Jazz Has A Sense Of Humor

by Horace Silver

Overview

What a joy this recording is! A hearty assertion of Silver's own undiminished powers, JAZZ HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR is also a model of how to breath new life into what is fast becoming the hoariest of jazz genres, hard bop. In the right hands - - and Silver, a hard bop pioneer from the early 50s onwards, has as right a pair as you're going to get -- this brawny music also takes on a lightness, joviality and individuality so sadly missing from the work of younger practitioners. Not that Silver has messed very much with the formula he developed in the 50s and 60s. Terrific new tunes like "Satisfaction Guaranteed," "Gloria," "Philley Millie," and "Where Do I go From Here" all have a familiar feel, giving the impression that they could fit quite snuggly next to Silver classics like "Song for My Father" and "Senor Blues" - - in fact each of HUMOR's nine originals come off as a sweet and funky gem.

Silver's inimitable piano playing is itself worth the price of admission: his melodic accompaniment acts as a song within a song, while his mirthful solos dance with spontaneity, yet embody the concise form of pre-written compositions. There's fine, fluent work from each of Silver's quintet, but one is always drawn back to the leader's overarching influence as writer, arranger and player. Silver has tamed the unruly beast; he makes hard bop roar and sing.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/10/1999
Label:	UNIVERSAL MUSIC DISTRIBUTION
UPC:	0011105029322
Rank:	31379

Tracks

1. Satisfaction Guaranteed
2. The Mama Suite, Pt. 1: Not Enough Mama
3. The Mama Suite, Pt. 2: Too Much Mama
4. The Mama Suite, Pt. 3: Just Right Mama
5. Philley Millie
6. Ah-Ma-Tell
7. I Love Annie's Fanny
8. Gloria
9. Where Do I Go from Here?

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Horace Silver   Primary Artist,Piano
Willie Jones III   Drums
John Webber   Bass
Ryan Kisor   Trumpet
Jimmy Greene   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)

Technical Credits

Ryan Kisor   Guest Artist
Marsha Black   Production Coordination
Kaei Ishiara   Artwork
Hollis King   Art Direction
Isabelle Wong   Design
Peter de S¿¿ve   Artwork
Doug Sax   Mastering
Horace Silver   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Jim Anderson   Engineer
Theodora Kuslan   Release Coordinator
Tommy LiPuma   Executive Producer
Al Schmitt   Mixing

Editorial Reviews

In this set of nine originals, the Horace Silver touch is clearly evident: happy, strong melodies; groovin' beats; Silver's deft, deliberate, bluesy piano comping and boppin' leads; and the joyful playing of saxophonist Jimmy Greene and trumpeter Ryan Kisor, which seems to be more intense in the context of Silver's unmistakable compositions. The CD's title is in reference to the album's content (and that the listener has to go along with Silver's adoration in a nonsexist way toward women). Some might be offended by the title "I Love Annie's Fanny," but it's just the name of a bouncy, mainstream jazz ditty that Silver is so well known for writing. There are some clichés that pop up in old Silver numbers that he seems to have rewritten. Phrases of "Cape Verdean Blues" creep into the urgent first movement of "The Mama Suite," and his typical groove waltz is extant in the opener "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and the closer "Where Do I Go From Here?" But his tunefully familiar, head-noddin' original funk is a vital as ever, and sounds pretty fresh compared to some of the trite neo-bop being reprocessed this past decade. Silver's light, spare, soulful style -- particularly when he uses his left hand in tandem with John Webber's bass -- is a sound for sore ears, one that has a universal, timeless appeal, crossing generational and commercial barriers. This is well-played music, a specialty Silver has envisioned and realized through the bulk of his career. Highly recommended.