Nowadays Father’s Day in the U.S. is celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June. But did you know that Father’s Day was first proposed in 1909 to complement Mother’s Day, which had been founded in 1908? Yup, that sounds about right, doesn’t it? Mothers were appreciated first and then fathers. Ladies first!
Sonora Smart Dodd, who was living on a farm in Spokane, Washington held her father in high esteem. When Dodd was sixteen her mother died in childbirth, leaving her and her father to care for five little brothers.
Dodd heard a church sermon about the newly recognized Mother’s Day and felt strongly that fatherhood deserved recognition as well. She approached the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and suggested her father’s own birthday, June 5, but the Alliance chose the third Sunday instead.
Now the question remains, what jazz music should you listen to on Father’s Day this year? Don’t worry–Night is Alive has got you covered with some recommendations:
Horace Silver – Song for My Father
This 1965 song is really the ultimate jazz standard for Father’s Day. This title composition was dedicated to Silver’s father, who is featured on the album cover artwork. On the iconic album cover, John Tavares Silver, sits with a cigar in his mouth and a smile on his face. The photo was taken on a trip to Brazil and, like the song, it captures a portrait of Silver’s father, who was born on one of the Cape Verde islands.
Cannonball Adderley – One for Daddy-O
If your daddy-o is a fan of jazz, he is sure to tap his toes along to this cool, laid-back blues classic. Released in 1958, “One for Daddy-O” features jazz legends Miles Davis and Art Blakey and provides the perfect ambience to lean back in a favorite recliner, drink a whiskey, or smoke a cigar.
Compared to the other tracks on this playlist, “Daddy’s Groove” is a bit newer: released in 1997. This instrumental tune creates a subtly groovy ambience that just might coax your dad into some sly dancing. The piano solos are especially noteworthy!
The dispensing of discipline often falls to the father of the house. We may have disdained it when we were unruly teenagers, but as adults, we know that discipline is important. In this heartfelt 1990 song, Bobby McFerrin performs alongside his own father, the legendary baritone Robert McFerrin Sr.
Night is Alive’s albums are the perfect gift for any father or father-figure. Unsure which one to choose? Check out our best sellers.
written by Jacqueline Knirnschild
Photo by Steven Abraham on Unsplash
