One of my favorite pianists of the 1950s, and second only to Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell’s inventive style of bebop provided the blueprint for generations of jazzmen to follow.
Discography
- Piano Solos (1950) A-
- Not as good as the sequel, and not as good as Thelonious Monk, but Piano Solos #1 is another reason why Bud Powell should be given his due as one of the progenitors of modern jazz.
- Piano Solos #2 (1950) A
- The Amazing Bud Powell (1952) A
- Jazz at Massey Hall (1953, with The Quintet) A
- The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 2 (1954) A-
- Bud Powell’s Moods (1956) A-
- Piano Interpretations (1956) B+
- Strictly Powell (1957) B
- By 1957, Bud Powell’s days as a trailblazing innovator were long past. Nevertheless, it’s always a pleasure to hear him hammer away at the keys.
- The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 3 – Bud! (1957) B
- The highlight is “Bud on Bach,” a lightning-fast baroque solo piece that recalls Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations. But when a classical piece is the highlight of a jazz album, you can’t expect much.
