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Serenade for Horace – Louis Hayes

This morning I was looking over the Jazz Charts at the Roots Music Reports. There were several albums on the chart by artists who I am unfamiliar with that I want to check out. But the album at number two was the one that first caught my attention. It’s title is Serenade for Horace by jazz drummer Louis Hayes. Now two things combine here to make this album interesting to me. First, I know little about Louis Hayes. Now I’ve become familiar with Horace Silver’s music over the last few years. The reason is that many times when I listened to jazz on the radio, a song would come on that caught my attention. So I’d look to see who it was and many times it was Horace Silver!! Anyway when I saw the name Horace Silver I knew I would probably like the album. Guess what, I was right!!

About Louis Hayes

Serenade for Horace is actually, the 80-year old Louis Hayes’ (born May 31, 1937) debut album on Blue Note as a leader. I say as a leader because in 1956 Louis moved from his hometown of Detroit to New York City. When he arrived in New York he joined the Horace Silver Quintet and became an intricate part of a group that produced such great Blue Note recordings like “Señor Blues,” “Sister Sadie,” and “Blowin’ the Blues Away.”

From the Horace Silver Quintet, Louis moved on to join Cannonball Adderley’s Quintet where he stayed until 1965. From 1965 to 1967 he was a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio In 1972 The Louis Hayes Sextet was formed. That band subsequently became the Louis Hayes-Junior Cook Quintet and the Woody Shaw-Louis Hayes Quintet. Since 1989 he has led his own band, and together with Vincent Herring formed the Cannonball Legacy Band.

Throughout the years Louis Hayes has also played with……

…..John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Timmons, Hank Mobley, Booker Little, Tommy Flanagan, Cecil Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Joe Henderson, Gary Bartz, and Tony Williams. He also led sessions for Vee-Jay (1960), Timeless (1976), Muse (1977), Candid (1989), Steeplechase (1989–1994), and TCB (2000–2002).Louis says te following about Serenade for Horace – More at Wikipeia

About Serenade for Horace

Serenade for Horace is composed of ten classic Horace Silver tracks and a new original “Hastings Street”, which is dedicated to Silver’s hometown – Detroit. Hayes is joined on the album by other members of the Jazz Communicator. Members include: bassist Dezron Douglas who-produced the album with Blue Note Records President Don Was, with Maxine Gordon acting as executive producer,Steve Nelson, pianist David Bryant, tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, and trumpeter Josh Evans.

Louis says this about the album…

“I wanted to do this recording for Horace Silver because I wanted jazz fans to hear his music and I wanted to honor his memory,” writes Hayes in the album’s liner notes. “Horace and I always stayed in touch ever since I first worked with him. When he got to the point where he wasn’t feeling too well, I went to see him and one day he said to me ‘Louis, you’re a part of my history.’ I thought about what that meant and I began thinking about how to take Horace’s music and his legacy into the future.”

Bottom Line

Louis Hayes done his former boss proud on Serenade for Horace! This is definitely a strong 4.5 star album for me. In true hard bop fashion each of the band members get a chance to shine on the album. Right now as type those post I’m listening to “Summer in Central Park” I just heard a nice Josh Evans trumpet solo, followed by Steve Nelson on vibes and now the piano of David Bryant. It doesn’t get much better! I heard a great Louis Hayes drum solo on “St. Vitus Dane” Just great hard bop so Check It Out!!! I’m finishing up to the Horace Silver classic “Señor Blues”.

Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Louis Hayes

Artist’s Website
Facebook
Amazon
YouTube
Blue Note Records

So how about a short playlist with those three tracks I mentioned earlier….

Origianally Posted at FreeWheelin Jazz Safari – Sept 14, 2014

Among the Jazz birthdays on September 9th was post-bop drummer Elvin Jones. Jones was born in 1927 and was best known for his time with the John Coltrane Quartet. Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan and was one of seven children of Henry and Olivia Jones. His family was very musical and his two older brothers Hank and Thad both became respected jazz musicians. Hank was a pianist and Thad played trumpet and coronet.

After serving in the Army from 1946-49, Elvin moved to New York to make his way in jazz nusic. He played with a variety of musicians including Charles Mingus, Teddy Charles, Bud Powell, From 1960 to 1966 Jones was part of the John Coltrane Quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner and bassist Jimmy Garrison. It was during this period, that Coltrane recorded the classic album A Love Supreme. By 1966 Coltrane’s music was moving in a direction that didn’t really mesh with Jones drumming style. Coltrane added a second drummer, Rashied Ali and Jones departed.

From the start of his career as a leader in 1961, through his time with Coltrane, extending until 1999 Jones released more than 40 albums as a leader and 30 plus albums as a sideman with artist like: Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Joe Farrell, Frank Foster, Ray Brown, John McLaughlin and Michael Brecker. Prior to joining Coltrane, Jones had played on and additional 30 plus albums.

Jones suffered heart failure and passed away in May of 2004. Over his last years he remained active even as his health was declining. He would sometimes even take the stage accompanied by his oxygen tank!

Over the last several days I have been listening to his debut album as a leader, Elvin! The album was recorded in July and December of 1961 and January of 1962 and released in 1962 on the Riverside label. The album was produced by the legendary Orrin Keepnews.

The sextet that is featured on the album includes, in addtion to Elvin, his brothers Hank on piano, and Thad on coronet and trumpet, Frank Weiss on flute, Frank Foster on tenor saxophone, and bassist Art Davis. The first thing that caught my attention on this album aside from Jones drumming was Frank Weiss’ flute, I loved it!! After that, I noticed the great piano and wondered who was playing, it wasn’t until I read about the album, after several listens, that I found out that it was his brother Hank! After I read, it was Hank, I smacked my head and said, duh. See I knew Hank Jones‘ name, but never connected the two, or for that matter throw in brother Thad and make that the three of them!!

Anyway I love the album and it certainly gets a grade of A from me, this album will definitely find a spot in my music library!! The album’s only drawback is that it contains only 7 tracks and is only 38 minutes in length!!! As always I have a vast discography to explore along with the discographies of Hank and Thad Jones and Frank Weiss!!

Here’s the Elvin Jones Quartet circa 1979 Pat La Barbera – Sax, Ryo Kawasaki – Guitar, David Williams – Bass performing “The Card Molly! Go Elvin!!