Bud Powell: 1957-1958

[Late]

Most of us here probably have the Blue Note sessions that Bud Powell recorded in 1958. But what about those recorded in 1957-58 on Verve and RCA? AMG generally dismisses these latter recordings, but there are some gems to discover.

For instance, don't miss Strictly Powell on RCA. I think it's just as good, if not sometimes better, than the Blue Notes from this period. Bud's version of "Lush Life," as one example, is played with passion and commitment — very much worth hearing. Additionally, his original composition entitled "Coscrane" ranks right up there with, say, "Cleopatra's Dream."

The RCA's aren't easy to find these days, but fans of Bud will do well to seek them out.

[Late]

Any other admirers of the RCAs or Verves from '57-'58?

[Quincy]

Any other admirers of the RCAs or Verves from '57-'58?

Oh certainly the Verves. I'm glad there isn't a death match competition between the prime cuts of the Verve vs. the Blue Notes as I'm not sure which I'd pick or which label I'd want to win.

I haven't heard the RCAs. So much for these ears yet to hear. (Makes another note in the hunting list.)

[Late]

There are only two RCA's: Strictly Powell and Swingin' with Bud. They were both reissued domestically in the late 90's, but now are sadly out-of-print. They were also reissued in Japan (around 2003, I think) in a BVCJ series (mini-LPs) — these versions sound amazing! (Hiroshi might still be able to get them. They were around 1700¥.)

[B. Goren.]

Any other admirers of the RCAs or Verves from '57-'58?

The answer is positive. I always preferred his Verve recordings over the BN ones.

[Tony Pusey]

The RCAs have benn out in Japan at 1500 yen this year, interested parties know where to find Mr Tanno!

[jazzbo]

I'm a fan of all Bud. I like the Verves a lot. . . the RCAs a mite less but really need to revisit them. (Really need to be in the same city with my collection!)

[brownie]

I'm somehow less enthusiastic about the Bud Powell RCAs when compared to his BN/Verve output.

His two RCA albums seem much less open than the sides he recorded on the two other labels.

Probably had something to do with a pretty close supervision which did not enable him to express himself as freely on when he was recording with Lion/Wolff and Granz!

Nothing really wrong with the RCA albums. They're both very good but I don't return to these as often as I do with the BN/Verve ones!

Might be interesting to be able to listen to outtakes! Wish they will turn up one of these days.

[Guest youmustbe]

'Strictly Powell' is great. Also ' Bud Plays Bird.' I have a Spanish cd issue of that, which sounds release fine. The US sounded too bright. Although why they seperated the 3 dates on the cd is beyond me. Doesn't make sense program wise.

BTW The drum kit that Philly Joe plays on 'Time Waits' is Andrew Cyrille's.

[Guest youmustbe]

And oh yeah, 'The Scene Changes' is in my top ten all time. Truly Amazing Bud Powell.

A.T. was Bud's best drum partner to me. I was told when he was playing live with Bud, if Bud's mind would start to wonder, A.T. would drop a couple of innapropriate bass drum bombs to snap Bud out of it. Ed Thigpen on the other hand would just yell 'Bud!'

I saw Bud when he came back to Birdland, but it wasn't the same, or probably I couldn't appreciate him like I would have if I was older and not expecting the Bud I loved on the records. 'Scene Changes' I bought in 59, and before that my brother had 'Bud', so the Bud I heard at Birdland...But what got me really into Jazz was his solo on Donna Lee on the Bird Savoy, the first Jazz record I ever bought in April 1959 at 'Jack Howard's' (?) on State Street. Any old (definately) Chi Towners remember his stores and him?

[mjzee]

I want to explore a little bit the notion that Bud's playing "declined" in the last decade of his life. Everyone says it's the result of the shock therapy, yada yada yada, and I understand that Bud in the late '40's was amazing. But yesterday, I was going through All Music Guide, and here's what they say about Bud's later recordings:

1964: Ups and Downs: "The great bop innovator had declined greatly since his prime days but actually plays better than one might expect."

1964: Salt Peanuts: "The recording quality is a little erratic on this set but Powell often sounds quite inspired."

1964: The Invisible Cage: "Accompanied ably by bassist Michel Gaudry and drummer Art Taylor, the innovative pianist (even with a few missteps) is mostly in excellent form, particularly on "Like Someone in Love," "Blues for Bouffemont" and his calypso "Una Noche con Francis.""

1963: Bud Powell in Paris: "this was one of Powell's best late-period recordings; he is in near-prime form throughout."

1962: Round About Midnight at the Blue Note: "The innovative pianist is in excellent form."

1962: Bouncing With Bud: "This Delmark recording is an excellent set by the great pianist Bud Powell."

1962: At The Golden Circle, Vol. 5: "On a whole, this series is as essential as the Blue Notes but has its strong moments and is worth picking up by lovers of bop piano."

1962: At The Golden Circle, Vol. 4: "Powell generally sounds in pretty good form for the period."

1962: At The Golden Circle, Vol. 3: "makes up for its low quantity (just 34½ minutes) with some high quality."

1962: At The Golden Circle, Vol. 2: "The entire series is worth picking up by listeners who enjoy bop-based piano; Powell is generally in fine form."

1962: At The Golden Circle, Vol. 1: "Five CDs have been released from two of his nights at the club and they find him playing in generally good form."

1961: A Tribute To Cannonball: "Both Byas (who had hardly recorded since 1955) and the erratic Powell are heard in superior form."

