Bud Powell - The Chronological Classics: 1953-1954 (2007)

The last vestiges of what was the amazing Bud Powell faded in the mid-'50s, and although he lived for another decade-plus, the strung-out ravages of drug abuse withered the abilities of the first genius of bop piano. Those vestiges of flawed genius are still present in these sessions, reissued from the recordings Powell did for the Debut, Roost, and Norgan labels. But you can hear the frayed edges, the diminished energy, and the overt tiredness compared to his previous years. Still a peerless player even in a moderate state, there's much Powell to enjoy here. The first six tracks are from the legendary Massey Hall concert in Toronto, May 15, 1953, with Max Roach on drums and Charles Mingus at the upright bass. Much has been written about this trio, perhaps the most talented ever assembled, which was under-recorded, and in this case under-produced. They bop fast and hard on the faded-in "Cherokee," an incomplete take where Roach is wailing on brushes; they jive on the hip "Jubilee," also known as "Hallelujah"; and they are a collective slipstream in a wind tunnel for the jam on "Lullabye of Birdland." Mingus is less audible than the others overall, and you do hear the innovation of Powell on the tango flavorings of "I've Got You Under My Skin," the near Baroque leanings during the intro of "Sure Thing," and his unique embellishments on the basic melody of "Embraceable You." The remaining 16 tracks are studio dates from the autumn of 1953 through the summer of 1954, with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Art Taylor. You hear Powell at a less than optimal level especially on the ballads, described as reluctant and insecure during "Spring Is Here"; dour, deepest blue, and near funereal during "It Never Entered My Mind"; and tentative for the shaky solo take of "My Devotion." But then even on dark days Powell was able to conjure brilliance, as on his completely original remake of "Lover Come Back to Me," retitled "Burt Covers Bud"; the brighter "A Foggy Day"; an Asian-flavored "Embraceable You"; the confident, direct, even playful "Buttercup"; and the hard-charging "Fantasy in Blue." Powell's occasional stride piano influence comes to the fore on "My Funny Valentine," his best ballad is "Time Was," and you hear the trick arpeggios that were signatures of Thelonious Monk -- or was it the other way around? Valuable for its musical instructiveness and a hard reality check of life, this recording is a reminder that even flawed genius has it moments, however fleeting, and we should all be thankful to be able to capture those precious times.