Tunes on Tuesday: Peace

Why this tune?

This week’s tune is another jazz classic, the beautiful ballad “Peace” written by Horace Silver in 1959. Silver would have celebrated his 95th birthday this week (Sept. 2). He was a pioneer of “hard bop” in the 1950s and 60s and wrote many tunes that have become jazz standards, like “Song For My Father,” “Nica’s Dream,” and of course, “Peace.”

Silver’s compositions can be challenging to play. The harmonies are complex and precise, delivering lovely and unexpected colors. Unlike most of the players of his era, Silver was also a lyricist, writing words for “Peace” and many of his other songs.

I became familiar with the tune from Tommy Flanagan’s 1978 trio version, which was the
theme song of the late Eric Jackson’s jazz radio show on WGBH in Boston.

For my version, I took the tune slowly, trying to navigate carefully through the twists and turns of the tune’s melody and harmony.

Tunes On Tuesday Reel

Check it out

Complete track

Horace Silver

Tommy Flanagan

Dena DeRose