Customer Reviews
A Silver lining - By: David Johnson, 28 Nov 2006 
It's the simpleness of his warm, infectious grooves that makes Horace Silver's music so enduring. The Bossa Nova infused title track is a typical example of his ability to pen catchy rhythms, "Song for my father," is notable for Joe Henderson's blazing solo & it remains one of those Blue Note signature tunes. Each track starts with a bass note & a single piano chord before gently building into a tumultuous ebb & flow. "Calcutta Cutie," has a slighly eerie, claustrophobic feel to it & it combines well with the snaking,"Que Pasa." The liner notes on this re-issued version give an interesting insight into the rag bag of musicians that Silver usedin laying down the tracks. The rather lengthy recording time & the two quintets involved can only add to the record's allure
Some stuffy Jazz aficionados like to have a pop at this. Maybe the trumpets are a little blown away by the rhythm section but it remains one of my personal favourite Blue Notes & this is surely a must havein anyone's reocord collection.
Where have I heard this before? - By: Kevin Mcclure, 03 Feb 2006 The influence of Horace Silver is plain to hear on this evcellent album. This is accessable jazz but with plenty of bite. From the opening notes it sounds familiar & not just because the opening vamp was copied by Steely Dan. Silvers piano stlyle has been much copied & sampled so you will have heard him, or his style, on other artists songs many times without realising it. If you are looking for a place to start with a Horace Silver collection this is definitely where to start. If you are looking to get into jazz or to turn someone on to jazz then you could do no better than to start here. Also, if you like this then check out Art Blakey's "Moanin'"
An Atmospheric Ragbag... - By: , 10 Sep 2004 
Carmell Jones does not match up to Blue Mitchell & despite his big tone & other accomplishments Joe Henderson does not suit Horace Silver's tunes the way Junior Cook does. Consequently, the front line Joe Henderson & Carmell Jones were replacing simply blow them away. Not surprisingly, Joe Henderson went on to become a Blue Note staple, but never as good as Horace Silver. By comparison think of Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers & how many stars emerged from that stable. Such as Benny Golson & Wayne Shorter who both rightfully determined the Jazz Messengers' sound during their tenures, unlike Joe Henderson who remained a Blue Note session man for the rest of his time with the label. Atmospheric as Song For My Father is (apparently the main reason why this session sold so well - not to mention the cover photo) neither Joe Henderson nor Bill Carmell cut it for me.
High quality jazz with enormous popular appeal... - By: nicjaytee, 06 Jun 2003 Interesting... if one of the main reasons for the great space & vast praise garnered by the reviews for Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" is that it combines brilliant musicianship with tunes that are "accessible" by a much wider audience than pure jazz aficionados then why such little comparative interestin a record with similarly good credentials ?
While the playing on "Song For My Father" may not rank up there with Davis' & Coltrane's quite exceptional virtuosity on "Kind of Blue", Joe Henderson's sax, Carmell Jones' trumpet & Horace Silver's piano breaks push the album into the same rarefied & rare league: high quality jazz with enormous popular appeal. The trick ?... catchy lead riffs & backing rhythms that drive the songs forward while allowing often highly complex instrumental breaks to emerge effortlessly from, & back into, strong underlying melodies. The result?... a suite of songs that will grab space on your CD player over & over again and,in "Song For My Father" itself one of the most unforgettable jazz tracks ever made.
Funkiest hard-bop album ever - By: , 02 Jun 2001 Quintessential hard bop from the founding father of funk: an absolutely kicking album. Hugely influential, irresistibly swinging deep groove. Joe Henderson's saxophone is driven by waves of emotion & Silver's crisp composition & rhythmic left hand is at its most compelling. This is easily one of my favourite albums. I'm capable of playing it over & over again - the title tune is simply thrilling. The whole band exudes ebullience & optimism.
But the album is far more than mere entertainment: Silver's own trio piece, the closing "Lonely Woman" (not to be confused with the eponymous 1959 piece by Ornette Coleman, or the 1937 one by Benny Carter) is exceptional for its introspective lyricism. Silver's father was from Maio, Cape Verde, & his Portuguese origin (presumably Silva) explains the sub-title of the album: Cantiga para meu pai. No father could hope for a more heartfelt dedication.
