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.
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 |
---|---|---|
Sorabji – Désir Éperdu | ||
Sorabji – 4 Frammenti Aforistici | ||
Sorabji – Djami | ||
Sorabji – Etude 01 | ||
Sorabji – Grieg La morte d’Ase Variazione maliziosa | ||
Sorabji – Toccatinetta | ||
Sorabji 2 Pieces (In the Hothouse + Toccata) | ||
Sorabji Fantasie Espagnole 1919 | ||
Sorabji Piano sonata no 1 | ||
Sorabji Salome | ||
Sorabji- Etude 17 | ||
Soren Bebe Adagio (piano solo) from Music for Ballet and Contemporary Classes | ||
Soren Bebe Plié 1 (piano solo) from Music for Ballet and Contemporary Classes | ||
Soren Bebe Warm Up from Ballet Vol 4 (Complete 27 tracks) | Soren Bebe Warm Up from Ballet Vol 4 | |
Sorry seems to be the hardest word (Elton John) | ||
Sostiene Pereira (4 mani) | ||
Sostiene Pereira (Ennio Morricone) | ||
SOUL – Classic Soul Music | SOUL | |
Soul (Disney Pixar Movie) Epiphany Easy Piano Vocal Guitar Chords Sheet Music | ||
Soul (Disney Pixar Movie) It’s All Right Piano Vocal Guitar Chords Sheet Music | ||
Soul (Disney Pixar Movie) Parting Ways Piano Vocal Guitar Chords Sheet Music | ||
Soul Blues Stride Swing Piano transcribed solos | SOULD BLES STRIDE | |
Soul Guitar Bible (33 great songs) Guitar with TABs | Soul Guitar Bible (33 great songs) Guitar with TABs | |
Soul Jazz – Jazz Piano Solos sheet music Book | Soul Jazz | |
Soul Jazz Vol. 59 10 favorite tunes | Soul Jazz vol 59 | |
Sound Of Music – Sixteen Going On Seventeen | ||
Sound Of Music – The Sound Of Music | ||
Sous le Sable – shorter version (Philippe Rombi) | ||
Sous le Sable (Philippe Rombi) | ||
Southern Rock Guitar Bible with Tablature | Southern Rock Guitar Bible | |
Soweto Kinch – Never Ending | ||
Space Harrier Theme Sega Video Game Sheet Music Piano | ||
Spaces I Jazz ClassIcs | Spaces I Jazz ClassIcs | |
Spaces II Contemporary Funk Jazz | Spaces II Contemporary Funk Jazz | |
Spaces III Jazz Mixed Bag | Spaces III Jazz Mixed Bag | |
Spaces IV CompendIum Of Jazz Tastes | Spaces IV CompendIum Of Jazz Tastes | |
Spaces V Bebop Jazz | Spaces V Bebop Jazz | |
Spaces VI Jazz Solos | Spaces VI Jazz Solos | |
Spain (For Piano Solo) – Chick Corea (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Spandau Ballet The Best Of Spandau Ballet Songbook | ||
Spanish And Italian Folk Songs 1887 | Spanish And Italian Folk Songs 1887 | |
Spanish Piano Music 24 Works | ||
Spartacus (Alex North – Khachaturian) love theme Bill Evans (Guitar with Tablature) | Spartacus Love theme | |
Spartacus (Khachaturian) – Love Theme (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Speed Guitar – German Schauss | Speed Guitar – German Schauss | |
Spencer Williams – Basin Street Blues Guitar Solo | ||
Spice Girls Greatest Hits | Spice Girls Greatest Hits | |
Spider-Man Costume Montage Danny Elfman | ||
Spider-Man Main theme Danny Elfman | ||
Spider-Man 2 Hans Zimmer You’re My Boy | ||
Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Sunflower by Austin Richard Post | ||
Spider-Man James Horner The Amazing Rooftop Kiss | ||
Spider-Man Theme From (Full Score) | ||
Spiderman – Costume Montage – Danny Elfman | ||
Spiderman – Main theme – Danny Elfman | ||
Spiderman – Maintheme – Danny Elfman | ||
Spiegel Im Spiegel (Violoncello And Piano) Arvo Pärt (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Spirited Away – Joe Hisaishi | Hisaishi Spirited Away | |
Spirited Away – One Summer’s Day | One Summer’s Day – One-Summers-Day-Spirited-Away | |
Spring is here (jazz lead sheet play along) | Spring is here | Audio MP3 included in Aebersold’s Vol. 34 |
Spring Time Ballet – Bilitis OST (Francis Lai) | ||
Stacey Kent – This Happy Madness | ||
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin | STAIRWAY_TO_HEAVEN | |
Stamaty – Rhythmic Training for the Fingers | ||
Stan Ayeroff – George Gershwin Three Arrangements for Guitar (Swanrr, Somebody Loves Me and I Got Rhythm) | Stan Ayeroff – George Gershwin Three Arrangements for Guitar (Swanrr, Somebody Loves Me and I Got Rhythm) | |
Stan Ayeroff – Morning Has Broken Solo Guitar with TABs Traditional | ||
Stan Ayeroff – Two arrangements for Guitar Tonight I Celebrate my Love and As Time Goes By | Stan Ayeroff – Two arrangements for Guitar Tonight I Celebrate my Love and As Time Goes By | |
Stan Getz You Stepped Out Of A Dream | ||
Stan Getz Bossa Nova Tenor Sax | ||
Stan Getz Jazz Sambas – Bossa novas | ||
