Table of Contents:
Horace Silver: The Top 25 pearls in Jazz history
Horace Silver biography
From the perspective of the 21st century, it is clear that few jazz musicians had a greater impact on the contemporary mainstream than Horace Silver. The hard bop style that Silver pioneered in the ’50s is now dominant, played not only by holdovers from an earlier generation, but also by fuzzy-cheeked musicians who had yet to be born when the music fell out of critical favor in the ’60s and ’70s.
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Silver’s earliest musical influence was the Cape Verdean folk music he heard from his Portuguese-born father. Later, after he had begun playing piano and saxophone as a high schooler, Silver came under the spell of blues singers and boogie-woogie pianists, as well as boppers like Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell.
In 1950, Stan Getz played a concert in Hartford, Connecticut, with a pickup rhythm section that included Silver, drummer Walter Bolden, and bassist Joe Calloway. So impressed was Getz, he hired the whole trio. Silver had been saving his money to move to New York anyway; his hiring by Getz sealed the deal.
Silver worked with Getz for a year, then began to freelance around the city with such big-time players as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Oscar Pettiford. In 1952, he recorded with Lou Donaldson for the Blue Note label; this date led him to his first recordings as a leader. In 1953, he joined forces with Art Blakey to form a cooperative under their joint leadership.
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The band’s first album, Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, was a milestone in the development of the genre that came to be known as hard bop. Many of the tunes penned by Silver for that record — “The Preacher,” “Doodlin’,” “Room 608” — became jazz classics.
By 1956, Silver had left the Messengers to record on his own. The series of Blue Note albums that followed established him for all time as one of jazz’s major composer/pianists. LPs like Blowin’ the Blues Away and Song for My Father (both recorded by an ensemble that included Silver’s longtime sidemen Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook) featured Silver’s harmonically sophisticated and formally distinctive compositions for small jazz ensemble.
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Silver’s piano style — terse, imaginative, and utterly funky — became a model for subsequent mainstream pianists to emulate. Some of the most influential horn players of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s first attained a measure of prominence with Silver — musicians like Donald Byrd, Woody Shaw, Joe Henderson, Benny Golson, and the Brecker Brothers all played in Silver’s band at a point early in their careers. Silver has even affected members of the avant-garde; Cecil Taylor confesses a Silver influence, and trumpeter Dave Douglas played briefly in a Silver combo.
Silver recorded exclusively for Blue Note until that label’s eclipse in the late ’70s, whereupon he started his own label, Silveto. Horace Silver’s ’80s work was poorly distributed.
During that time he began writing lyrics to his compositions, and his work began to display a concern with music’s metaphysical powers, as exemplified by album titles like Music to Ease Your Disease and Spiritualizing the Senses. In the ’90s, Silver abandoned his label venture and began recording for Columbia.
With his re-emergence on a major label, Silver once again received a measure of the attention his contributions deserve. Certainly, no one ever contributed a larger and more vital body of original compositions to the jazz canon. Silver died in New York on June 18, 2014, at the age of 85.
He had a son, Gregory – now a rap musician under the name of G Wise – from his marriage to Barbara, which ended in divorce.
Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver, pianist and composer, born 2 September 1928, died 18 June 2014.
