Room 608 is an original composition by Horace Silver performed by Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. It appears on the 1956 Blue Note compilation Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, which gathers two 1955 Horace Silver Quintet sessions recorded on November 13, 1954 and February 6, 1955. The tune is a hard bop piece that blends bebop with blues and gospel influences. The quintet features Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums, with Silver on piano. Room 608 runs about 5 minutes and 22 seconds on the album and opens the record with a high-energy, brisk performance that showcases tight ensemble playing and memorable melody. This track helped establish the hard bop style and Silver’s preference for the quintet format that would define much of his career.