Stan Getz Omnibook For C instruments Transcribed exactly from his recorded solos | Stan Getz Omnibook For C instruments Transcribed exactly from his recorded solos | |
Stan Getz Sax Solos | Stan Getz Sax Solos | |
Stan Getz Solo Transcriptions | ||
Stanchinsky 5 Preludes Pour Piano | ||
Stanchinsky – Prelude in Lydian Mode | Stanchinsky – Prelude in Lydian Mode | |
Stanchinsky_-_Prelude_in_Lydian_Mode.mscz | ||
Stand By Me Piano | Stand By Me Piano | |
Stand my ground (Within Temptation) | ||
Standard Pops 1 Guitar Solo Collection with TAB arr. by Michimo Tashima | Standard Pops 1 Guitar Solo Collection with TAB arr. by Michimo Tashima.pdf | |
Standard Pops 2 Guitar Solo Collection with TAB arr. by Michimo Tashima | Standard Pops 2 Guitar Solo Collection with TAB arr. by Michimo Tashima | |
Ständchen Franz Schubert (Guitar Arr.) | ||
Ständchen – Franz Schubert (Guitar Arr.) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Stanley Clarke Collection BASS songbook 16 masterpieces | ||
Stanley Jordan – Guitar Exercises Pluck To Touch | Stanley Jordan – Guitar Exercises Pluck To Touch | |
Stanley Jordan – Guitar Exercises Pluck To Touch (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Stanley Myers – Cavatina (from the flm The Deer Hunter) | Stanley Myers – Cavatina (from the flm The Deer Hunter) | |
Star Dust – Hoagy Carmichael (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Star Trek – Complete (Themes from all TV shows and movies) Piano Solo | Star Trek – Complete Theme For Piano Solo | |
Star Trek – The Motion Picture Theme – Jerry Goldsmith | ||
Star Trek – The Voyage Home by Alenxander Courage and Leonard Roseman (Piano Solo) | Star Trek – The Voyage Home by Alenxander Courage and Leonard Roseman (Piano Solo) | |
Star Trek Highlights From Star Trek Into Darkness Conductor Score Michael Giacchino Arr. By Michael Brown | Star Trek Highlights From Star Trek Into Darkness Conductor Score Michael Giacchino Arr. By Michael Brown | |
Star Trek Into Darkness (Main Theme) Michael Giacchino | ||
Star Trek Into Darkness London Calling Michael Giacchino Guitar Tablature | ||
Star Trek Into Darkness London Calling Michael Giacchino Piano Solo | ||
Star Trek Music from the motion picture – Piano Solo by Michael Giacchino | Star Trek Music from the motion picture – Piano Solo by Michael Giacchino | |
Star Trek The Motion Picture – The Enterprise – Jerry Goldsmith (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Star Wars – Piano Duet (Williams John (Cop)Keveren Phillip (Crt)) | ||
Star Wars Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace – Duel Of The Fates – John Williams | ||
Star Wars Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – Imperial March | Star Wars Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – Imperial March | |
Star Wars Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – Main Theme | Star Wars Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – Main Theme | |
Star Wars Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – The Asteroid Field – John Williams | ||
Stardust Crusaders – Jotaros Theme From Jojos Bizarre Adventures | ||
Stardust Ilan Eshkeris by Ian Sapiro A film score guide (Book) | ||
Starfox64 – Maintheme – Kondokoji | ||
Starlight Express – Andrew Lloyd Webber Starlight Express | Starlight Express – Andrew Lloyd Webber Starlight Express | |
Status Quo Rock All Over The World Piano Vocal.mscz | ||
Status Quo – Rockin All Over The World Guitar Vocal Album Songbook | Status Quo – Rockin All Over The World Guitar Vocal Album Songbook | |
Status Quo Whatever You Want Guitar Tab | Status Quo Whatever You Want Guitar Tab | |
Status Quo Guitar Legends Guitar TABs | Status Quo Guitar Legends Guitar TABs | |
Status Quo In The Army Now (guitar) | ||
Status Quo Living On An Island Bass Transcription | Status Quo Living On An Island Bass Transcription | |
Status Quo Rock Til You Drop Guitar Songbook | Status Quo Rock Til You Drop Guitar Songbook | |
Status Quo Rockin All Over The World | ||
Stavros Lantsias Waltz of the Eyes | ||
Steamboy – Manchester1886 – Steve Jablonsky | ||
Steamby – Flyinthesky – Steve Jablonsky | ||
Steely Dan Songbook Complete | Steely Dan Songbook Complete | |
Stefan Schyga Guitar Learn How To Play The Classical Guitar | ||
Stefano Bollani – Antonia (Antonio Zambrini) spartiti Jazz Transcription | ||
Stefano Bollani – Antonia Antonio Zambrini (Jazz Transcription) (Musescore File).mscz |