Horace Silver

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Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver (born September 2, 1928 in Norwalk, Connecticut) is a famous jazz pianist and composer born to a Cape Verdean father (of mixed Portuguese-black descent)and a mother of Irish and African descent.

He is known for his distinctive humorous and funky playing style, and for his pioneering contributions to hard bop. Silver was influenced by a wide range of musical styles, notably gospel music, African music, and Latin American music. Silver began his career as a saxophonist, but later switched to piano. His playing was highly influenced by the style of Bud Powell.

Silver was discovered in a Hartford, Connecticut club by saxophonist Stan Getz. He moved to New York, where he teamed with Art Blakey. In 1952 and 1953 he recorded three sessions with his own trio, featuring Blakey on drums and Gene Ramey, Curly Russell and Percy Heath subsequently taking up the bass. The drummer-pianist team lasted for four years; during this time, Silver and Blakey recorded at Birdland (A Night at Birdland, Blue Note) with Clifford Brown and Lou Donaldson, at the Bohemia with Kenny Dorham and Hank Mobley, and finally - in the studios. One of the studio albums was the famous The Jazz Messengers.

During Silver’s time with Blakey he rarely recorded as a leader, but having split with him in 1956, he formed his own hard bop quintet, at first featuring the same lineup as Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, with 18-year-old Louis Hayes subbing for Blakey.

Tagged as:

jazz, piano, hard bop, jazz piano, bebop
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The Best of Horace Silver, Volume 2
Horace Silver
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Blowin' the Blues Away
Horace Silver
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Horace Silver And The Jazz Messengers
Horace Silver
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Song for My Father (Cantiga Para Meu Pai)
Horace Silver
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Top Tracks

1	Song For My Father full track	700
2	Que Pasa full track	294
3	Que Pasa (Trio Version)	255
4	Sister Sadie full track	161
5	The Cape Verdean Blues full track	155
6	The Preacher full track	150
7	Peace full track	141
8	Doodlin' full track	140
9	Blowin' The Blues Away full track	123
10	Senor Blues full track	115
11	The St. Vitus Dance full track	84
12	I've Had a Little Talk	74
13	Pretty Eyes full track	67
14	The Natives Are Restless Tonight	63
14	How Did It Happen full track	63

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MusikSuchtig wrote:
yesterday morning

Just amazing... mmmm....

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Nevermoreraven wrote:
last month

why have people tagged him as bebop?

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Parisblues wrote:
October 2009

http://www.last.fm/music/Horace+Silver/_/Senor+Blues+%28Vocal+Version%29+%282000+Digital+Remaster%29

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rhanssens wrote:
September 2009

This is a very good place to be,...the last fm Planet ! ;)

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donKamillo wrote:
September 2009

Horace Silver put jazz in more approachable way than other artists. He's never gone mad in music, always focused a tension and fun within one composition, with great taste, also considering his soloists. He like invented balanced jazz composition, when the rhythm, lines, sophistication are equal and always appropriate, wether it's in funky or bebop kind of style.

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monnyjcintosh wrote:
August 2009

JaapStobbe - it's a bit annoying, isn't it?

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zoobird wrote:
July 2009

fuck yeah!

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alytee123 wrote:
July 2009

Love the drums in Que Pasa

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xbountyhunterx wrote:
May 2009

Horace is pure quality and class. his compositions are great, pretty memorables

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JaapStobbe wrote:
May 2009

most of this stuff is from the HORACE SILVER QUINTET, not just Horace Silver.

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edgewaterluv wrote:
April 2009

Song for my Father what a great tribute!

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folkyjazzlounge wrote:
March 2009

I once bought an old Blue Note vinyl (reissue) just because of the cover, in a secondhand shop. So glad I did - that's how I went on to discover Horace Silver and his fantastic sounds. Superb, unique.

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imeanyou wrote:
March 2009

Flying out of Newark airport over Manhattan whilst listening to 'The African Queen'. Window seat of course.

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ulinvodnaar wrote:
March 2009

Good shit!

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darkthrone wrote:
February 2009

He plays the piano with his soul..just amazing!!

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Parisblues wrote:
February 2009

"prelude to a kiss"

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ZOOMZOOM1 wrote:
January 2009

Oooooh La La!

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Degars wrote:
November 2008

From day one, it is one of my all time favorites! Bakersfield's Richie Perez does a great rendition on the alto saxophone.

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monkdizbird wrote:
November 2008

Horace swings like no other.

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corganzero wrote:
November 2008

dig it.

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