HORACE SILVER (ca. 1960s) Set of 4 portraits

New York: Various, ca. 1960s. Set of four vintage original 8 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm) black-and-white photos, one with printing notations in margin, overall near fine.

“Horace Silver was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in the hard bop style that he helped pioneer in the 1950s. In 1956, Silver formed his own quintet, with what became the standard small group line-up of tenor saxophone, trumpet, piano, bass and drums. Their public performances and frequent recordings for Blue Note Records increased Silver’s popularity.

“As a player, Silver transitioned from bebop to hard bop by stressing melody rather than complex harmony, and combined clean and often humorous right-hand lines with darker notes and chords in a near-perpetual left-hand rumble. His compositions similarly emphasized catchy melodies, but often also contained dissonant harmonies. Many of his varied repertoire of songs, including “Doodlin’”, “Peace” and “Sister Sadie”, became jazz standards that are still widely played. His considerable legacy encompasses his influence on other pianists and composers, and the development of young jazz talents who appeared in his bands over the course of four decades.” (Wikipedia)