Bud Powell - Inner Fires: The Genius Of Bud Powell (1982)

ELEKTRA/MUSICIAN MONTH (FEBRUARY 2023)

When Bruce Lundvall started the Elektra/Musician label, his goals included not only promoting new signings, but also issuing some historical acquisitions, which were issued as "Jazz Masters Editions."

This is one such release, a set of previously unreleased performances from the private collection of Bill Potts, recorded live on the afternoon of Sunday, April 5, 1953, Club Kavakos, Washington, D.C.

"Known the World Over"

As one would expect, the recording quality isn't the greatest, but it ain't bad considering the circumstances, recording technology, and millieu. And the bop performances are first rate. A 28-year-old Powell flies all over the keyboard and it seems the rhythm section is just trying to keep up. Hell, it wears me out just listening. Mingus gets a couple of solos, but unfortunately sometimes gets lost in the rudimentary mix.

CD booklet includes liner notes, track-by-track annotations, an interview with Powell, and comments from Chick Corea. Plus original cover art from Marshall Arisman.

Powell - piano

Charlie Mingus - bass

Roy Haynes - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "some fleet, involving playing from Powell as well as a consistent ensemble interplay that's mesmerizing."
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000) (★★★★): "simply masterful, a genius at the office."

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: You can't go wrong with any of the tracks here, but my top two picks are Gershwin's Nice Work If You Can Get It and the bebop standard, Salt Peanuts (with a very tasty, lengthy solo from Haynes). 

The final track, track 12, consists of two interviews from 1963, given as Powell was recuperating from tuberculosis at Bouffemont Sanatorium in France. Those brief interviews are transcribed and translated in the liner notes. Having artist interviews at the end of an album was a fairly common practice on early Elektra/Musician releases. It was an innovative and interesting idea, but ultimately hurts my enjoyment of the full album. 

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None