The two albums included here, New Groove, and Barefoot Adventure, present Bud Shank not only on alto sax, but also on baritone, an instrument he had played in clubs and as a sideman in sporadic studio sessions since the early 50s, but never before on his own recording dates. And while his alto has his customary command and fluency, his work on the less familiar baritone is equally impressive, the sound hard and driving, with expressive use of dynamics.
Pianist Chick Corea in 1996 gathered together some notable young all-stars (tenor-saxophonist Joshua Redman, trumpeter Wallace Roney, altoist Kenny Garrett, bassist Christian McBride, plus veteran drummer Roy Haynes) for explorations of tunes by the innovative pianist Bud Powell. Although "Bouncin' With Bud," "Tempus Fugit" and "Celia" have been occasionally recorded by others, most of the complex songs (including "Mediocre," "Dusk In Sandi," "Oblivion" and "Glass Enclosure") have rarely been played in recent decades. Rather than play revivalist bebop, Corea and his associates (after authentically stating the melody) perform modern post bop improvisations in their own styles, so much of the music is way beyond bop. In addition to nine Powell songs, Corea contributed a song rightfully titled "Bud Powell." All of the talented musicians have a fair amount of solo space and sound consistently inspired, making this a very successful and easily recommended project.
Faced with the choice of any single Bud Powell date to aptly represent his intense musical genius, choosing Jazz Giant would not be a bad bet. Culled from two sessions (spring 1949 and winter 1950) this Verve release showcases the master of bebop piano leading a trio – a setting in which he excelled. With impeccable support from bassist Ray Brown and drummer Max Roach, (substitute Curly Russell for Brown on the later date), an inspired Powell roars through a varied selection of original tunes and standards. ~ AllMusic
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of bebop. His virtuosity led many to call him the Charlie Parker of the piano. Powell was also a composer, and many jazz critics credit his works and his playing as having "greatly extended the range of jazz harmony."
While it wasn't unexpected given his advanced age and health, the death of gospel bluesman Leo "Bud" Welch in 2017 felt altogether too soon. The Delta bluesman from Sabougla, Mississippi had been performing for most of his life. He gigged in juke joints, opened for touring artists such as B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, and John Lee Hooker, and played in church, but he didn't release an album until he was 81. 2014's Sabougla Voices was a "Sunday morning" gospel-blues album of songs he'd learned, written, or improvised on the spot. He followed it a year later with his "Saturday night sinner's record," I Don’t Prefer No Blues, and toured the globe. In 2018, he was the subject of the documentary film, Late Blossom Blues: The Journey of Leo "Bud" Welch. Welch cut The Angels in Heaven Done Signed My Name in Nashville with producer Dan Auerbach and his band the Arcs (that included the late Richard Swift), at his Easy Eye Sound label and studio in Nashville in 2015.
West coast cool purveyors Chet Baker (trumpet) and Bud Shank team up to provide the incidental soundtrack to The James Dean Story (1958). Granted, the biopic was presumably made to cash in on the actor's untimely demise, but movie buffs also recognize it as one of director Robert Altman's earliest features. The score was written by Leith Stevens, who had previously worked on Private Hell 36 (1954), The Wild One (1954), and the Oscar-winning sci-fi classic Destination Moon (1950). Those credentials may have gotten Stevens the gig, but his contributions remain somewhat of a double-edged sword.
René Urtreger was only 20 years old and brand new to the jazz scene at the time of his debut recording, yet he was already making an impression. His tribute to Bud Powell finds him playing bop with some authority, covering some of the troubled genius' best compositions. Accompanied by bassist Benoit Quersin and drummer Jean-Louis Viale, Urtreger shows a tendency to tackle nearly everything at a moderate tempo, though it might have been that his rhythm section wasn't up to handling a faster pace. "So Sorry Please" is full of campy humor as Powell intended, though "Parisian Thoroughfare" would have benefited from a bit more risk-taking. Urtreger's two original works include the roller coaster "À la Bud" (which seems to be based on the chord changes of "Tea for Two") and the stunning ballad "Mercedes"…