Well, first and foremost (among many things), the incredible pianistic and compositional brilliance of the great Bud Powell (1924-1966) is what we music lovers at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog want, in 2021 and always!
Bud and his fellow composer/pianists Thelonious Monk (1917-1982), Elmo Hope (1923-1967), Tadd Dameron (1917-1965), Herbie Nichols (1919-1963) and Lennie Tristano (1919-1978) are, with Duke Ellington, the Bachs and Beethovens of the 20th century.
Bud's solo on The Last Time I Saw Paris manages to out-Tatum Art Tatum for emotional commitment combined with mind-blowing technical facility.
Many of the other piano solos The Amazing Bud Powell recorded are no less astonishing.
For your original compositions, artistry and mastery of music, Mr. Powell, we can't thank you enough.
Wish we could time travel and correct the numerous wrongs that were done to you in your lifetime. At least Francois Paudras and many of your former bandmates made their best efforts to do right by you.
Hearing the trio sides from the 1953 Jazz At Massey Hall concert made a believer out of me.
The Bud Powell Trio concerts featuring bassist extraordinaire Oscar Pettiford and power-packed percussionist Roy Haynes on drums are incredible as well.
As Mr. Paudras did, wish we could give you some measure of the respect and love you deserved while you were here living among us. One who did just that was the legendary bandleader, recording artist and saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins, along with Roy Haynes the last still living in January 2021 who knew Bud, a professor of harmony and shooting star of the 20th century music world.
Thou swell!
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