The Amazing Bud Powell, Vols. 1 & 2

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The Amazing Bud Powell
Volume 1
Compilation album by
the Amazing Bud Powell
ReleasedApril 1956
Recorded
  • August 8, 1949
  • May 1, 1951
  • August 14, 1953
StudioWOR, NYC
GenreBebop
LabelBlue Note
BLP 1503 (Vol. 1)
BLP 1504 (Vol. 2)
ProducerAlfred Lion
Bud Powell chronology
The Genius of Bud Powell
(1956) 		The Amazing Bud Powell
(1956) 		Bud Powell's Moods
(1956)
The Amazing Bud Powell
Volume 2

The Amazing Bud Powell, Vols. 1 & 2 are a pair of separate but related albums by American jazz pianist Bud Powell, recorded on August 8, 1949, May 1, 1951, and August 14, 1953, and released on Blue Note in 1956, compiling Powell's first three session for the label, originally released on ten-inch LPs as The Amazing Bud Powell (1952) and The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2 (1954).

Background[edit]

Recording[edit]

Powell recorded his first three session for Blue Note at WOR Studios in New York. In the first session, Powell performed in quintet with Fats Navarro, Sonny Rollins, Tommy Potter and Roy Haynes, and in trio with Potter and Haynes. In the second, Powell performed in trio with Curley Russell and Max Roach, and solo. In the third, Powell is backed by rhythm section George Duvivier and Art Taylor.

Release history[edit]

Volume 1 was initially released in March 1956;[1] Volume 2 was released the following month.[2]

After 10"s became less popular, Blue Note began reissuing its Modern Jazz Series on 12"s. The three sessions were subsequently recompiled across The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1 (BLP 1503) and The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2 (BLP 1504), the second pair of releases on Blue Note's 1500 series, their first one hundred 12" records after they discontinued their line of 10" records.

The two volumes were recompiled for their CD reissue, ordering the three sessions chronologically, placing the first session and the solo takes from the second session on Volume 1, and three trio takes and the third session on Volume 2. These remasters were also included on The Complete Blue Note and Roost Recordings, a four-disc box set.

When Rudy Van Gelder remastered the pair of the 2001 RVG edition, he placed the first two sessions on Volume 1 and the third session on Volume 2, mirroring the original 10" releases. Prior to this, on all releases bar the first, the album also contained a number of tracks from sessions originally on The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1.

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic (Vol. 1)[3]
AllMusic (Vol. 2)[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (Vol. 1)[5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (Vol. 2)[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (Vol. 1)[6]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (Vol. 2)[6]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[7]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings included both albums in its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.[6]

The albums are highly rated within Powell's musical library, described by All About Jazz as "among the pianist's most important recordings"[8] and by The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jazz as "a great introduction to this awesome pianist".[9] Jazz critic Scott Yanow characterized them in his book Jazz on Record as "full of essential music".[10]

In Bebop: The Best Musicians and Recordings, Yanow identifies among the highlights of the album "Bouncing with Bud", "52nd Street Theme" and "Dance of the Infidels," performed by the "very exciting quintet" of 1949, and also the 1951 trio's "three stunning versions of 'Un Poco Loco'".[11] In The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Jazz, Barry Kernfeld notes with regards to "Un Poco Loco" that "the three takes [of the song]...enable us to hear the evolution of a masterpiece",[12] a label with which a critic at The New York Times concurred.[13]

While the song "Un Poco Loco" has been identified as musically outstanding, it has also been discussed as culturally significant. According to Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop, although Afro-Cuban jazz had been introduced in the 1940s by such artists as Dizzy Gillespie and Machito, "Un Poco Loco" is a significant marker in the establishment of this musical genre, as it revealed "the Afro-Cuban turn settling into bebop's acceptable field of rhetorical conventions".[14] More than Afro-Cuban, the authors of that book detect what they describe as a "Pan-African" musical influence in the composition's repetition, harmony and cyclic solo that, while not as obviously Afro-international as Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia', "certainly signaled a 'blackness' that became part of the language of subsequent expressions of modern jazz."[15] The book Jazz 101 indicates that Powell's performances of this material in 1951 was "all the more astonishing" in its "level of creativity, and even authenticity" because little was known at the time of African music or how Latin music (aside from the Cuban influence) could be applied to jazz.[16] According to Yanow, in Afro-Cuban Jazz: The Essential Listening Companion, this composition was Powell's only involvement with Afro-Cuban Jazz.[17]

Track listing[edit]

