Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers

Read About This Recording

Horace Silver always had a simple and earthy approach. One of the leaders of hard bop and soul jazz, Silver's funky style of piano was blues-oriented with strong hints of church music, leavened by his witty quotes from other songs. In addition, Silver has long been a major composer, with many of his tunes becoming jazz standards.

Silver first began to be noticed when he toured during 1951-52 with Stan Getz's quartet. After freelancing, in 1954 he formed the Jazz Messengers, a group that he co-led with drummer Art Blakey. He left the group two years later and led his own quintets for decades, being a pacesetter as a pianist, bandleader and composer. Horace Silver And The Jazz Messengers was the first recording by the Jazz Messengers and is a true classic. The quintet (with Silver, Blakey, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, tenor-saxophonist Hank Mobley and bassist Doug Watkins) performs eight songs, seven of which are by Silver, including two, The Preacher and Doodlin', that caught on big. Even the lesser-known tunes are memorable and hard-swinging

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Room 608; Creepin' In; Stop Time; To Whom It May Concern; Hippy; The Preacher; Hankerin'; Doodlin'.

Horace Silver, Piano; The Jazz Messengers: Art Blakey, Drums; Doug Watkins, Bass; Hank Mobley, Tenor Sax; Kenny Dorham, Trumpet.