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.
Please, subscribe to our Library. Thank you!
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.
![jazz sheet music sheet music pdf Horace Silver](https://sheetmusiclibrary.website/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Lets-Get-To-The-Nitty-Gritty-The-Autobiography-Of-Horace-Silver-192x300.jpg)
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.
Best Sheet Music download from our Library.
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
Sheet Music and biography download here.
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 |
---|---|---|
America Greatest Hits (piano & Guitar) |
![]() |
America greatest |
America Horse With No Name Piano vocal | America Horse With No Name Piano vocal | |
American Folk Songs For Guitar with Tablature |
![]() |
American Folk songs |
American Folk Songs, My First Book of – Bergerac |
![]() |
|
American Indian Melodies A. Farwell Op.11 (1901) |
![]() |
American Indian Melodies A. Farwell Op.11-min |
American Pie (sheet music) |
![]() |
|
American Popular Music (Book) by Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman |
![]() |
|
Americana – Alegre, Magín (Guitarra) | Americana – Alegre, Magín (Guitarra) | |
Amici Miei (Carlo Rustichelli) | ||
Amor mio (Battisti) | ||
Amore bello (Claudio Baglioni) | ||
Amy Beach – Op.15 Four Sketches in Autumn |
![]() |
|
Amy Grant – Breath Of Heaven | ||
Amy MacDonald This Is The Life |
![]() |
AMY MACDONLAD |
Amy Winehouse – Valerie |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse – Valerie (sheet music) |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse Amy Amy Amy |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse Back To Black Songbook |
![]() |
Amy Winehouse Back To Black Songbook |
Amy Winehouse Frank Songbook |
![]() |
Amy Winehouse Frank |
Amy Winehouse I Heard Love Is Blind |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse Just Friends |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse Rehab |
![]() |
|
Amy Winehouse You Know Im No Good |
![]() |
|
An affair to remember (Harry Warren) | ||
An American In Paris An George Gershwin (Concert Band) |
![]() |
|
An American Tail – The Marketplace – James Horner | ||
An Introduction To Bach Studies (eBook) |
![]() |
|
An Irish Blessing (Musescore File).mscz | ||
An Irish Blessing (SATB) Choral | An Irish Blessing (SATB) | |
Analisis musical claves para entender e interpretar la Música (M. y A. Lorenzo) Español |
![]() |
|
Analysis Of Tonal Music An Schenkerian Approach Allen Cadwallader and David Gagné (Book) |
![]() |
|
Analyzing Bach Cantatas by Eric Chafe (eBook) |
![]() |
|
Analyzing Schubert by Suzannah Clark (Cambridge Un. Press) (eBook) |
![]() |
|
Anastacia Not That Kind Songbook |
![]() |
Anastacia songbook |
Anastasia Sheet Music songbook Piano & vocal |
![]() |
Anastasia Sheet Music songbook Piano & vocal |
Ancora ancora ancora (Mina) | ||
Ancora qui (Django Unchained) Elisa – Ennio Morricone | ||
And the Waltz goes on (Anthony Hopkins) | ||
Andante (from String Quartet op. 22) P. I. Tchaikovsky | ||
Anderson Freire – So Voce Piano |
![]() |
|
Andras Schiff – Music Comes Out Of Silence Book |
![]() |
|
Andre Gagnon – L’air Du Soir |
![]() |
|
Andre Gagnon – Le Reve De L’automne (sheet music Collection) |
![]() |
Andre Gagnon – Le Reve De L’automne (sheet music Collection) |
Andre Gagnon – Les Jours Tranquilles | Andre Gagnon – Les Jours Tranquilles | |
Andre Gagnon – Meguriai |
![]() |
|
Andre Gagnon – Nelligan |
![]() |
|
Andre Gagnon – Petite Nostalgie |
![]() |
|
Andre Gagnon – Reves D’Automne | Andre Gagnon – Reves D’Automne | |
Andre Gagnon – The Very Best Of Andre Gagnon (Sheet Music Songbook) |
![]() |
Andre Gagnon – The Very Best Of Andre Gagnon (Sheet Music Songbook) |
André Gagnon Selection Speciale de chansons (partitions musicales) |
![]() |
André Gagnon Selection Speciale de chansons (partitions musicales) |
Andre Popp Paul Mauriat Love Is Blue Piano Solo Arr. |
![]() |
|
André Previn – Play Like André Previn no. 1 |
![]() |
Andre Previn sheet music |
Andre Previn – The Genius of (Piano Solos sheet music) |
![]() |
The genius of André Previn |
Andre Rieu La Vie Est Belle (Songbook Collection As Performed By André Rieu) |
![]() |
Andre Rieu La Vie Est Belle (Songbook Collection As Performed By André Rieu) |
Andrea Bocceli – Time To Say Goodbye | ||
Andrea Boccelli – Time To Say Goodbye |
![]() |
|
Andrea Bocelli Romanza songbook (Guitar & Voice) |
![]() |
Andrea Bocelli Romanza songbook |
Andrea Bocelli – Anthology (songbook) |
![]() |
![]() |
Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo arr | Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo | |
Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo.mscz | ||
Andrea Bocelli – The Best Of Songbook |
![]() |
Andrea Bocelli best of |
Andrea Bocelli Celine Dion The Prayer Easy Piano And Vocal By David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa And Tony Renis |
![]() |
|
Andrea Bocelli Celine Dion – The Prayer – Easy Piano and Vocal by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa and Tony Renis.mscz | ||
Andrea Bocelli Cieli Di Toscana (Piano, guitar & Vocal) |
![]() |
Andrea Bocelli Cieli Di Toscana |
Andrea Bocelli Sogno Songbook |
![]() |
Andrea Bocelli sogno |
Andrea Bocelli The Prayer |
![]() |
|
Andrea Morricone – Nuovo Cinema Paradiso – Love Theme |
![]() |
|
Andrés Segovia Classic Album For Guitar Volume 2 |