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1 (1956, 12", BLP 1503)[edit]

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #1) May 1, 19513:46
2."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #2) May 1, 19514:28
3."Un Poco Loco" May 1, 19514:42
4."Dance of the Infidels" August 8, 19492:50
5."52nd Street Theme"Thelonious MonkAugust 8, 19492:45
6."It Could Happen to You" (alternate take)
  • Burke
  • Van Heusen
May 1, 19513:12
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."A Night in Tunisia" (alternate take)
  • Gillespie
  • Paparelli
May 1, 19513:49
2."A Night in Tunisia"
  • Gillespie
  • Paparelli
May 1, 19514:12
3."Wail" August 8, 19493:02
4."Ornithology"
  • Harris
  • Parker
August 8, 19492:20
5."Bouncing with Bud"
  • Fuller
  • Powell
August 8, 19493:01
6."Parisian Thoroughfare" May 1, 19513:23

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2 (1956, 12", BLP 1504)[edit]

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Reets and I"HarrisAugust 14, 19533:18
2."Autumn in New York"DukeAugust 14, 19532:51
3."I Want to Be Happy"Youmans, CaesarAugust 14, 19532:50
4."It Could Happen to You"Van Heusen, BurkeMay 1, 19513:13
5."Sure Thing" August 14, 19532:39
6."Polka Dots and Moonbeams"Van Heusen, BurkeAugust 14, 19534:00
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Glass Enclosure" August 14, 19532:21
2."Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas"PettifordAugust 14, 19533:01
3."Over the Rainbow"Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" HarburgMay 1, 19512:57
4."Audrey" August 14, 19532:54
5."You Go to My Head"J. Fred Coots, Haven GillespieAugust 8, 19493:15
6."Ornithology" (alternate take)Benny Harris, Charlie ParkerAugust 8, 19493:11

CD reissues[edit]

1989 reissue[edit]

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Bouncing with Bud" (alternate take #1)
  • Fuller
  • Powell
August 8, 19493:03
2."Bouncing with Bud" (alternate take #2)
  • Fuller
  • Powell
August 8, 19493:12
3."Bouncing with Bud"
  • Fuller
  • Powell
August 8, 19493:01
4."Wail" (alternate take) August 8, 19492:38
5."Wail" August 8, 19493:02
6."Dance of the Infidels" (alternate take) August 8, 19492:52
7."Dance of the Infidels" August 8, 19492:50
8."52nd Street Theme"MonkAugust 8, 19492:45
9."You Go to My Head"
  • Coots
  • H. Gillespie
August 8, 19493:11
10."Ornithology"
  • Harris
  • Parker
August 8, 19492:20
11."Ornithology" (alternate take)
  • Harris
  • Parker
August 8, 19493:07
12."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #1) May 1, 19513:46
13."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #2) May 1, 19514:28
14."Un Poco Loco" May 1, 19514:42
15."Over the Rainbow"
  • Arlen
  • Harburg
May 1, 19512:55

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."A Night in Tunisia"Dizzy Gillespie, Frank PaparelliMay 1, 19514:16
2."A Night in Tunisia" (alternate take)Gillespie, PaparelliMay 1, 19513:52
3."It Could Happen to You" (alternate take)Van Heusen, BurkeMay 1, 19512:22
4."It Could Happen to You"Van Heusen, BurkeMay 1, 19513:16
5."Parisian Thoroughfare" May 1, 19513:25
6."Autumn in New York"DukeAugust 14, 19532:51
7."Reets and I"HarrisAugust 14, 19533:18
8."Reets and I" (alternate take) August 14, 19532:30
9."Sure Thing" August 14, 19532:39
10."Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas" (alternate take) August 14, 19532:11
11."Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas"PettifordAugust 14, 19533:01
12."Polka Dots and Moonbeams"Van Heusen, BurkeAugust 14, 19534:00
13."I Want to Be Happy"Youmans, CaesarAugust 14, 19532:50
14."Audrey" August 14, 19532:54
15."Glass Enclosure" August 14, 19532:21

