More of The Amazing Bud Powell…

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Rare Video: Bud Powell In Europe

This footage collects three separate rare performances by Bud Powell during his time living in Europe. The best of the lot is the 1959 set at Club St. Germaine in Paris. Powell is evidently free of demons on this evening, brightened by the presence of trumpeter Clark Terry and saxophonist Barney Wilen, along with his regular trio consisting of bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Kenny Clarke. Powell plays without a slip and solos with gusto, particularly in ‘Blues In The Closet’, which also features Michelot. Terry is the featured soloist in the hip blues ‘Pie Eye’ and Wilen in ‘52nd Street Theme’. Later the same year at the Blue Note in Paris Powell’s trio is accompanied by tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson and guitarist Jimmy Gourley. Powell is once more playing with plenty of fire, while Thompson and Gourley devour ‘Anthropology’ whole. The 1962 selections from Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen features the pianist with the teenaged but accomplished bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Jorn Elniff. Powell once again proves that he is at full strength on this shorter set.