Pieces of Silver: Remembering the legendary pianist Horace Silver

About the Event

JazzFC and The Westport Library, together with the NEA, celebrate the legendary Norwalk-raised NEA Jazz Master, pianist Horace Silver, in a special America 250 concert program.

Horace Silver was one of the most influential and distinctive composers, pianists, and bandleaders in the history of modern jazz. A native of Norwalk, he became one of the architects of the Hard Bop movement, helping to define a new jazz language built on infectious grooves, blues- and gospel-inflected melodies, sophisticated harmonies, and arrangements that demanded both virtuosity and swing. As co-founder of the Jazz Messengers and later as leader of his own celebrated quintets, Silver built a body of work that has become essential to the jazz repertoire — including enduring compositions like "Song for My Father," "Nica's Dream," "Sister Sadie," "Señor Blues," and "Peace."

This special concert brings the music of a great American jazz master home to the Connecticut community where his journey began. Featuring a world-class ensemble that includes musicians who toured and recorded with Horace Silver himself, this is a rare chance to hear his music through the voices of artists who knew his playing, his compositions, and his musical personality firsthand — and to celebrate the remarkable connection between one of jazz's most important figures and his hometown region of Fairfield County, CT.

About the Ensemble

The ensemble brings together three Horace Silver veterans — Grammy-nominated trumpeter and Westport resident Michael Mossman, and Grammy winners (and Fairfield County residents) Phil Bowler and Steve Davis — alongside JazzFC Artistic Director and tenor saxophonist Greg Wall ("The Jazz Rabbi"), award-winning pianist Amina Figarova, and celebrated drummer Steve Johns.

Michael Mossman — Grammy-nominated trumpeter, arranger, composer, and educator. A veteran of the Machito Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Mossman became musical director of Blue Note's "Young Lions" group Out of the Blue before joining the Horace Silver Quintet. He's toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, and Count Basie, among many others, and now directs Jazz Studies at Queens College's Aaron Copland School of Music.

Steve Davis — Grammy-winning trombonist widely regarded as one of today's leading voices on the instrument. Davis worked with Horace Silver's Octet in 2004, penned the title track of Art Blakey's final album, and appears on nearly 200 recordings. His TV credits include The Jimmy Fallon Show and a White House tribute to Ray Charles.

Phil Bowler — Classically trained, Grammy-winning bassist who has toured and recorded with Horace Silver, Wynton Marsalis, Jackie McLean, Max Roach, and Roy Haynes, among others.

Steve Johns — A major presence on the jazz scene for over four decades, Johns has collaborated with icons like Nat Adderley, Stanley Turrentine, and Dr. Billy Taylor, bringing total commitment and pure joy to every stage, large or small.

Amina Figarova — Azerbaijan-born, New York-based composer, pianist, and bandleader whose sextet has drawn acclaim at major festivals including Newport Jazz Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Greg Wall — Saxophonist, clarinetist, and Westport resident who founded JazzFC in 2016 after building a local audience through weekly performances. He now leads the popular Jazz at the Post series at Westport's VFW Post No. 399.