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Conrad Herwig: The Latin Side of Horace Silver

By Jack Bowers
September 16, 2020
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Conrad Herwig: The Latin Side of Horace Silver

New York-based trombonist

Conrad Herwig

trombone
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Conrad Herwig began exploring the "Latin side" of various jazz musicians in 1996, with The Latin Side of

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane, which earned him the first of four Latin Grammy Award nominations. Since then, Herwig has done the same for

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis,

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter,

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock,

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson and, now, pianist

" data-original-title="" title="">Horace Silver. The formula is trim and solid; choose several of an artist's more notable compositions and recast them in a rhythmic Latin framework. For The Latin Side of Horace Silver, recorded live in 2017 (the notes don't say exactly where), arrangements are in the capable hands of Herwig (three), pianist

Bill O'Connell

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill O'Connell (four) and Marc Stasio ("The Gods of the Yoruba").

This is basically an octet, which can sound larger or smaller than its size, depending on the context and the chart. (For examples of each, compare "Nica's Dream" or "Filthy McNasty" with "Peace" or "Silver's Serenade.") Herwig shares the front line with alto saxophonist

Craig Handy

saxophone
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Handy, tenor saxophonist

Igor Butman

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Igor Butman and trumpeter

Alex Sipiagin

trumpet
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex Sipiagin. O'Connell plays the keyboard on five tracks, guest

Michel Camilo

piano
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Michel Camilo on the other three, with

Ruben Rodriguez

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Ruben Rodriguez on bass,

Robby Ameen

drums
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Robby Ameen on drums and

Richie Flores

congas

" data-original-title="" title="">Richie Flores on congas. The other selections—each of which, beyond any doubt, is well known to Silver's many fans—are "Song for My Father" and "Nutville," which wraps up the concert.

The album's generous seventy-nine-minute running time affords ample room to stretch, and there are engaging south-of-the-border solos along the way by everyone on the front line, as well as by O'Connell, Camilo and Flores who also adds considerable energy and weight to the Latin pulse. The easygoing "Silver's Serenade" offers nearly nine minutes of (relative) calm, with Handy on flute and Sipiagin on flugelhorn (as they are on "Peace"). Even here, however, the Latin temperament holds sway and the rhythm never flags. Herwig, who has long been a champion of Latin music and culture, takes great pleasure in sharing that passion with others, and The Latin Side of Horace Silver looks to be a splendid candidate for a fifth Latin Grammy nomination.

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Track Listing

Nica��s Dream; Song for My Father; The Gods of the Yoruba; Peace; The Cape Verdean Blues; Filthy McNasty; Silver��s Serenade; Nutville.

Personnel

Conrad Herwig

trombone

Alex Sipiagin

trumpet

Craig Handy

saxophone

Igor Butman

saxophone, tenor

Bill O'Connell

piano

Michel Camilo

piano

Ruben Rodriguez

bass

Robby Ameen

drums

Richie Flores

congas

Album information

Title: The Latin Side of Horace Silver | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Savant Records

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Conrad Herwig Concerts

Sep 28 Sun

Conrad Herwig Latin Side All Stars, Antoinette Montague,

New Brunswick Performing Arts Center
New Brunswick, NJ

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