- Too much sake [6:43]
- Sayonara blues [12:10]
- The Tokyo blues [7:36]
- Cherry blossom [6:08]
- Ah! So [7:07]
All compositions by Horace Silver except track 4 by Ronnell Bright.
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA on July 13 (Tracks 2&3) and July 14 (Tracks 1,4&5)
1962.
Remastered in 2008 by Rudy Van Gelder.
Blue Mitchell, Trumpet
Junior Cook, Tenor Sax
Horace Silver, Piano
Gene Taylor, Bass
John Harris,JR., Drums
There was much anticipation ahead of the visit that the Horace Silver
Quintet made to Japan and which began on December 30th 1961. Coupled
with the hype that had gone on before, which included many articles
in magazines, incorporating complete discographies, the arrival just
before New Year 1962 was in a way symbolic since New Year is highly
significant for the Japanese. They regard New Year as a cleansing
of the past and a preparation for a new way of life and Horace's
music brought Japanese jazz fans a totally new and refreshing jazz
experience and it cemented ties between his quartet and his fans in
Japan which have only become closer over the ensuing years.
Clearly Horace took inspiration from his visit there since several
of the compositions on this album are dedicated to his fans there
and embody much of their favourite aspects of his music. In his dedication
on this disc 'to our many fans in Japan and to all of the Japanese
people' Horace wrote that 'While in Japan I noticed
that the Japanese people were very fond of Latin music…In writing
some of these compositions I have attempted to combine the Japanese
feeling in the melodies with the Latin feeling in the rhythms.'
The extent to which he was successful in his attempt to do this is
remarkable and it makes for one of his most successful and sought
after discs - never was musical schizophrenia more wildly attractive!
Horace, of course, has an immediately appealing and recognisable
piano style, anchoring the music as he does with the repeated chords
from his left hand that form the musical canvas upon which his other
musicians paint their colourful rhythmic patterns. Listen for this
in particular on Sayonara Blues in which Junior Cook weaves
a haunting melody against this background. The disc begins with a
track Too much sake, the title of which is self explanatory
and which emphasises that though sake appears innocent enough, because
it goes down so easily and is not particularly strong, it is all the
more likely to catch you up many cups later!
Even with this clearly thoroughly Japanese theme the extent to which
Horace Silver managed to incorporate the Latin elements is highly
inventive. The Tokyo Blues is an affectionate composition that
highlights the fact that wherever they toured in Japan it felt like
coming home when they returned to Tokyo and so it is the most Japanese
sounding of all the tunes composed as a result of the tour but still
the Latin element is clearly defined. Cherry Blossom is the
sole non Horace Silver composition on the disc, written by an old
friend Ronnell Bright, a one time accompanist of the great Sarah Vaughan,
and was especially written for this album and the result is a lovely
slow moving ballad, a type that both Ronnell and Horace particularly
enjoy. The final track Ah! So is the most complex on the disc
and has no Latin influence. It is unusual in that the melody is played
out of tempo while the solos are played in tempo and after several
playings the title seemed to Horace to suggest itself and is 100%
Horace Silver and possessed of the driving rhythmic basis that makes
any Horace Silver composition such a tremendous experience.
Throughout the music the rhythm section of Gene Taylor and John Harris
JR is a solid base and excellent support with Harris never obtrusive
and both of them essential ingredients in the mix. Blue Mitchell and
Junior Cook are clearly soul buddies and they spark off each other
in a most inspiring way and with Horace as the backbone this disc
is one of the most wonderful of his quintet's long and illustrious
list of recordings. Not to be missed!
Steve Arloff
CD Reviews
Blue Note 50999 2 65416 2 8
