This CD combines trio sessions from 1949 and 1950, a time when Bud Powell was at the brief peak of his powers, creating some of the definitive piano recordings of modern jazz. At its best, Powell's work represented one of those rare moments when technique, creative vision, and the historical situation combine to create masterpieces. Drawing elements of his inspiration from Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk, Powell was the one bop pianist able to hold his own as a soloist with the greatest horn players. The earlier recordings have Powell accompanied by Ray Brown on bass and Max Roach on drums, and as potent a rhythm section as that is, Powell provides much of the momentum. Ideas fly from the pianist's fingers on standards like "Cherokee" and his own "Tempus Fugit." It's apparent from "Celia" and the moving "I'll Keep Loving You" that Powell is one of the neglected composers of jazz. On the later session, with Roach and bassist Curly Russell, there's more emphasis on Powell's ballad playing, and while the shifting approaches can suggest Tatum, there's a depth to "Body and Soul" that is Powell's alone. Shades of Monk's skewed rhythms appear in the bounce tempo "So Sorry Please," but they arise in the midst of Powell's distinct linear invention. Jazz piano has rarely reached these heights. --Stuart Broomer Verve Records
