ALBUM STORY
DOIN’ THE THING: AT THE VILLAGE GATE. (Horace Silver)
Doin’ the Thing: At the Village Gate captures Horace Silver’s quintet live in 1961. It explores catchy themes, interplay, and the space a club night gives the music.
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Open in Spotify ↗AN EVENING IN NEW YORK.
Doin’ the Thing: At the Village Gate was recorded live in May 1961 at the New York club of the same name. Horace Silver leads a quintet featuring Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, Gene Taylor, and Roy Brooks. The lineup gives the themes a direct face: trumpet and tenor saxophone lay down the melody, while piano, bass, and drums keep the movement alive.
THE FIRST SIDE GRABS YOU IMMEDIATELY.
Filthy McNasty and Doin’ the Thing form the first side of the LP. Silver’s music has clear points of departure, but the performance is given time to develop further. Listen to the transition from the theme to the solos. The recognizable groove does not remain as a fixed backdrop; the rhythm section responds to what the horn players and the piano add.
THE QUINTET WORKS TOGETHER.
Silver can give a new impetus with a short piano phrase. Mitchell and Cook each have their own sound, Taylor holds the line together, and Brooks makes small shifts audible. On a second spin, follow the accompaniment during a horn solo. There you can hear how the energy of a performance is created by the whole group.
THE SECOND SIDE ON VINYL.
Kiss Me Right, The Gringo, and the closing theme carry the second side further. The music reveals different accents without losing its common language. Moreover, the end of a live album can feel somewhat different from a studio finale: the band rounds off an event. Therefore, let the final part play out as well; the conclusion belongs to the club experience this record captures.
THE RECORD
DISCOGRAPHY.
A selection from Horace Silver’s repertoire. Follow the album links for the relevant records or stories.
- 01
- 02
- 03
TRACKLIST.
The tracklist as listed on the linked LP release. Reissues and digital editions may contain additional material.
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01Filthy McNasty
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02Doin' the Thing
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03Kiss Me Right
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04The Gringo/the Theme: Cool Eyes
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
When and where was Doin’ the Thing recorded?
The live recordings were made in May 1961 at the Village Gate in New York. The original album was released in 1961.
Who makes up Horace Silver’s quintet on this record?
In addition to Silver, Blue Mitchell plays trumpet, Junior Cook plays tenor saxophone, Gene Taylor plays bass, and Roy Brooks plays drums.
Where should I start listening?
Filthy McNasty provides a direct entry into the themes and the groove. Then follow the piano’s responses during the horn solos.
Where can I find Doin’ the Thing on vinyl?
The product link in this story refers to the LP offered by SJELF. There you will find the details and tracklist of the specific release.
Read the Artist Story of Horace Silver. On the artist page of Horace Silver, you will find the records and more stories gathered together.
Would you like to listen to this album on vinyl? Check out Doin’ the Thing: At the Village Gate by Horace Silver on LP. The product page states the details and availability of the offered release.
CLARITY AND LIFE.
This album is a good introduction to Silver’s quintet. The themes provide a foothold, and the live performance shows how much space exists within. On a next listen, choose one short idea and follow who picks it up. A small response from the piano or drums can make the difference between a neat performance and a band that is visibly on its way together.
Discover more records and stories on the ARTIST PAGE of Horace Silver.
