Horace Silver
Bluesy, infectious, smartly swinging jazz is Silver's brand of funk. Since the late '50s, the pianist has been propelling all avid bands with his distinctively punchy chords and tight-to-the-melody improvisations. His new nine-piece Silver/Brass Ensemble, augmented by such rambunctious guest soloists as saxophonists Red Holloway and Branford Marsalis and trumpeter Oscar Brashear, slip-slides through a dozen of Silver's buoyant newer tunes and his gleaming arrangements. Silver, 64, has been recuperating this summer from minor surgery. His album, meanwhile, is good for what ails you. His first in 10 years, it's as bracing as a leap into a rushing stream, and the hearty vocals of Andy Bey—a singer in the manly mold of Joe Williams—add spangle to the splash. (Columbia)
Your Reaction
