Song for My Father by H. Silver
Roman L.
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Recently, my piano instructor Joey Edelmen introduced me to Song For My Father by Horace Silver. Joey and I have been studying together for a long time and he thought I would dig the style of the piece. Immediately, when I started playing Song For My Father, I noticed its Latin influence and bossa nova feel. These elements of the song are what hooked me and I set out to master it.
The piece is composed of three parts; the A section, B section and an improvisational section. The A and B section includes the melody in the right hand, and the bossa nova rhythm in the left. For the third section, I improvise over the changes using ideas I learned from Silver's original melody, plus my own riffs in the f minor blues scale, f minor harmonic scale, and the chromatic scale. These improvisations are one of the most enjoyable parts of playing the piece, but also most difficult to learn.
This song means a lot to me because it's one of the first Latin jazz songs I learned and it has inspired me to explore the genre further. I am also grateful to be introduced to Horace Silver and all his compositions. He is one of the all time greatest pianists and a pioneer of jazz and blues. I believe his work holds much importance and should continue to be appreciated. In today's world it seems that jazz is a dying art form. Any chance that I get to perform and share the music of a genius, I'll take.
I've performed the piece here accompanied by a simple bass and drum backing track from YouTube. I used my phone to film myself and placed a microphone over the piano to get the best audio quality. I hope you enjoy it.
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Music is one of the most important things in my life. It has helped me cope through hard times especially during the pandemic. Music gives me a way to connect with an audience and express myself. It is something I hope to pursue as a performer, composer, producer and educator.
