The Cape Verdean Blues

 

 

1.“The Cape Verdean Blues,” the title track of the album, alludes to Horace Silver’s Cape Verdean roots through his father. The song fuses blues with Latin-inflected rhythms, something not unusual for Horace Silver’s work, although it probably does not really reflect any Cape Verdean musical influences. Perhaps due to Cape Verdean music’s similarities with African-derived music from Latin America and its own Creole culture, Silver could simply transfer Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Brazilian rhythms to the album, which is what he did for “Song for My Father,” using a bossa nova beat with blues melodic influences.  Joe Henderson’s saxophone blows away on this track, carrying the listener to great delights while imagining Cape Verdean’s engaged in brisk, sensual dance. The percussionists’ propulsive rhythm keeps it track going while Henderson blows in ecstasy in almost “Middle-Eastern” styled howls, which could allude to the Iberian influences in Cape Verde from centuries of Portuguese rule. The combination of Afro-Latin and African American-derived blues structure works well here, although it would have been better had the percussionists been given a chance to solo.

2. “The African Queen” is Silver’s tribute to Black women. A dark, exotic composition with quasi-samba percussive effects added to the light swing from Humphries, this track once again relies on Joe Henderson’s post-bop leaning, raw saxophone blowing. He sounds like his later work in the 1960s, veering toward avant-guard and post-bop sounds representative of his best work. Shaw’s subsequent trumpet solo is also quite stirring, almost evocative of ancient Moorish trumpet fare, which, as mentioned previously, is part of Cape Verdean musical heritage from centuries of Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Silver’s piano solo takes some bluesy detours while also keeping up with the more progressive dissonances and explorations of Henderson. Humphries drumming is on point throughout the song, becoming explosive when needed toward the song’s end, though soloing lightly and maintaining an “African” ethos prevalent in 1960s Afrocentric jazz. “The African Queen” is truly a phenomenal number from Silver.

3. “Pretty Eyes” features a more typical Silver head, with slight turns, a mid-tempo beat, and an almost waltz-like quality to my ignorant ears. Either way, Silver’s talent for writing catchy heads comes off quite well, and I cannot help but think this song likely influenced the Japanese composer of music for one of the Final Fantasy videogames. Per usual, Henderson is the real star here, playing in the bop mould while also open to extending his range and raw, earthy tone across the searching, melodic comping from Silver. Then, he tops it with more exhilarating blowing until Shaw’s trumpet takes over, playing a mixture of soft, light improvisation with moments of fast, accompaniment from Humphries on drums. Once Silver takes over, his left-hand accompanies his right’s higher-pitched fingers to accentuate the composition’s head. It concludes with the same lilting, almost ominous beginning, suggestive of dark, elusive Cape Verdean eyes while retaining the bluesy hard-bop sound in the horns, characteristic of Silver’s brand of jazz.

4. “Nutville” is the first song on the album’s second half, when trombone player J.J. Johnson joins the recording session. A swinging number with frenetic bass action, begins with Johnson’s soulful trombone soloing. Shaw’s trumpet follows, keeping up with the song’s fast pace and Latin-inflected beats, which sounds like Humphries is enjoying himself, almost sounding like Elvin Jones. Henderson reigns supreme in his scorching, fast blowing, almost sounding like a fire alarm with his appropriate honking quality. Silver’s contemplative solo somehow meshes well with the song’s solo, before taking a bluesy, bop-quality typical of most of his work. Used to swinging hard with Latin touches, Silver is in his element, playing within his old style while open to influences from Henderson and Shaw. Humphries, on the other hand, concludes the soloing with poly rhythmic wonders, sounding like Elvin Jones, Coltrane’s drummer who so perfectly fused Afro-Caribbean and swing rhythms, though for too brief a moment. The bassist maintains his ostinato-like foundation throughout, further exemplifying the song’s debts to Latin music.

5. “Bonita,” Spanish for pretty, begins with a simple bass foundation, an almost orchestral-like horn arrangement, and Afro-Latin drumming. With such a small group, Silver produces the sound of a big band but the horn arrangement’s melancholic sound suggests loss, perhaps of the “bonita” Cape Verdean? Silver leads first, with a funky, bluesy solo rooted in hard bop with aptly timed, thunderous drumming accompaniment by Humphries. Despite giving into blues delight at times, Silver’s adept fingers do some soul searching, piercing through the superficial with dark, enigmatic lines. Afterward, Henderson begins, inevitably turning the song into something post-bop, running through streams of notes and adding vibrato. My favorite part, however, must be J.J. Johnson’s solo, beginning with a quote from the spiritual, “Wade in the Water,” an unexpected treat in this thoughtful homage to beauty. Later, Shaw’s trumpet solo, though nice and well-played, lacks any additional spirit or strength for the composition.

6. “Mo’Joe,” the final song, is a Henderson-penned tune out of character with the rest of the album. Lacking the album’s Latin and “exotic” Cape Verdean or African allusions, this is straight hard bop as Silver composed himself in the 1950s. The horns dominate the track here, with fun, exciting directions in their solos, especially Henderson, who blows away everyone away. Silver, clearly in his element, lays down some soulful funky, catchy riffing while Cranshaw on bass finally gets some all-too brief solo time. Although uncharacteristic for the album’s title and the rest of the songs, “Mo’Joe” is an acceptable end to the album.