Selected Discography
Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, Blue Note, 1954
Blowin’ the Blues Away, Blue Note, 1959
Song For My Father, Blue Note, 1964
Cape Verdean Blues, Blue Note, 1965
The Hardbop Grandpop, GRP, 1996
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Horace Silver – Blowin The Blues Away
Personnel:
Horace Silver – piano
Blue Mitchell – trumpet
Junior Cook – tenor saxophone
Gene Taylor – bass
Louis Hayes – drums
from the album ‘BLOWIN’ THE BLUES AWAY’ (Blue Note Records)
Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
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Martin Cuellar – Toccata (Late Intermediate Piano) |
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Martini Dry (La Valise OST) Philippe Sarde | ||
Martinu Fantasy Toccata | Martinu Fantasy et Toccata | |
Martinu Piano Sonata 1 |
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Martinu Scherzo For Piano |
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Marty Robbins The Streets Of Laredo Traditional (easy) | Marty Robbins The Streets Of Laredo Traditional | |
Marvel Vs Street Fighter – Wolverine | ||
Marvin Gaye – Aint No Mountain High Enough | ||
Marvin Gaye – Greatest Hits |
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Marvin Gaye – Greatest Hits |
Mary Leaf Softly Falling Snow Piano Solo |
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Mary Lou Williams The Man I Love (G. Gershwin) Piano Transcription Sheet Music | Mary Lou Williams The Man I Love (G. Gershwin) Piano Transcription Sheet Music | |
Mary Lou Williams – Mary’s Special (piano solo transcription sheet music, partition) | Mary Lou Williams – Mary’s Special (piano solo transcription sheet music, partition) | |
Mary Lou Williams – Chili Sauce (piano solo sheet music transcription) |
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Mary Lou Williams – Chili Sauce (Piano Solo Sheet Music Transcription) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Mary Lou Williams – Fifth dimension (piano solo transcription sheet music, partition) |
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Mary Lou Williams – Zodiac Suite (1945) piano solo transcription sheet music |
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Mary Lou Williams Marys Special Piano Solo Transcription Sheet Music Partition |
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Mary Poppins (The Musical) Piano Vocal score |
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Mary Poppins (The Musical) Piano Vocal score |
Mary Poppins Broadway Score (Piano & Vocal) |
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Mary Poppins Broadway Score (Piano & Vocal) |
Mary Rodgers The Boy From from The Mad Show |
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Mascagni – Intermezzo – Cavalleria Rusticana (Piano Solo) | Mascagni – Intermezzo – Cavalleria Rusticana (Piano Solo) | |
Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana – Intermezzo Transcription Piano solo | Mascagni Intermezzo | |
Massenet Méditation De Thaïs (Piano Solo Arr.) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Massenet Meditation from Thais (Piano Transcription) |
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Massenet, Méditation de Thaïs (piano solo arr.) | Massenet, Méditation de Thaïs (piano solo arr.) | |
Massive Attack – Teardrop | ||
Mastering Chord Melody – The Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Jody Fisher (with MP3 audio tracks and Tablature) |
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Mastering I Beginning Jazz Guitar The Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Jody Fisher (with audio MP3) |
Mastering Improvisation – The Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Jody Fisher (with audio MP3 audio tracks and Tablature) |
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Mastering II Beginning Jazz Guitar The Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Jody Fisher (with audio MP3) |
Masterpieces of piano music, by Albert E. Wier (1918) | Masterpieces of piano music | Masterpieces Of Piano Music (1918)-contents |
Masterpieces Of Western Music Course Guide Modern Scholar (Book) |
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Matchbox20 – 3 Am | ||
Matchbox20 – Unwell | ||
Materia Primoris The X-Files Theme (Main Title) Piano Solo Arr. By Mark Snow (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Matilda The Musical by Tim Minchin (Full Orchestral Score) |
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MATRIX Songbook Selections Piano Vocal Chord |
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MATRIX Songbook Selections Piano Vocal Chord |
Matt Christensen – Good Times – Superliminal (Original Game Soundtrack) |
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Matt Christensen – Hopeful – Superliminal (Original Game Soundtrack) |
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Matt Christensen – Wonder – Superliminal (Original Game Soundtrack) |
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Matthay, Tobias Elves (Die Elfen) | ||
Matthay, Tobias – The Visible And Invisible In Piano Technique (1947) | Book Theory The Visible And Invisible In Pianoforte Technique (By Tobias Matthay) | |
Matthay, Tobias The First Principles Of Pianoforte Playing (1905) | Book Theory | |
Matz Carol – The Sorcerer |
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Maurice Lieberman Keyboard Harmony and Improvisation Vol 1 |
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Maurice Ravel La Valse Piano Solo ARR. |
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Max Payne 3 – Main Menu Themes (4) Piano Solo sheet music |
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Max Payne Main Theme Piano Solo Kärtsy Hatakka & Kimmo Kajasto (Piano Solo) |
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Max Payne Main Theme Piano Solo Kärtsy Hatakka & Kimmo Kajasto.mscz | ||
Max Payne Theme (Piano) |
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Max Richter On The Nature Of Daylight (Piano Solo arr.) |
