The United States of Mind
Encyclopedia
The United States of Mind is an album by jazz
pianist
Horace Silver
released on the Blue Note
label in 2004 compiling the three separate 'Phases' previously released as That Healin' Feelin'
(1970), Total Response
(1971), and All
(1972) featuring performances by Silver with Randy Brecker
, George Coleman
, Houston Person
, Cecil Bridgewater
, Harold Vick
, Richie Resnicoff, Bob Cranshaw
, Jimmy Lewis, Mickey Roker
and Idris Muhammad
with vocals by Andy Bey
, Salome Bey
, Gail Nelson, and Jackie Verdell
.
In a 1974 radio interview published in 2009 Silver stated "I got interested in writing lyrics about that time and, well, became interested in Metaphysics
and Indian philosophies
, and Yoga
philosophies. I have always been interested in health foods, vitamins; you know, the heath thing. So, I was trying to get the physical thing, the mental thing, and the spiritual thing altogether. I was doing a lot of reading, a lot of soul-searching, a lot of meditation; and I put it altogether and came up with the The United States of Mind, which deals with all of that which I just mentioned; dealing with the physical, the mental and the spiritual things".
The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars (a higher rating than any of the individual albums received) and states "To say that these albums were misunderstood is to understate the case. Silver had been one of Blue Note's most reliable and steady hard- and post-bop artists since the late 1950s. There was nothing in his catalog that prepared listeners for this adventurous undertaking that linked spiritual concepts and social consciousness to modern jazz as it encountered soul, funk, and pop at the dawn of a new decade... Ultimately, these records deserve a new hearing. Perhaps Silver's traditional fans who worship the hard bop material still won't get them, and that's fine. But those investigating jazz funk, '70s soul, or seeking out lost grooves from back in the day would do well to listen hard because the reward is bountiful. The quality and vision of the music here is unquestionable, and the bigger message found on these albums is as timely and eternal".
Disc One:
Disc Two:
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
Horace Silver
Horace Silver
Horace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
released on the Blue Note
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
label in 2004 compiling the three separate 'Phases' previously released as That Healin' Feelin'
That Healin' Feelin'
That Healin' Feelin' is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1970 featuring performances by Silver with Randy Brecker, George Coleman, Houston Person, Bob Cranshaw, Jimmy Lewis, Mickey Roker and Idris Muhammad with vocals by Andy Bey, Gail Nelson, and Jackie...
(1970), Total Response
Total Response
Total Response is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1971 featuring performances by Silver with Cecil Bridgewater, Harold Vick, Richie Resnicoff, Bob Cranshaw, and Mickey Roker with vocals by Salome Bey, and Andy Bey...
(1971), and All
All (Horace Silver album)
All is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1972 featuring performances by Silver with Cecil Bridgewater, Harold Vick, Richie Resnicoff, Bob Cranshaw, and Mickey Roker with vocals by Andy Bey, Salome Bey and Gail Nelson...
(1972) featuring performances by Silver with Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, George Coleman
George Coleman
George Edward Coleman is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.-Biography:...
, Houston Person
Houston Person
Houston Person is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing...
, Cecil Bridgewater
Cecil Bridgewater
-Biography:Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 1970s he was married to Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 1970 he played with Horace Silver, and following this with Thad Jones and Mel...
, Harold Vick
Harold Vick
Harold Vick was an American hard bop and soul jazz saxophonist and flautist born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina....
, Richie Resnicoff, Bob Cranshaw
Bob Cranshaw
Melbourne R. "Bob" Cranshaw is an American jazz bassist. His career spans the heyday of Blue Note Records to his recent involvement with the Musicians Union. He is perhaps best known for his long association with Sonny Rollins...
, Jimmy Lewis, Mickey Roker
Mickey Roker
Granville "Mickey" Roker is an American jazz drummer. Roker was born into extreme poverty in Miami to Granville and Willie Mae Roker...
and Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad
Idris Muhammad is a jazz drummer. He changed his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam. He is known for his funky playing style. He has released a number of albums as leader, and has played with a number of jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders and Grover...
with vocals by Andy Bey
Andy Bey
Andrew W. Bey is a jazz singer and pianist.Bey has a wide vocal range, with his four octave baritone voice.He worked on a television show, Startime, with Connie Francis and sang for Louis Jordan....
, Salome Bey
Salome Bey
Salome Bey, CM is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and composer who has lived in Toronto, Ontario since 1966. In 2005, she was made an honorary Member of the Order of Canada....
, Gail Nelson, and Jackie Verdell
Jackie Verdell
Jackie Verdell was an American gospel singer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Musical career:After leaving high school, she joined the The Davis Sisters in 1955, at the start of their tenure with Herman Lubinsky and Ozzie Cadena's record label Savoy Records of Newark, New Jersey...
.
In a 1974 radio interview published in 2009 Silver stated "I got interested in writing lyrics about that time and, well, became interested in Metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
and Indian philosophies
Indian philosophy
India has a rich and diverse philosophical tradition dating back to ancient times. According to Radhakrishnan, the earlier Upanisads constitute "...the earliest philosophical compositions of the world."...
, and Yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
philosophies. I have always been interested in health foods, vitamins; you know, the heath thing. So, I was trying to get the physical thing, the mental thing, and the spiritual thing altogether. I was doing a lot of reading, a lot of soul-searching, a lot of meditation; and I put it altogether and came up with the The United States of Mind, which deals with all of that which I just mentioned; dealing with the physical, the mental and the spiritual things".
