Customer Reviews

Six Pieces of Silver

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Picking up a 50s Horace Silver album on Blue Note records is definitely a no-risk proposition, but there are better places to start than Six Pieces of Silver. The best of the seven pieces on the original album are "Enchantment" (great soul jazz) and the rumbling, slightly ominous "Senor Blues". Most of the other pieces are typical catchy, grooving Silver if not as exceptional as those on Blowin' the Blues Away or Horace Silver & the Jazz Messengers. (So get those two albums first.) As an added note, the sound is really murky on the Rudy Van Gelder edition.

Simply put, any Silver session recorded before 1964's "Song for My Father" and featuring Hank Mobley on tenor is essential. This one was made in 1956, the year that found Silver on an unprecedented tear: the sublime "Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers" (on Columbia), the delicately shaded and varied "Silver's Blue" (on Epic) and the latin-flavored "Six Pieces of Silver" (on Blue Note), with three versions of Horace's "hit"--"Senor Blues." Though the latter suffers from some of the overly arranged formulaic sameness of "Song for My Father," it's complemented by seven additional gemlike Silver miniatures, each affording more room for expressive solo work than the tightly wound main attraction. Finally, the two Silver trio selections--"Shirl" and "For Heaven's Sake"--rank among the pianist's most effective solo offerings.

After acquiring the aforementioned trilogy of vital disks, you'll want to pick up "Horace-Scope" (with "Strollin'"), "Further Explorations" (with "Moon Rays") and "Stylings of Silver" (no hits, just superb interplay between Mobley and Farmer). At that point, if you want your record collection to look like everyone else's, get the Blue Notes with "The Preacher," "Song for My Father," and "Blowin' the Blues Away." Just don't bet on them seeing the most playing time in your CD player.

"Six Pieces of Silver" is one of Horace Silver's best albums of the 1950s, and unfortunately it has been out of print on CD for more than ten years. Luckily for all jazz fans it makes a permanent return to the catalog with this RVG Edition reissue. This version of the Silver Quintet is Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins and Louis Hayes, and they are, of course, in top form. Horace Silver's albums always seem to have the perfect balance of swinging hard-bop and quiet ballads, and "Six Pieces" is no exception. The up-tempo cuts are led by the barn-burner hit "Senor Blues," but "Cool Eyes," "Camouflage" and "Virgo" are its equal in quality if not intensity. The pensive, mid-tempo "Enchantment," and the two lush ballads, "Shirl" and "For Heaven's Sake" complete the original album. Added to the CD issue (but it is not exclusive to the RVG edition as it was on the original CD) are the 45-single version and the vocal version of "Senor Blues," and the bonus cut "Tippin'." The latter two were cut at a different session with Junior Cook replacing Mobley and Gene Taylor replacing Watkins. The other musicians remain the same, and Bill Henderson is the vocalist on "Senor." As with other titles in the RVG series, the remastering of "Six Pieces of Silver" brings forth an overall bigger, brighter and more natural sound. While it's no "Song For My Father" or "Blowin' The Blues Away," this an excellent edition to the family Silver.

Never having heard a Horace Silver recording before, my introduction came via YouTube where I had been looking for Harvey Mandel's version of Senor Blues. I did not find that, but did find several other versions to enjoy. When I heard Horace Silver's outstanding original I was floored, so I jumped over to amazon and immediately ordered Six Pieces of Silver.
There is enough to like on this CD that I will be exploring some of Silver's other early recordings in the near future. My favorite cuts are all three versions of the great Senor Blues but I am also quite taken with the opener Cool Eyes and with Enchantment.
This CD is part of the Rudy Van Gelder remaster series, a series that has both its fans and its critics. Never having heard the original, I count myself a fan as it sounds great on my equipment. Six Pieces of Silver is accompanied by an informative insert that contains pertinent album info, a reproduction of the original liner notes, and a more contemporary retrospective on the significance of this release. I recommend this album to any serious jazz fan whether or not you know anything about Horace Silver. You won't regret the purchase.

This 1956 recording that includes a young Donald Byrd on trumpet and the great Louis Hayes on drums. Some great bop with Horace leading on his piano. This comes from that era where Horace really took off on his own leadership. His forte as a bandleader came in the sixties, but he stands very tall on this album with a great set of musicians behind him. And what a classic disc cover with Silver hanging out on a park bench!j Where can I get the poster?

The best of the 3 versions of "Senior Blues" is still the original LP (1956) release. The jukebox 45 record (both sides) is pretty darn good. I first heard that version at thee one and only; "Bagel Shop" in North Beach on Grant Ave in 1959. I was surprised when Donald Byrd played a different solo on the record. A year or 2 later, I got the 45 record at a discount record store. Bill Henderson (stereo)does a fine job of singing with the help of H.S. lyrics. JR Cook replaces Mobley on that track and on "Tippin'". Those 2 tunes were recorded in 1958. Some of my favorite tunes here, are:"Enchanted","Cool Eyes" and the 2 trio ballad's, the rest are close 2nd's. "Virgo";Byrd throws out some scrap notes and attempts to connect the dot's in trying to keep up with the furious pace of the tune. I was lucky enough to see Byrd perform twice, one of those times was with Pepper Adams,Duke Pearson,Doug Watkins and Art Taylor at the Jazz workshop in 61 or 62. Mobley has a sound that you would get if you put a towel in the bell of the horn. He has a slippery pliable approach to his good idea's, He listens and connects, he has big ear's. In the sixty's, His tone was harder, Listen to "Bossa DeLuxe" with Jackie Mc Lean and Blue Mitchell etc. on H.M's CD;"High Voltage". D.W. is allowed to "Walk" a little bit and 18 year old Louis Hayes get's in a couple of solo's. Almost any Silver cd is going to give a Jazz thrill. He's one of the most consistent top of the line Jazz composer's of all time and pretty good funky soulful pianist. time;58 minutes + a few seconds. HI,HO, SILVER ! ! !

As above reviews.And early "Messenders: sounding session with guys like Byrd,Mobley,Watkins and Hayes.What maes this a CD to have even if you have LP is added Juke Box version "Of Senor Blues" (edited for time) and flip side with killer vocal version with great Bill Henderson on vox.Only knock is first press 1995 CD stinks and RVG is a bit better.Along with live "Doing The Thang Live At Village Gate" and great "Tokyo Blues" with mayb his best line up with Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook" this is one BN classic that's a must.
Cheers
Chazz

This is essential bop from the master of piano, at this time Silver was sharing duties as pianist for Blakey's Jazz Messengers and here he borrows a few fellow members such as Hank Mobley.

For years I had searched for one title on this disk without success. I would rate it 3* just on the basis of that title