# The Genius of Bud Powell



## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

At his best, Powell could play brilliant mercurial lines that were equivalent to what Charlie Parker was doing on alto. After a police beating in his 20s, Powell was never the same physically or mentally (suffering from terrible headaches and alcoholism) but made it to the ripe old age of 42 and represented the soul of bebop piano with his horn-like bouncing swing. He was there at the birth of modern jazz with such players as Parker, Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro, and Sonny Rollins, and influenced countless pianists through the years, including Bill Evans early in his career, and Keith Jerrett. RIP.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Without a doubt one of the giants of modern jazz and, as you rightly point out, paved the way for a generation of virtuoso pianists.

Nice choice of music. Un Poco Loco was always one of my favourites. I wore out my vinyl copy of Jazz at Massey Hall which is just magical even though Powell was a bit recessed in the mix. Later remasterings on cd improved that fortunately.

He was much appreciated in Europe latterly and recorded some good stuff. Well worth tracking down.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Un poco loco is amazing, and Max Roach is incredible on that one.
My favorite tune of Powell anyway is Dusk in Sandi, an impressionistic gem that I would love to see played more often.






Also Glass enclosure deserves to be mentioned. I think that Powell the composer is a bit underrated.
By the way, today there's a young phenomenal guitarist called Pasquale Grasso who plays a lot of Bud Powell stuff on guitar, something extremely uncommon for what I know.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

He composed a number of memorable tunes. Bouncing With Bud is so powerful and refreshing (Navarro on The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 1 is fantastic). Un Poco Loco, Oblivion, Tempus Fugit, Dance of the Infidels are all wonderful. Cleopatra's Dream became very popular in Japan.

One of my favorites is Blue Pearl.


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