![]() |
Andrés Segovia Classic Album For Guitar Volume 2 |
Andrés Segovia Classic Album For Guitar Volumes 1 to14 |
![]() |
Andrés Segovia Classic Album For Guitar Volumes 1 to14Andrés Segovia Classic Album For Guitar Volume 2 |
Andres Segovia Collection Pieces For Solo Guitar |
![]() |
Andres Segovia Collection Pieces For Solo Guitar |
Andres Segovia Obras Para Guitarra Vol 1 Preludios Y Estudios |
![]() |
Andres Segovia Obras Para Guitarra Vol 1 Preludios Y Estudios |
Andres Segovia Obras Para Guitarra Vol 2 23 Canciones Populares Del Mundo |
![]() |
Andres Segovia Obras Para Guitarra Vol 2 23 Canciones Populares Del Mundo |
Andres Segovia- Transcripciones Obras Para Guitarra Vol 3 |
![]() |
Andres Segovia- Transcripciones Obras Para Guitarra Vol 3 |
Andrew Hill 21 Piano Compositions |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber Sunset Boulevard (Revised Broadway Version) Piano & Vocal Score |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber The Music Of The Night |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber Think of me (The Phantom of the Opera) | Andrew Lloyd Webber Think Of Me | |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – All I Ask of You (The Phantom of the Opera) |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Angel Of Music (Piano, Vocal, Guitar chords) | Andrew Lloyd Webber – Angel Of Music (Piano, Vocal, Guitar chords) | |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – CATS (Piano & Vocal score) |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – CATS (Piano & Vocal score) |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Jesus Christ Superstar (Musical Excerpts Complete Libretto) Lyrics by Tim Rice |
![]() |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The Musical Full Score |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The Musical Vocal Selections |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The Musical Vocal Selections |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Love Never Dies (Piano Book) |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Weber – Love Never Dies (Piano Book) |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Love Never Dies Full Vocal Score (Andrew Lloyd Webber) |
![]() |
Love Never Dies Full Vocal Score |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Requiem (the musical) Piano Vocal Score |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber – School of Rock |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – School of Rock |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – The Phantom Of The Opera | ||
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Unmasked A Memoir (Book) |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Unmasked The Platinum Collection |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Unmasked The Platinum Collection |
Andrew Lloyd Webber “By Jeeves”, the musical |
![]() |
|
Andrew Lloyd Webber Anthology |
![]() |
Webber, Andrew Lloyd – Antholog |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Jesus Christ Superstar Tim Rice (Deutsche Texte) | Andrew Lloyd Webber Jesus Christ Superstar Tim Rice (Deutsche Texte) | |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Pro Vocal Womens Edition |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Pro Vocal Womens Edition |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Sheet Music Collection, The – Andrew Lloyd Webber sheet music |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Sheet Music Collection, The – Andrew Lloyd Webber sheet music |
Andrew Lloyd WebberJesus Christ Superstar (Broadway) |
![]() |
Andrew Lloyd Webber Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway) |
Andrew Lloyd WebberThe Phantom of the Opera (Piano Vocal & Guitar) Songbook |
![]() |
![]() |
Androgyne (Mario Leblanc) | ||
Andy Timmons Anthology |
![]() |
|
Andy Jaffe – Jazz Harmony |
![]() |
Andy Jaffe – Jazz Harmony |
Andy Laverne – Tons Of Runs For The Contemporary Pianist |
![]() |
andy laverne tons of runs contemporary pianist |
Andy LaVerne – Vol. 85 Tunes You Thought You Knew | Andy LaVerne sheet music | |
Angeles Negros Y Volveré (Alaian Barrière) |
![]() |
|
Angelo Badalamenti – Twin Peaks Theme (Instrumental) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Angra Rebirth Guitar Songbook |
![]() |
|
Angry Birds Theme Song (Piano) |
![]() |
|
Animal Crossing Christmas Eve |
![]() |
|
Animal Crossing – Christmas Eve (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Animal Crossing New Horizons – Welcome Horizons Main Theme |
![]() |
|
Animals – The House Of The Rising Sun | The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun | |
Animation Collection, Music From The Movies The (Solo Piano) |
![]() |
Animation Collection, Music From The Movies The (Solo Piano) |
Anime Music Collection |
![]() |
Anime Collection |
Anime Sheet Music Tsubasa Chronicle |
![]() |
Anime Sheet Music Tsubasa Chronicle |
Anna And The King – How Can I Not Love You – Enriquez Joy | ||
Anna And The King – How Can I Not Love You – Joy Enriquez | Anna And The King – How Can I Not Love You – Enriquez Joy | |
Anna Karenina 2012 – Curtain (Dario Marianelli) | ||
Anna Karenina 2012 – Dance with me (Dario Marianelli) | ||
Anna Karenina 2012 – I Understood Something (Dario Marianelli) | ||
Anna Karenina 2012 – Kitty’s Debut (Dario Marianelli) | ||
Anna Karenina 2012 – Ouverture (Dario Marianelli) |