace Silver and his son. Horace was in a wheel chair. Many people were talking with him (including Haynes before the set), and I greeted him as well. He was friendly and could talk, but at the same time certainly seemed like he's been ill. I didn't ask him any details.

Haynes recognized Silver after the set, and the crowd gave him a big hand. haynes told a story about how they were playing together with Stan Getz in 1951 or 52, and the two of them were driving together to a gig in Pittsburgh. They were testing each other on tunes. Haynes said that he was a few years older than Silver, and even though he thinks Silver could beat him now, he thinks that he (meaning Haynes) knew more tunes back then.

[Tangent: Haynes closed the set with a duet with his sax player, Julio ??? Does anyone know his correc name? haynes never said it. Anyway, they played "My Little Suede Shoes," whcih Haynes said that he recorded with Charlie Parker back in teh 50s. He also said that Parker didn't really write it, but just took credit for it. But he didn't say who did write it.

By the way, I think Haynes will outlive us all.]

[Trumpet Guy]

Maybe Jaleel Shaw on alto?

Suede Shoes? Written by Cal Massey?

[Adam]

Maybe Jaleel Shaw on alto?

Suede Shoes? Written by Cal Massey?

Ah, Jaleel Shaw makes sense. He was using a soft "j" sound not a hard "g" or a 'h" (like "Julio").

But more importantly, I'm concerned about Horace Silver and his health.

[Hardbopjazz]

Wow, Silver in a wheel chair. That doesn't sound too good. Hope it is nothing serious.

[Late]

Just listened to In Pursuit of the 27th Man for the very first time this afternoon. Nice. I think Michael Brecker's my favorite part of the album (after one listen, that is). Then I realized he's gone ... .

I hope Horace is doing well these days.

[brownie]

Sad to see the Horace Silver Message Board has been invaded by porn posters

[Adam]

I just received an announcement of Horace's autobiography coming out on Univ of California press in paperback.

Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty: The Autobiography of Horace Silver

Horace Silver

"Silver, now 78, has an astonishing recall of every musician he ever encountered, prompting plenty of anecdotes amid the solid self-insights."—Publishers Weekly

Horace Silver is one of the last giants remaining from the incredible flowering and creative extension of bebop music that became known as "hard bop" in the 1950s. This freewheeling . . .

For more information, click on Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty

Subjects: Music; Jazz; Autobiographies and Biographies; American Studies

Market: General Interest

978-0-520-25392-6, new paperback edition $16.95

New 2007 Title it says.

Many more details here:

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10278.html

[NaturalSoul]

I just received an announcement of Horace's autobiography coming out on Univ of California press in paperback.

Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty: The Autobiography of Horace Silver

Horace Silver

"Silver, now 78, has an astonishing recall of every musician he ever encountered, prompting plenty of anecdotes amid the solid self-insights."—Publishers Weekly

Horace Silver is one of the last giants remaining from the incredible flowering and creative extension of bebop music that became known as "hard bop" in the 1950s. This freewheeling . . .

For more information, click on Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty

Subjects: Music; Jazz; Autobiographies and Biographies; American Studies

Market: General Interest

978-0-520-25392-6, new paperback edition $16.95

New 2007 Title it says.

Many more details here:

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10278.html

I read this book around 3 months ago, really good book, horace is a good guy.

[sal]

Count me in as a fan of Horace, particularly the BN stuff. I've spun "Finger poppin'" and the Blakey Cafe Bohemia stuff in the past week. Silver was such a funky pianist...nobody sounds like him.

[BruceH]

There's something about Finger Poppin'... It may be my favorite Silver album.

Edited June 16, 2007 by BruceH

[sal]

Yes. Finger Poppin and Blowin' the Blues Away are really special in my book because, among other things, they have Louis Hayes on the drums. There was nothing incompetent about Roy Brooks by any means, but those two studio sessions with Hayes on drums are my favorite Silver. They swing like mad.

[Stereojack]

My favorite Horace albums are "Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers" which really defines hard bop, and "Doin' the Thing at the Village Gate", a stellar live album, which I ran out and bought after seeing Horace live for the first time at the Jazz Workshop in 1965. Also partial to "Silver's Serenade" and "The Stylings of Silver."

[T.D.]

Yes. Finger Poppin and Blowin' the Blues Away are really special in my book because, among other things, they have Louis Hayes on the drums. There was nothing incompetent about Roy Brooks by any means, but those two studio sessions with Hayes on drums are my favorite Silver. They swing like mad.

These are just about my two favorites also, although there are a lot of excellent albums within a very close margin.

[Stereojack]

there are a lot of excellent albums within a very close margin.

AMEN!!

[Big Al]

Yes. Finger Poppin and Blowin' the Blues Away are really special in my book because, among other things, they have Louis Hayes on the drums. There was nothing incompetent about Roy Brooks by any means, but those two studio sessions with Hayes on drums are my favorite Silver. They swing like mad.

These are just about my two favorites also, although there are a lot of excellent albums within a very close margin.

What they said!!!!

[BruceH]

My favorite Horace albums are "Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers" which really defines hard bop, and "Doin' the Thing at the Village Gate", a stellar live album, which I ran out and bought after seeing Horace live for the first time at the Jazz Workshop in 1965. Also partial to "Silver's Serenade" and "The Stylings of Silver."

The Stylings of Silver is also another big favorite of mine!

[Shawn]

Too hard to choose just "2" favorites...but I suppose if forced at gunpoint I'd take "The Tokyo Blues" and "The Cape Verdean Blues".

[BruceH]

There are a lot that are right up there, but Finger Poppin' and Stylings are probably my favs. The sheer "album-ness" of them gets me.