“Song for My Father” is a composition by Horace Silver. The original version, on the album of the same title by Silver’s quintet, was recorded on October 26, 1964. It has become a jazz standard and is probably Silver’s best-known composition. According to Silver, the song was “in part inspired by our Brazilian trip. We got the Brazilian rhythm for this tune from that trip, and the melodic line was inspired by some very old Cape Verdean Portuguese folk music.
“Song for My Father” has a 24-bar AAB construction and is in 4/4 time. It was composed in F minor.i It has a bossa nova feel and features a bass ostinato and it contains only four chords: Fm9 – E♭9 – D♭9 – C9.
The original version featured Silver on piano, with Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone), Carmell Jones (trumpet), Teddy Smith (bass), and Roger Humphries (drums).
Listen to the playlist and let me know in the comments which is your favorite version!
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1 comments on “Song For My Father”
My prefered version is the Conrad Herwig’s version especially for the fantastic Michel Camilo. I like the latin feel too.
The “historic” version is my second choice: in the sixties, I discovered Joe Henderson with this record.
I like Dee Dee Bridgwater’s version too, with the Belmondo Brothers. The drummer André Ceccarelli is one of mal favorites.