1961: Live at the Blue Note Cafe, Paris 1961: "the Bud Powell sessions are uniformly fine, with the excellent Live at the Blue Note Cafe, Paris 1961 a particular standout."

1960: The Essen Jazz Festival Concert: "Pianist Bud Powell is heard in top form throughout this CD."

1959: Bud In Paris: "the passion in the playing generally comes through and Powell's fans will want to search for this one."

1958: Time Waits: "Powell is in surprisingly fine form throughout the enjoyable session."

1957: Bud Plays Bird: "Actually it is a mystery how such excellent music could be unknown and go unreleased for so long."

1957: Bud!: "feature Powell in surprisingly inspired form."

1957: Swingin' With Bud: "Powell is in generally good form on this trio session."

1956: Strictly Powell: "Powell actually plays better on Strictly Powell than on his Verve dates of the period."

The above is every Bud recording between 1956 and 1964 that All Music reviewed. The Verves, for whatever reason, don't have reviews, just track listings.

We know that many artists' performing styles deepen and change as they get older, but the rap on Bud was that his quality declined. I don't see it from the above. The tone of most of these reviews is "Yeah, he's bad in other places, but not here." So where, exactly, are the bad performances?

[ghost of miles]

The above (although I'm assuming the reviews were not all written by the same person) strikes me more than anything else as lazy criticism in a reflexive mode. I love Bud, love lots of late-Bud, but there's no denying that he was more erratic from 1954 or 1955 on. The Essen Jazz Festival date is a particular favorite--as is a Xanadu CD I have of him from around the 1959-1960 period. It's been a long, long time since I listened to the RCA sides, but my memory is that they were more uneven than the Blue Notes, but at times a little more inspired-sounding... will have to dig them out and give them another listen.

There IS quite a lot of good late-period Powell, but I'd see what others here have to say. I don't own the Golden Circle sides, but heard them and remember thinking they might have been better distilled down to a 2-CD set. It's not that any particular album is awful in and of itself... just that the execution, precision/control, and sense of driving purpose go MIA from time to time on a number of dates. (What exactly is the UPS AND DOWNS album? That one might be pretty bad all-around, if it's the one I'm thinking of.) All that said, yeah, I do think he's better than his rep for this period.

[John L]

I think the bottom line is that most Bud Powell is very good. If he hadn't made those incredibly brilliant recordings around 1950, we would be able to listen to almost his whole discography with great enjoyment, and without having to think "decline?, decline!, decline?..."

Later Bud Powell is highly enjoyable if taken for what it is, and not as being in some life or death competition with what came earlier.

Edited December 25, 2007 by John L

[JSngry]

(What exactly is the UPS AND DOWNS album? That one might be pretty bad all-around, if it's the one I'm thinking of.)

A Mainstream album w/o discographical information.

"Pretty bad all-around" says it for me, and there's a solo version of "'Round Midnight" that is downright chilling in that regard.

[AndrewHill]

I have 'Strictly Powell" on RCA and the Complete Rec. of BP on Verve box set and I find these sessions to be just as enjoyable as his Blue Note work. There is alot of great music on the Verve box especially.

[mjzee]

Perhaps Michael Cuscuna could release the two RCA albums as a Mosaic Single.

[Guest youmustbe]

Bud is to me part of the Trinity of Jazz, along with Miles and Trane. My 'favorite' Bud is probably the Feb 1953 Birdland airchecks with Oscar Pettiford and Roy Haynes. Some of the things he does, especially with his left hand, is awe inspiring...On the level of Classical pianists!

[Late]

My 'favorite' Bud is probably the Feb 1953 Birdland airchecks with Oscar Pettiford and Roy Haynes.

Original French cover attached. These tracks are indeed amazing.

[B. Goren.]

Today is Bud Powell's birthday. He could have been 84. His SteepleChase recordings at the Golden Circle club will find their way to my CD player today.

[king ubu]

I bought the RCA albums quite cheap in those japanese re-editions mentioned above (I assume, if it weren't those, they'd have cost a lot more I guess). Not quite sure how they rank, but then I've been partial to the Blue Notes not only as far as the late 50s recordings are concerned... had those box for years before getting the Verve box, and I just don't know the Verve recordings as well. The RCAs definitely aren't bad, but I think the BNs do more for me. The Verves I need to check out again soon! And I also should get more of the live material!

[mjzee]

There are only two RCA's: Strictly Powell and Swingin' with Bud. They were both reissued domestically in the late 90's, but now are sadly out-of-print. They were also reissued in Japan (around 2003, I think) in a BVCJ series (mini-LPs) — these versions sound amazing! (Hiroshi might still be able to get them. They were around 1700¥.)

Amazon has Strictly Powell as a download: Strictly Powell

[Late]

I'm on a Bud binge lately. To honor his 84th, I'll spin his version of "Idaho" with Johnny Griffin. An amazing duo track.

[paul secor]

I'm on a Bud binge lately. To honor his 84th, I'll spin his version of "Idaho" with Johnny Griffin. An amazing duo track.

:tup

[BluesFan]

My 'favorite' Bud is probably the Feb 1953 Birdland airchecks.

The best sounding version of the 1953 Birdland broadcasts are the Fresh Sound bootleg: Bud Powell Birdland 1953 The Complete Trio Recordings (Fresh Sound FSR-CD 363).

[aparxa]

bluesfan, welcome!!!!!!!