On April 16, 2004, there was a Horace Silver tribute concert at the Tri-C Jazz Festival in Cleveland. Horace was present but didn’t perform. "Silver on Silver" featured the music of the "Hardbop Grandpop," Horace Silver, whose work with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and his own Quintet, sparked the beginning of the hard-bop era. Performing his music that night were David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Joe Sample, The Brecker Brothers, Christian McBride, Joe Lovano, Geoffrey Keezer, Lewis Nash and The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
That afternoon, just after they flew into Cleveland, Horace Silver, along with the Brecker Brothers, did a radio interview with DJ Dee Perry on WCPN-FM. Horace hadn’t seen the Breckers in years. Both Mike and Randy played in Horace’s Quintet in in 1973 and 1974, and Randy also played with Horace before that in the band that included saxophonist Bennie Maupin and drummer Alvin Queen.
In addition to the above interview, you can listen the Brecker Brothers with Horace in 1973 on Horace’s composition, Gregory is Here, recorded at the 8th International Jazz Festival Pori, Finland on July 14, 1974. The group includes Randy Brecker - trumpet, Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone, Horace Silver - piano, Bob Cranshaw - bass, and Mickey Roker - drums. The original recording of this Horace Silver classic, for Blue Note Records, was recorded November 10, 1972.
Horace collaborated with several outstanding rhythm sections throughout his career, yet my most cherished was the time he spent playing alongside Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker. My bond with Bob deepened during my tenure with Sonny Rollins, when I managed the saxophone colossus’ website and collaborated on numerous videos. Beyond his remarkable talent as a bassist, renowned for his contributions to countless Blue Note recordings and his fifty-year partnership with Sonny, Bob Cranshaw was a truly compassionate and generous individual. His passing in 2016 following a courageous battle with cancer left a profound void in my life. I dearly miss him.
I am crowdfunding my Horace Silver film, as I’ve done with my three previous documentary features. If you’d like to help, please visit: It’s Got To Be Funky
Interview: The Brecker Brothers and Horace Silver