Horace Silver - Song for My Father (1964)

One of Blue Note's greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father is Horace Silver's signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver's flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas -- the bossa nova beat of the classic "Song for My Father," for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of "Calcutta Cutie," or the tropical-sounding rhythms of "Que Pasa?" Subtle touches like these alter Silver's core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands (and, on the CD reissue with bonus tracks, three different sessions). Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver's writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver's best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan's biggest pop hit "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop
Soul Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Song for My Father (07:15)
02 - The Natives Are Restless Tonight (06:08)
03 - Calcutta Cutie (08:28)
04 - Que Pasa (07:45)
05 - The Kicker (05:24)
06 - Lonely Woman (07:03)
07 - Sanctimonious Sam (03:52)
08 - Que Pasa (trio version) (05:35)
09 - Sighin' and Cryin' (05:23)
10 - Silver Treads Among My Soul (03:50)

Line-up:
Horace Silver — piano
Carmell Jones — trumpet (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
Joe Henderson — tenor saxophone (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
Teddy Smith — bass (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
Roger Humphries — drums (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5)
Blue Mitchell — trumpet (Tracks 3, 6 – 10)
Junior Cook — tenor saxophone (Tracks 3, 6 – 10)
Gene Taylor — bass (Tracks 3, 6 – 10)
Roy Brooks — drums (Tracks 3, 6 – 10)

Horace Silver - The Cape Verdean Blues (1965)

After the success of Song for My Father and its hit title cut, Horace Silver was moved to pay further tribute to his dad, not to mention connect with some of his roots. Silver's father was born in the island nation of Cape Verde (near West Africa) before emigrating to the United States, and that's the inspiration behind The Cape Verdean Blues. Not all of the tracks are directly influenced by the music of Cape Verde (though some do incorporate Silver's taste for light exoticism); however, there's a spirit of adventure that pervades the entire album, a sense of exploration that wouldn't have been quite the same with Silver's quintet of old. On average, the tracks are longer than usual, and the lineup -- featuring tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson (a holdover from the Song for My Father sessions) and trumpeter Woody Shaw -- is one of the most modernist-leaning Silver ever recorded with. They push Silver into more advanced territory than he was normally accustomed to working, with mild dissonances and (especially in Henderson's case) a rawer edge to the playing. What's more, bop trombone legend J.J. Johnson appears on half of the six tracks, and Silver sounds excited to finally work with a collaborator he'd been pursuing for some time. Johnson ably handles some of the album's most challenging material, like the moody, swelling "Bonita" and the complex, up-tempo rhythms of "Nutville." Most interesting, though, is the lilting title track, which conjures the flavor of the islands with a blend of Latin-tinged rhythms and calypso melodies that nonetheless don't sound quite Caribbean in origin. Also noteworthy are "The African Queen," with its blend of emotional power and drifting hints of freedom, and "Pretty Eyes," Silver's first original waltz. Yet another worthwhile Silver album.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop
Soul Jazz

Tracks:
01 - The Cape Verdean Blues (04:59)
02 - The African Queen (09:36)
03 - Pretty Eyes (07:30)
04 - Nutville (07:15)
05 - Bonita (08:37)
06 - Mo' Joe (05:47)

Line-up:
Horace Silver - piano
Woody Shaw - trumpet
Joe Henderson - tenor sax
J. J. Johnson - trombone
Bob Cranshaw - bass
Roger Humphries -drums