Horace Silver – 1953
Horace Silver’s ‘Opus de Funk’ should be high on any piano players list of pieces to memorize. It’s a joy to play, falls under the fingers nicely and has many phrases that other people play in their solos.
Difficulty = Straightforward
Variations of ‘Opus de Funk’ phrases can be found in many songs and solos. Here are a couple of examples: the first bar is similar to one from Kenny Drew’s solo on ‘Daddy Plays the Horn’ (1955). Drew uses the phrase again on ‘Blue Train’ (1958).
