Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father”: a dedication to his father

Returning from Brazil, Horace Silver wrote a bossa nova whose melody recalled his father’s Cape Verdean music. The recognition prompted a dedication.

Jazz arrangements of that repertoire had been his father’s suggestion. “This didn’t appeal to me,” Silver remembered in his memoir.

The title track was recorded on October 26, 1964, with Silver’s new group: Carmell Jones on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums. The album also includes performances by the preceding line-up. Beyond its famous tune, it offers a chance to compare two ensembles within one record.

Try the title track twice: first following the melody, then listening to the rhythm. Which part will stay with you afterwards? It may not be the tune; it could be the accompaniment.