The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4 stars (a higher rating than any of the individual albums received) and states "To say that these albums were misunderstood is to understate the case. Silver had been one of Blue Note's most reliable and steady hard- and post-bop artists since the late 1950s. There was nothing in his catalog that prepared listeners for this adventurous undertaking that linked spiritual concepts and social consciousness to modern jazz as it encountered soul, funk, and pop at the dawn of a new decade... Ultimately, these records deserve a new hearing. Perhaps Silver's traditional fans who worship the hard bop material still won't get them, and that's fine. But those investigating jazz funk, '70s soul, or seeking out lost grooves from back in the day would do well to listen hard because the reward is bountiful. The quality and vision of the music here is unquestionable, and the bigger message found on these albums is as timely and eternal".
Track listing
- All compositions by Horace Silver
Disc One:
- "That Healin' Feelin" - 3:52
- "The Happy Medium" - 4:55
- "The Show Has Begun" - 4:08
- "Love Vibrations" - 4:00
- "Peace" - 3:23
- "Permit Me to Introduce You to Yourself" - 3:11
- "Wipe Away the Evil" - 4:13
- "Nobody Knows" - 4:10
- "There's Too Much to Be Done" - 4:09
- "Acid, Pot or Pills" - 4:22
- "What Kind of Animal Am I" - 3:55
- "Won't You Open up Your Senses" - 3:56
- "I've Had a Little Talk" - 3:46
- "Soul Searching" - 4:18
Disc Two:
- "Big Business" - 5:22
- "I'm Aware of the Animals Within Me" - 3:45
- "Old Mother Nature Calls" - 6:55
- "Total Response" - 5:22
- "The Merger of the Minds" - 4:47
- "Cause and Effect" - 4:14
- "Forever Is a Long Long Time" - 3:50
- "My Soul Is My Computer" - 4:38
- "How Much Does Matter Really Matter" - 3:09
- "Horn of Life" - 6:27
- "Who Has the Answer" - 3:42
- "From the Heart Through the Mind" - 3:28
- "All" - 5:39
- "Summary" - 2:35
- Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 8, 1970 (Disc One tracks 1-5), June 18, 1970 (Disc One tracks 6-9), November 15, 1970 (Disc One tracks 10 & 11, Disc Two tracks 1 & 4), January 29, 1971 (Disc One tracks 12-14, Disc Two track 2 & 3), January 17, 1972 (Disc Two tracks 6, 7, 9, 11 & 12), & February 14, 1972 (Disc Two tracks 5, 9, 10, 13 & 14).
Personnel
- Horace SilverHorace SilverHorace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, electric pianoElectric pianoAn electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
, vocals - Randy BreckerRandy BreckerRandal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
(Disc One tracks 1-9) - Cecil BridgewaterCecil Bridgewater-Biography:Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 1970s he was married to Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 1970 he played with Horace Silver, and following this with Thad Jones and Mel...
- trumpet, flugelhorn (Disc One tracks 10-14, Disc Two tracks 1-5, 8, 10 & 14) - George ColemanGeorge ColemanGeorge Edward Coleman is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.-Biography:...
- tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
(Disc One tracks 1-5) - Houston PersonHouston PersonHouston Person is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing...
- tenor saxophone (Disc One tracks 6-9) - Harold VickHarold VickHarold Vick was an American hard bop and soul jazz saxophonist and flautist born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina....
- tenor saxophone (Disc One tracks 10-14, Disc Two tracks 1-5, 8, 10 & 14) - Richie Resnicoff - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(Disc One tracks 10-14, Disc Two tracks 1-5 & 14) - Bob CranshawBob CranshawMelbourne R. "Bob" Cranshaw is an American jazz bassist. His career spans the heyday of Blue Note Records to his recent involvement with the Musicians Union. He is perhaps best known for his long association with Sonny Rollins...
- electric bassElectric BassElectric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
(Disc One tracks 1-5 & 10-14, Disc Two tracks 1-8 & 10-14) - Jimmy Lewis - electric bass (Disc One tracks 6-9)
- Mickey RokerMickey RokerGranville "Mickey" Roker is an American jazz drummer. Roker was born into extreme poverty in Miami to Granville and Willie Mae Roker...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(Disc One tracks 1-5 & 10-14, Disc Two tracks 1-8 & 10-14) - Idris MuhammadIdris MuhammadIdris Muhammad is a jazz drummer. He changed his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam. He is known for his funky playing style. He has released a number of albums as leader, and has played with a number of jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders and Grover...
- drums (Disc One tracks 6-9) - Andy BeyAndy BeyAndrew W. Bey is a jazz singer and pianist.Bey has a wide vocal range, with his four octave baritone voice.He worked on a television show, Startime, with Connie Francis and sang for Louis Jordan....
- vocals (Disc One tracks 1, 3-5, 12 & 13, Disc Two tracks 4-6 & 11-14) - Gail Nelson - vocals (Disc One track 6, Disc Two tracks 5, 9, 13 & 14)
- Jackie VerdellJackie VerdellJackie Verdell was an American gospel singer, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Musical career:After leaving high school, she joined the The Davis Sisters in 1955, at the start of their tenure with Herman Lubinsky and Ozzie Cadena's record label Savoy Records of Newark, New Jersey...
- vocals (Disc One tracks 7-9) - Salome BeySalome BeySalome Bey, CM is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and composer who has lived in Toronto, Ontario since 1966. In 2005, she was made an honorary Member of the Order of Canada....
- vocals (Disc One tracks 10, 11 & 14, Disc Two tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 13 & 14)