Customer Reviews

The Amazing Bud Powell Volume 3 - Bud!

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Bud Powell recorded five albums as a leader for Blue Note. It's strange, but Volume 3, simply titled "Bud!", always had been really hard to find. Durig the LP-era (when I was a teenaged Powell admirer), I quickly picked up Bud's other albums, but it took me quite some years, until I eventually got a Japonese LP-issue of this one. Strangely enough, the same thing happened later on CDs, so I'm really glad to see this new reissue from the wonderful RVG-edition. The most interesting music from that recording session happens on the three tracks featuring trombonist Curtis Fuller, then only 22 years old. Bud Powell always sounded particularly inspired when he met some great horn players and it's a pity, that most of his later work was done only by trio settings. But even if the trio tracks on this album might be missing some of Bud's earlier fire, they nevertheless are beautiful. "Some Soul" speaks for itself, it's a rare example of Powell playing a slow blues, and of course this tragic genius knew the meaning of the blues. "Blue Pearl" was dedicated to Bud's mother, it's a beautiful medium-tempo tune, sounding somewhat more "modern" than Bud's earlier and better known compositions from the forties. Of course a real surprise on that album is the solo track "Bud on Bach", where Powell starts with the fast C.P.E. Bach "Solfeggietto" and continues with some groovy improvisation in the same key (c-minor). Let's hope, that Blue Note's reissue boom will continue, because too many of the great original records, for example all three Curtis Fuller-albums are currently unavailable, so how about some more stuff like that?

OK, here's the deal with this CD. It's true that it was impossible to find for a long time (except as part of the complete box set), but I think this is, tragically, because it is the least Blue Note-like of his Blue note albums. As Blue Note became more commercialized in the 50's the music, and Bud's work on this label alng with it, bacame more and more formulaic. Somehow this album slipped through the blue note cracks in both senses, commercially and musically. So as far as the Blue Note work goes, the first is the best and the third is arguably the second best (as a whole that is, though the highs aren't nearly as high as the highs on Amazing part 2); the later stuff, like Time Waits, does no justice to Bud's creativity at all.
What does this mean as far as the music is concerned? Well, this is like night and day compared to Time Waits, for instance. There is much more freedom and diversity here. Idaho, for instance, has a brilliant solo that draws on both tatum and Monk in its use of left-hand stride behind his typically linear runs. There's nothing like this on the last three BN albums. The three tracks with Fuller on trombone are priceless: they sound raw and informal, unstudio-like, very emotionally direct, which is the atmosphere in which Bud shines best. But perhaps the real gem on this album is the piano intro to Bud on Bach: Bud is whirlwind of agressive technical vertusity here. Though his left hand falters ever so slightly once or twice, I guarentee that no concert painist ever (world or any other class) has ever approached Bach with such emotional fury and with such a direct unhesitating attack. ONly Bud could have played Bahc like this, there aren't many pianists that have the technique to even attempt it.
Finally, the trio plays sublimely together. I wouldn't by any means say that Bud is better with horns. I think rather he shines best in a trio, and here his long-time companion Art taylor of the drums contributes his typically brilliant swing and propulsion to the trio.

Previously only available in Japan as an RVG Edition CD reissue. This is Bud at his best in my opinion. More modern sounding than the first 2 Amazing Albums on Blue Note. The man had to have the fastest two hands any piano player ever had. Lyrical to the extreme. It's a shame that better technology wasn't available to have recorded a musician like Bud. The sound on every Bud Powell record I have ever heard ranges form unlistenable to just OK. This is one of the better sounding ones. Worth a listen to be sure.

I first became acquainted with Bud Powell through The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1 and The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2. While I found the music great and enjoyed learning about Powell's music and career, the production quality on those two works, despite being Rudy Van Gelder remixes, just wasn't that great. (I know there were some technology limitations; I mention this only because I thought it was a major weakness of those fabulous works.) This third volume, which is also an expertly produced RVG remaster, is, for me, the best of the lot. Bud's playing really comes through clean and crisp, and all the tracks are attention grabbing and foot tapping wonders. The two takes of Blue Pearl and Bud on Bach are especially dynamic, making it easy to see why (and how far) Bud was ahead of his time. Curtis Fuller plays trombone on three of the tracks, and those are extra sensitive and satisfying. As with most of the RVG editions, this CD includes the original liner notes and updated ones, rounding out my jazz education and giving life and breadth (sorry) to this wonderful music. After getting the first two volumes, I wavered over the third, but I ended up happiest with it, even to the point where in going back to re-listen to the other two volumes, I'm getting more out of them and enjoying them more. My The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings: Eighth Edition lists two more "Amazing Bud" editions. I suppose I'll need to add those to my wishlist. I recommend this CD to all serious jazz fans and to anyone interested in jazz piano and Bud Powell. This is one of his best.

Several standout tracks. "Some Soul" is one of Powell's best slow blues. (Let no one claim Bud Powell could not play blues as well as anyone else.) "Blue Pearl" is a wonderful and engaging composition (both the master and alternate takes are great). The tracks with Curtis Fuller are nice, but the trombone leading the session doesn't quite work.