Fekmax 1949

When producer Norman Granz decided to let Charlie Parker record standards with a full string section (featuring Mitch Miller on oboe!), the purists cried sellout, but nothing could be further from the truth. There's a real sense of involvement from Bird on these sides, which collect up all the master takes and also include some live tracks from Carnegie Hall that - judging from the sometimes uneasy murmurings of the crowd - amply illustrate just how weirdly this mixture of bop lines against "legit" arrangements was perceived. The music on this collection is lush, poetic, romantic as hell, and the perfect antidote to a surfeit of jazz records featuring undisciplined blowing. There's a lot of jazz, but there's only one Bird.

Bud Powell - The Complete Bud Powell on Verve (1994) {5CD Set Polygram 314521669-2 rec 1949-1956}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 847 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 634 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 599 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1949-56, 1994 Mercury / Clef / Norgran / Verve / Polygram | 314 521 669-2
Jazz / Bop / Piano

This five-CD deluxe set contains an impressive 150-page booklet and reissues every scrap of music that the innovative pianist Bud Powell recorded for Verve. The first disc has the best music, four truly outstanding sessions from 1949-51. The other performances (trio sides from 1954-56) are much more erratic, particularly the alternate takes, with gems followed by completely lost solos. Bop fans will want this set but more general collectors are advised to pick up the Blue Notes first.