Horace Silver: "Jazz Has a Sense Of Humor"
Verve/Impulse! (GRP): IMPD 293 Total Time: 47:35

"The Hardbop Grandpop" returned to the quintet format after some 25 years on his last release for Impulse, called "Prescription For The Blues" which featured the Brecker Brothers as the frontline. Now with 9 new compositions in hand, some complete with lyrics, Horace is back with a new group of extremely accomplished young musicians to interpret them. Horace continues to uncover musical gems with his personal mix of Funk, Blues, Bop and Latin while also rediscovering the value of space in his own playing.

The personnel on this CD are Horace on piano, Ryan Kisor, trumpet , Jimmy Greene, tenor and soprano sax, John Webber on bass, and Willie Jones III, drums. The younger players are all uniformly excellent and, while bop may not be what they are best known for, they play in the style with conviction, credibility and enthusiasm. Notably, Kisor shines with a warm, assured tone, while Greene explores the extensions of bop harmony with equal assurance, and Horace is at his inimitable best sprinkling his solos with quotes from familiar tunes and his signature rhythmic comping.

Tunes featured on the CD are:
1) the funky waltz "Satisfaction Guaranteed"
2) to
4) The Mama Suite featuring:
i) "Too Much Mama"- a driving, funky, Latin style tune
ii "Not Enough Mama"- a funky blues-based tune
iii) "Just Right Mama"- a loping, funky, bluesy tribute to "the perfect woman"
5) the strong two-feel of "Philly Millie" is a definite nod to Basie
6) "Ah-Ma-Tell"- another funky piece with Latin overtones
7) "I Love Annie's Fanny"- another loping, funky, blues-based tune
8) a Latin tune featuring soprano sax and some great rhythmic comping - "Gloria"
9) "Where Do I Go From Here?"- an interesting tune in 3/4 with a definite bluesy feel.

This is an another unexpected, but welcome release from a grandmaster of the post bop era. It's great to hear Horace again, joined by some very young modern players as they re-examine the roots of modern jazz with such enjoyment, assurance and conviction. Available from all good CD stores in Adelaide, Australia such as John Davis Records, B# Records and Blue Beat Records.