Search - Horace Silver :: Further Explorations

More Solid Silver

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/11/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Further Explorations" documents an in-between period in Horace Silver's Blue Noe discography. Recorded in 1958, it comes after his early "Jazz Messengers" era efforts, and before his great band with Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook that yielded a half-dozen classic albums. The music however is not middle of the road. Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan are no slouches in the frontline department, and songs such as "The Outlaw" and "Moon Rays" are Silver classics. My reason for withholding a fifth star comes from the fact that there are easily ten Silver CDs that should be purchased before this one. However, any Silver fan should be sure to pick this up, and quickly, since it is a limited edition title."

What's in a name?

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 01/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Silver practically always finds the groove, but few of his recordings justify the use of the word "inspired." This is the exception. It's a rich and varied program performed by a comparatively rare but empathetic ensemble of musicians. Clifford Jordan is another highly underrated tenor "near-great," who plays with lyrical inspiration, forceful clarity, and uncommon attention to dynamics on this outing, as good as any I've heard by him. Art Farmer brings the same sensitivity to the session, playing with his usual taste and reliability but varying his sound from hard and fiery ("Safari") to breathy and moody, including some subtle vocalized effects ("Moon Rays").



The rhythm section of Louis Hayes and Teddy Kotick is one of the looser, freer, less "regimented" teams backing Silver, lending the session more excitement and life than the ever-popular "Song for My Father," which I frankly rarely play any more. Silver himself is slightly more fluid with his solo lines and less dominant in his accompaniment, making for an exceptionally "democratic" meeting of five like-minded musicians.



As for the program, "Moon Rays" is one of Silver's finest composition-orchestrations, among his top three in my book (with "Strollin'" and "Ecarole"). Farmer was calling the tune on his very last concert dates. All of the tunes, in fact, are prime-time Silver. "The Outlaw" is an infectious opener, mixing reggae-like passages with tightly executed bebop figures while offering enough sheer pleasure to make you believe it might be criminal. "Ill Wind" is an Arlen standard that Silver had recorded for Columbia-Sony ("Silver's Blue"), but it's certainly none the worse for another time around with this particular cast.



Finally, this is definitely one of the best Van Gelder engineering jobs I've heard--a perfect mix without any "remastering" required. So what's to account for this session being out of print (except for expensive imports)? General public ignorance and apathy, to be sure, even when it comes to one of the most popular and gifted composer-leaders of all time. But I suspect the date has also been done a disservice by the original title.



"Further Explorations" sounds like music that's, first, gratuitous and appended and, second, tentative and probing. Trust me, the music on this session is far from either. Maybe it should be retitled "Essential Discoveries by the Horace Silver Quintet.""

My current favorite Silver album.

earl rlabaci | 11/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't own too many Horace Silver albums but enought to say that this is near the best. "Further Explorations" reminds me of Sonny Clarks "Cool Struttin", which is the uncredited hardbop masterpiece. I dig Sonny more as a pianist but composing goes to Silver. All the tunes here are(excluding the last)by Silver. The first one has a good latin groove with excellent support from the rhythmn section. "Moon Rays" is the one I dig the most, it's like an up-tempo ballad. This trio (Horace, Teddy, and Louis) is one of the finest. Not that they are amazing as soloists but that their ability to support Farmer and Jordan so well, brings the spirit of the album very high.



This is an excellent silver album, very under-rated. Why has it been pu on connesseur series? I don't know.

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