I love this song! I cant hear it and not relax. It soothes my brain like no other song I can think of.
There are certain recordings that you hear and know the stars were aligned as it was being created and for Horace Silver’s, “Lonely Woman,” it might have been the stars, the planets and the universe all in phase, much like my last Music to Relax post of Miles Davis’, “Blue in Green.”
The song is mellow in it’s sonicity but has an intensity that breathes life into it’s dulcet tones.
Silver creates the relaxed mood in Lonely Woman in a handful of ways.
-First, his quartet is downsized to a trio of piano, bass and drums.
-The spacing is so open rhythmically and sonically. Rhythmically, the bass line and drum accents are almost entirely half notes.
-Brushes are used on the drums to lighten the percussive nature.
-The chords Silver uses on the piano accompaniment are mostly open spacings with just the right dissonances mixed in.
-When soloing Silver uses pentatonic scales which eliminates chromaticism.
The intensity comes when he does blend chromaticism and dissonances to contrast the vibe of the piece. Then the final bars just lift you up.
You have to think if more people were exposed to this piece the world would be a better place.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this song!!
Enjoy!
Mike Slayen ~ Guitarist 