Let's get to the nitty gritty : the autobiography of Horace Silver / Horace Silver ; edited, with afterword, by Phil Pastras.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Silver, Horace, 1928-

Contributor:

Pastras, Philip.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Silver, Horace, 1928-.

Silver, Horace.

Jazz musicians--United States--Biography.

Jazz musicians.

Pianists--United States--Biography.

Pianists.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (297 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berkeley, Calif. : University of California Press, c2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Horace Silver is one of the last giants remaining from the incredible flowering and creative extension of bebop music that became known as "hard bop" in the 1950's. This freewheeling autobiography of the great composer, pianist, and bandleader takes us from his childhood in Norwalk, Connecticut, through his rise to fame as a musician in New York, to his comfortable life "after the road" in California. During that time, Silver composed an impressive repertoire of tunes that have become standards and recorded a number of classic albums. Well-seasoned with anecdotes about the music, the musicians, and the milieu in which he worked and prospered, Silver's narrative-like his music-is earthy, vernacular, and intimate. His stories resonate with lessons learned from hearing and playing alongside such legends as Art Blakey, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young. His irrepressible sense of humor combined with his distinctive spirituality make his account both entertaining and inspiring. Most importantly, Silver's unique take on the music and the people who play it opens a window onto the creative process of jazz and the social and cultural worlds in which it flourishes. Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty also describes Silver's spiritual awakening in the late 1970's. This transformation found its expression in the electronic and vocal music of the three-part work called The United States of Mind and eventually led the musician to start his own record label, Silveto. Silver details the economic forces that eventually persuaded him to put Silveto to rest and to return to the studios of major jazz recording labels like Columbia, Impulse, and Verve, where he continued expanding his catalogue of new compositions and recordings that are at least as impressive as his earlier work.

Contents:

Childhood

Dreaming my dreams : teenage years

Lady music and the messengers : early adult years

The quintet

Westward bound : middle years

Off the merry-go-round : later years.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes discography, bibliographical references, and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN:

9786612360442

9781282360440

1282360442

9780520941427

052094142X

9781598759297

1598759299

OCLC:

63813966