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Max Richter The Four Seasons Recomposed (Complete) |
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Max Richter – A Catalogue of Afternoons |
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Max Richter – Departure Lullaby (from The Leftlovers) | Max Richter – DepArture Lullaby | |
Max Richter – Horizon Variations (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Max Richter – Horizons Variations |
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Max Richter – Lamentation for a lost Life from TABOO TV Series (Peaceful Piano Solos) | Max Richter – Lamentation for a lost Life from TABOO TV Series (Peaceful Piano Solos) | |
Max Richter – Prelude 6 |
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Max Richter – Vladimir’s Blues |
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Max Richter – Vladimir’s Blues guitar arr. |
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Max Richter – Vladimir’s Blues Guitar Arr. (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Max Richter – Written on the sky | Max Richter written on the sky | |
Max Richter A Catalogue Of Afternoons (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Max Richter A Lamenting Song |
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Max Richter Book Piano Works |
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Max Richter Book Piano Works |
Max Richter Dream 1 By Max Richter From Sleep Befre The Wind Blows It All Away | Max Richter Dream 1 By Max Richter From Sleep Befre The Wind Blows It All Away | |
Max Richter Embers |
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Max Richter H In New England |
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Max Richter Infra 3 |
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Max Richter November For Violin And Piano |
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Max Richter Only Questions_ |
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Max Richter Summer Recomposed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Piano Solo |
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Max Richter Taboo Piano Solo Sheet Music |
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Max Richter The Departed (Leftovers ) | Max Richter The Leftovers | |
Max Richter The End Of All Our Exploring From The Leftlovers |
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Max Richter The Twins |
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Max Richter Winter Recomposed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Piano Solo |
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Max Steiner – My own true love (Gone With The Wind)- Tara’s Theme (Piano, voice & guitar) |
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Max Steiner A Summer Place |
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Maxime Le Forestier San Fransico (Piano Solo And Piano Vocal) |
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Maxime Le Forestier – La Petite Fugue pour 2 Voix |
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Maxime Le Forestier 40 Chansons |
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Maxime Le Forestier Collection Quelques Chansons Mises A Part | Maxime Le Forestier Collection Quelques Chansons Mises A Part | |
Maxime Le Forestier Passer Ma Route Songbook |
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Maxime Le Forestier Recueil Special Piano 3 Partitions (Transcription Michel Leclerc) |
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Maximo Diego Pujol – Suites Del Plata Guitarra guitar |
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Maxwell Eckstein Early Technical Studies From Schmitt And Hanon |
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Maxwell Eckstein Rhapsodie |
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Maxwell Eckstein Spooks |
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Mayumi Kato – Morning Coffee | Mayumi Kato – Morning Coffee | |
Mayumi Kato Cherry Blossoms Shower In Spring Wind |
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Mayumi Kato Deep Secret Op .2 no. 2 |
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Mayumi Kato Destiny |
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Mayumi Kato Etude | ||
Mayumi Kato Forbidden fruit | ||
Mayumi Kato Guilty |
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Mayumi Kato KYOTO | Mayumi Kato KYOTO | |
Mayumi Kato Last Scene |
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Mayumi Kato LIAR |
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Mayumi Kato Old Days |
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Mayumi Kato Op. 11 | ||
Mayumi Kato Op.11 Geisha |
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Mayumi Kato Op7-2 Never | Mayumi Kato Op7-2 never | |
Mayumi Kato Orange Moon |
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Mayumi Kato Rainy Day | Mayumi Kato Rainy Day | |
Mayumi Kato Red |
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Mayumi Kato Romance | ||
Mayumi Kato Say Goodbye |
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Mayumi Kato Secret Garden |
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Mayumi Kato Silver Moon |
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Mayumi Kato Snow | Mayumi Kato Snow | |
Mayumi Kato Snow Land | Mayumi Kato Snow Land | |
Mayumi Kato The Bamboo Princess | ||
Mayumi Kato The Prayer |
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Mazurka Cocktail | ||
Mazurkas Cocktail | ||
McCoy Tyner – There Is No Greater Love Full Score |
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McCoy Tyner Blues on the corner | McCoy Tyner Blues on the corner | |
McCoy Tyner Jazz Giants Artist Transcriptions |
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McCoy Tiner transcriptions |
McCoy Tyner Jazz Improvisation |
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McCoy Tyner Just Knock On My Door | McCoy Tyner Just Knock On My Door | |
McCoy Tyner Plays Standards Transcriptions | McCoy Tyner play standards |