Horace Silver - Blowin' the Blues Away (1959)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 1999 Rudy Van Gelder Edition with a bonus track.

Probably Silver's second best album after 1965's Song For My Father. Which means, in the words of Allmusic's Steve Huey, that this wonderful collection of seven Silver originals is "virtually impossible to dislike:"

Through it all, Silver remains continually conscious of the groove, playing off the basic rhythms to create funky new time patterns. The typical high-impact economy of his and the rest of the band's statements is at its uppermost level, and everyone swings with exuberant commitment. In short, Blowin' the Blues Away is one of Silver's finest albums, and it's virtually impossible to dislike.

The album is particularly notable for the introduction of the beautiful, oft-covered standard, Peace. Track 5, Sister Sadie, is has also become somewhat of a standard; I just don't hear it covered as much as Peace. I'm guessing the album title doesn't refer to the traditional 12 bar blues chord progression, but instead to Silver's soloing, which is all blues-based. Something for everybody - ballads, fast-swinging hard bop, gospelish blues, even a little modal Middle Eastern flavor on The Baghdad Blues.

Original liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Silver - piano
Eugene Taylor - bass
Louis Hayes - drums
Blue Mitchell - trumpet
Junior Cook - tenor saxophone

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard (★★★): "Real funky jazz in the progressive vein"
• High Fidelity: "on the whole this is the most fully realized LP he has made"
• CashBox: "A satisfying and very enjoyable album."
• Stereo Review: "Horace plays unceasingly intense piano"
• DownBeat (★★★★★): "a lovely album"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★½

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: In addition to Peace, my top picks are The St. Vitus Dance, Sister Sadie, and Melancholy Mood. But you can't go wrong with any of the tracks here. The bonus track is How Did It Happen, a tune by Silver's friend Don Newey.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None