2001 RVG edition[edit]

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Bouncing with Bud"
  • Fuller
  • Powell
August 8, 19493:04
2."Wail" August 8, 19493:06
3."Dance of the Infidels" August 8, 19492:54
4."52nd Street Theme"MonkAugust 8, 19492:50
5."You Go to My Head"
  • Coots
  • H. Gillespie
August 8, 19493:15
6."Ornithology"
  • Harris
  • Parker
August 8, 19492:23
7."Bouncing with Bud" (alternate take #1) August 8, 19493:06
8."Bouncing with Bud" (alternate take #2) August 8, 19493:16
9."Wail" (alternate take) August 8, 19492:42
10."Dance of the Infidels" (alternate take) August 8, 19492:51
11."Ornithology" (alternate take) August 8, 19493:12
12."Un Poco Loco" May 1, 19514:46
13."Over the Rainbow"
  • Arlen
  • Harburg
May 1, 19512:59
14."A Night in Tunisia"
  • Gillespie
  • Paparelli
May 1, 19514:17
15."It Could Happen to You"
  • Burke
  • Van Heusen
May 1, 19513:17
16."Parisian Thoroughfare" May 1, 19513:26
17."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #1) May 1, 19513:49
18."Un Poco Loco" (alternate take #2) May 1, 19514:32
19."A Night in Tunisia" (alternate take) May 1, 19513:53
20."It Could Happen to You" (alternate take) May 1, 19512:23

All tracks are written by Bud Powell, except as noted.

The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Autumn in New York"DukeAugust 14, 19532:54
2."Reets and I"HarrisAugust 14, 19533:22
3."Sure Thing" August 14, 19532:40
4."Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas"PettifordAugust 14, 19533:04
5."Polka Dots and Moonbeams"Van Heusen, BurkeAugust 14, 19534:04
6."I Want to Be Happy"Youmans, CaesarAugust 14, 19532:53
7."Audrey" August 14, 19532:58
8."Glass Enclosure" August 14, 19532:25
9."I've Got You Under My Skin"Cole PorterAugust 14, 19532:37
10."Autumn in New York" (alternate take #1) August 14, 19532:13
11."Autumn in New York" (alternate take #2) August 14, 19532:58
12."Reets and I" (alternate take #1) August 14, 19532:33
13."Reets and I" (alternate take #2) August 14, 19533:13
14."Sure Thing" (alternate take) August 14, 19532:45
15."Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas" (alternate take) August 14, 19532:11

Personnel[edit]

Musicians[edit]

August 8, 1949[edit]

May 1, 1951[edit]

  • Bud Powell – piano
  • Curley Russell – bass (except "Over the Rainbow", "It Could Happen to You")
  • Max Roach – drums (except "Over the Rainbow", "It Could Happen to You")

August 14, 1953[edit]

Technical personnel[edit]

Original[edit]

Reissue[edit]

  • Michael Cuscuna – producer
  • Rudy Van Gelder – disc transfers (1989); disc transfers, digital audio restoration and mastering (2001)
  • Ron McMaster (1989) – digital transfers
  • Leonard Feather (1989), Bob Blumenthal (2001) – liner notes

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Amazing Bud Powell". Billboard Magazine. 1956-03-31. p. 34. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  2. ^ "The Amazing Bud Powell". The Billboard. 1956-05-19. p. 20. Retrieved 2024-01-23 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Yanow, Scott. Bud Powell – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  4. ^ Yanow, Scott. Bud Powell – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 163. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  6. ^ a b c Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1177. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  7. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  8. ^ "Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell Vols. 1 and 2 album review". All About Jazz. 2001-10-01. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  9. ^ Axelrod, Alan; Alpha Development Group (1999). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jazz. Alpha Books. p. 167. ISBN 0-02-862731-8.
  10. ^ Yanow, Scott (2003). Jazz on Record: The First Sixty Years. Backbeat Books. p. 359. ISBN 0-87930-755-2.
  11. ^ Yanow, Scott (2000). Bebop: The Best Musicians and Recordings. Backbeat Books. pp. 62–63. ISBN 0-87930-608-4.
  12. ^ Kernfeld, Barry Dean (1995). The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Jazz. Blackwell Publishing. p. 232. ISBN 0-631-19552-1.
  13. ^ Piazza, Tom (January 1, 1995). "How Two Pianists Remade (And Upheld) a Tradition". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  14. ^ Ramsey, Jr., Guthrie P.; Guthrie P. Ramsey (2004). Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop. University of California Press. p. 127. ISBN 0-520-24333-1.
  15. ^ Ramsey and Ramsey, 128–130.
  16. ^ Szwed, John F. (2000). Jazz 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Jazz. Hyperion. p. 170. ISBN 0-7868-8496-7.
  17. ^ Yanow, Scott (2000). Afro-Cuban Jazz: The Essential Listening Companion. Backbeat Books. p. 188. ISBN 0-87930-619-X.
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