Horace Silver Quintet
Doin The Thing At The Village Gate (180Gm)

By 1961, when this live recording was released, Horace Silver was on top of his game and one of the leading lights at Blue Note. His quintet possessed a vibrant, optimistic and energetic sound. This was Jazz with a smile on its face. ‘Doin Thing At The Village Gate’ captures that energy to perfection. From the classic ‘Filthy McNasty’ on which the horn section of Blue Mitchell and Junior Cook are at their firebrand best to the equally fiery ‘Doin The Thing’, the band are at their blistering best. ‘Kiss Me Right’ and ‘The Gringo’ complete the original LP with aplomb. Horace Silver has a quicksilver style at the piano that seems to defy logic and his live performances were legendary, as ‘Doin The Thing’ emphasises. The rhythm section of bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks propel each of these blues with gusto and no little finesse. Essential Silver.