Horace Silver Retrospective - opinions/advice requested
Eric Karten
Let's suppose a relative newcomer really digs Horace Silver, having listened
intensively to the "Song For My Father" album and a handful of classic
Blakey/Messengers albums, and wants to hear more Horace, but has a limited
budget. Would he be better off purchasing the recent four-disc Blue Note
"Retrospective" or four individual Blue Note titles?
If you recommend the latter, which four should this dilemma-plagued guy pick
up?
Below is the track listing for the "Retrospective".
I'm the guy, so I thank you, in advance, for any guidance.
Eric
HORACE SILVER RETROSPECTIVE
Disc One
Safari
Ecaroh
Opus De Funk
Doodlin'
The Preacher
Cool Eyes
Senor Blues
Home Cookin'
Soulville
The Outlaw
Senior Blues (Vocal Version)
Swingin' The Samba
Cookin' At The Continental
Juicy Luicy
Disc Two
Sister Sadie
Peace
Blowin' The Blues Away
Strollin'
Nica's Dream
Filthy McNasty
The Tokyo Blues
Sayonara Blues
Silver's Serenade
Disc Three
Song For My Father
Que Pasa
The Cape Verdean Blues
Nutville
The Jody Grind
Mexican Hip Dance
Serenade To A Soul Sister
Psychadelic Sally
It's Time
The Happy Medium
Peace
Old Mother Nature Calls
Disc Four
How Much Does Matter Really Matter
All
In Pursuit Of The 27th Man
Gregory Is Here
Barbara
Adjustment
The Tranquilizer Suite
The Process Of Creation Suite
All In Time
The Soul And It's Expression
Jack Woker
> "Retrospective" or four individual Blue Note titles?
The problem with buying a retrospective such as this - if you do like
it, anything else you buy will end up duplicating something on the set.
And, imo, the set covers too much ground and gives us a whole lot of
later stuff that I, for one, can live without. Horace has long been one
of my favorites, so limiting it to four is difficult. And,
having been a fan since the 60's, I'm not sure what is currently
available, so here is a list, in chronological order, of my favorite
Horace Silver albums:
"Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers" (Blue Note)
"The Jazz Messengers" (Columbia)
"The Stylings of Silver" (Blue Note)
"Further Explorations" (Blue Note)
"Doin' the Thing" (Blue Note)
"Tokyo Blues" (Blue Note)
"Silver's Serenade" (Blue Note)
"Song For My Father" (Blue Note)
"The Cape Verdean Blues" (Blue Note)
Of course, I expect others to mention titles I've omitted, until his
entire discography will be listed! :-)
jack
Ron Hearn
noticed that many artists' later works are not among their best or
best-liked work? How often have you heard anyone say "The stuff he did
at the end was his best, man!" as opposed to "I'm into early Miles/Trane
/Sonny/Chet/Wes etc.? Doubtless fuel for a sub-thread.
Anyway, two other Horace recordings to add to Jack's list are:
"Blowing The Blues Away" (Blue Note)
"Silver's Blue" (Epic/Portrait) Not as well known as the Blue Notes but
a favorite of mine with Joe Gordon and Hank Mobley.
In article <3895B5...@ix.netcom.com>,
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Murphy McMahon
news:874mvl$vug$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
> I agree with Jack with respect to Horace's later stuff. Have you ever
> noticed that many artists' later works are not among their best or
> best-liked work? How often have you heard anyone say "The stuff he did
> at the end was his best, man!" as opposed to "I'm into early Miles/Trane
> /Sonny/Chet/Wes etc.? Doubtless fuel for a sub-thread.
Hey you don't hear anybody putting down Elvin's later work. :-)
I have Dolphy stuff from 1960 to 1964 and I think the soloing on those live
Mingus dates (Town Hall, Paris) is easily as good, if not better, than
anything he did. (I know the circumstances are different). I think Sam
Rivers, just from one of his latest CDs I listened to in a store the other
day, is still making incredible music.
But for the most part, it does seem like you have a point.
--
Murph
D Royko
<luvt...@u.washington.edu> writes:
>Ron Hearn <he...@dowco.com> wrote in message
>news:874mvl$vug$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
>> I agree with Jack with respect to Horace's later stuff. Have you ever
>> noticed that many artists' later works are not among their best or
>> best-liked work?
>But for the most part, it does seem like you have a point.
Why is it often the opposite when it comes to classical composers? From Bach to
Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner, Verdi, so many examples of composers who
did their best work in their final years.
Dave Royko
Bruce LeClaire
I don't believe that Silver's "Jody Grind" (Blue Note) has been
mentioned yet. Maybe not the best but worth a listening.
As far as the old/new artist I've been chewing on that one. Only one
name leap to mind immediately. Pharoah Sanders. I must admit that I like
his later work more than most of his earlier stuff. Maybe it's just me,
but I think the aging process mellowed him to the point that makes it
easier (again, for me) to appreciate his blowing. But then I haven't
made a concentrated effort to re-listen to his early work for quite
awhile.
Another player whose late work I very much enjoyed was Art Farmer. But
then, I always liked him (e.g compare Modern Art vs. PhD, both are
great!).
Funny thing about Miles. Long ago I first heard him in recording with
Parker, and so, I thought his playing, while adequate, didn't measure up
to Fats and Diz. So the path through trumpets I took was
Fats/Diz/Brown/Morgan. It took me awhile to find the great work of the
"late" Miles vs. the "early" Miles.
--Bruce