What if some of the foundation for the way some jazz sounds was because of the way you played and explored, and because of the way you uniquely created and made music? That sound becoming very much a part of a sound.
Horace Silver’s legacy is that of a giant’s shoulder stood upon confidently by so many who have followed, and who continue to follow. His impact on the sound of jazz, to this day, is affirming, challenging, and staggering.
Hard bop — that is the sound. With intent, it is a purposed infusion of R&B, gospel, and blues into jazz playing. Strong branches of the roots of the music providing the pads for the lifting-off points of evolution and discovery.
Silver laid this artistry down in the 1950s. The chance to play with Stan Getz was a launch into a vibrant New York scene. In the storied city, he joined up with Art Blakey, creating a landmark band in the evolution of the music’s direction and culture. The band cooperative was the Jazz Messengers. Silver shone strongly, not only as a piano player and bandleader, but also as a composer with many of his tunes played by the famed group. The combo of R&B, gospel, and blues seasons the sound. A groove and harmonic and rhythmic exploration of imaginative ways of delivering the music, its messages, and its heart and soul.