Customer Reviews

Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A true classic, this CD found pianist Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey co-leading the Jazz Messengers; Silver would leave a year later to form his own group. Also featuring trumpeter Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley on tenor and bassist Doug Watkins, this set is most notable for the original versions of Silver's "The Preacher" and "Doodlin'," funky standards that helped launch hard bop and both the Jazz Messengers and Silver's quintet. Essential music.

Horace Silver and Art Blakey, that great drummer, probably are the real pivots of this excellent band, but the horns also pack a real punch. The music of Silver, and indeed more generally that of the various groups performing as "The Jazz Messengers", was always very "jazzy": strongly rooted in the blues and hard, driving swing. Here "The Preacher" reminds one of negro spirituals, and it is a wonderfully zestful tune and group-performance. The tempo is usually not as frenzied, on a recording like this, as that of various other performers in similar "East Coast" groups of the time, but the music is utterly powerful. The articulation of musical ideas is wonderfully clear, aesthetic, inventive, and ordered - without the extravagant cascades and mere loudness of sound that some other groups produced. Many other jazz pianists, or drummers for that matter, tend towards little more than accompaniment, but Silver and Blakey have plenty of their own to say. All in all, this record is a "gas": a constantly stimulating companion over the years, uplifting and joyful. Very satisfying to own and play regularly. - Joost Daalder

In my collection of jazz records, this one is easily in the top five. Silver's and Blakey's solos are some of the best in jazz history, but there is really nothing worng about this album. It moves and grooves, and swings hard. If you've never really heard of Horace Silver, I would definitely buy this album.

Hard Bop, jazz with gospel, bluesy overtones and fun free spirited sax. Sounds to be a resourceful batter of music, you can thank the label Blue Note for getting Horace Silver in on the roster. Really can you go wrong with Art Blakey on drums and Mr. Silver keying away on his tuneful piano?

Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers gels so splendidly it helped give birth/create hard bop (the niche I mentioned earlier). Bebopin blues so well played that it's unleashed with emotion but leashed in tight performance scenario. I'm spinning my vinyl copy of this right now, climbing bass, clever rousing piano, why am I still trying to explain it?

Eight tracks, seven of which written by Silver himself, (track seven was written by Hank Mobley) all very natural sounding though the brassy sounds haven't aged as well as say a Tijuana Brass album. Different techniques were used though, and for its time I'm sure it sounded fresh.

I haven't noticed any terrible distortion thankfully, the drums may suggest it though. I picked up my second copy in a year for 1.99$ on vinyl. Look around see if you too can find a bargain bin copy all for yourself. The heavy vinyl reissues may be your only viable source though as many scavenge Blue Notes much like classical enthusiast hunt down many RCA Living Stereo records.

The solos are excellent all around; Dorham is a standout. The album has a consistent feel to it. Why only four stars? I've got to leave some room for Monk, Miles, Coltrane...

This man deserves it. He was the man behind The Jazz Messenger whom him and the drummer Art Blakey formed back together. This sure is a good album and a must-have for all of those die-hard jazz lovers and music lovers must put down rap for a minute and hear this. This one made a discovery in the world of jazz. If u listen to it, you'll hear a difference. I hope ya'll enjoy this.

This is a must 2 add along w/ my collection of the Dizzy's, Miles's, Bird's, Coltranes', Quincy Jones's, etc. I have around.

I've been playing jazz piano professionally for over 20 years and Horace Silver is among my favorites. I hadn't heard this album so when Horace wrote about this group in the lastest issue of Jazz Times, I definitely wanted to hear this group. As he writes, the individual musicans, Kenny Dorham and Hank Mobley (as well as Siver, Blakey and Watkins) are all surperb, giving clear, sophisticated solos. However, the structure (i.e. the tunes) are flat and uninteresting, and except for "The Preacher" hardly worth recording. Compared to the great "Song for My Father" and "Blowin' the Blues Away" albums, sorry, but this one's a flop!

Horace Silver&The Jazz Messengers Sound Great All the way Through here.THE GREAT DRUMMER Art Blakey Fronted The Messengers.The Music here Never Misses The Beat.Strong Arrangements&Playing.A Must Have.