‘Rockin’ With Rachmaninoff’ Expands Silver’s Horizons

Pianist-composer Horace Silver has long been known for his melodic gifts, as represented in such memorable jazz songs as “Senor Blues,” “Song for My Father” and “Nica’s Dream”--all standards of the modern jazz repertoire.

Now, with “Rockin’ With Rachmaninoff,” which will debut tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Gallery Theater at Barnsdall Park in Hollywood, Silver expands his horizons.

“It’s like a Broadway play,” says Silver of the 10-part show that includes music, lyrics, narration and dance and will feature an eight-piece band, two singers and five dancers.

“I’ve never seen a Broadway show where there was jazz improvisation, but this will have plenty.” The show includes instrumental and vocal numbers.

Radio announcer Chuck Niles will read Silver’s narration, which details a meeting in heaven between jazz giant Duke Ellington and the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Ellington introduces Rachmaninoff to such jazz greats as Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk.

The choreographer is Donald McKayle who also choreographed “Sophisticated Ladies” and “Dreamgirls.” Proceeds will go to the Challengers Boys and Girls Club, which provides after-school programs for South-Central Los Angeles children. Information: (213) 575-3460.

Porter on Parker: “Oh man, I think it was one of the greatest experiences I ever had. There was nobody like him, never would be again. He was in a class by himself and to be on the stand with him was beautiful.”

That’s drummer Roy Porter’s remembrance of his performances in Los Angeles from late 1945 through mid-’46 with the be-bop genius alto saxophonist Charlie Parker, when the New York-based Parker briefly resided here.

Porter’s reminiscences are collected in an autobiography, “There and Back,” written with David Keller--who runs a jazz management business in Los Angeles--and just published by Louisiana State University Press. Porter, a native of Texas who moved to Los Angeles in 1944, will celebrate the release at a reservation-only book-signing party Sunday, 4-7 p.m., at the Nucleus Nuance restaurant in West Hollywood. Pianist Horace Tapscott’s quartet will perform. Information: (213) 393-2923, (213) 939-8666. Reservations: (213) 737-4564.

The book, which includes several pages of rarely seen photographs, covers Porter’s entire playing career--from the early ‘40s through the late ‘70s. It focuses on the period in the mid-to-late ‘40s, when Los Angeles was a jazz haven--particularly in the Central Avenue area, near 42nd Street.