The pianist with the funky grooves and gospel-and-blues-derived "down-home" take on the bebop revolution was a cornerstone of the classic Blue Note sound of the 1950s. What made Silver so appealing then was his threefold commitment to composing, playing, and bandleading, a commitment that showed no sign of dimming in the '90s. It's an all-star cast for HARDBOP GRANDPOP--Steve Turre, Michael Brecker, Ron Carter, etc.--but everyone involved knows a Horace Silver record is the very antithesis of a string-of-solos "blowing session".
With two reeds and two brass, GRANDPOP comes on like a little big band record, employing surging unisons, four-part shouts, crafty call-and-response riffs, and background lines that keep the soloists cooking when the pianist isn't already serving up his own riff-style comping. This is the disc to spin for your friends who think jazz doesn't make any sense.|
Rovi