Bud Powell - Bud In Copenhagen

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:31
Size: 97,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:16) 1. Rifftide
(6:01) 2. Bouncing With Baud
(4:59) 3. Move
(6:02) 4. The Best Thing For You
(6:45) 5. Straight, No Chaser
(6:15) 6. I Remember Clifford
(5:49) 7. Hot House
(2:22) 8. 52nd Street Theme

After establishing iconic status as the first great bop pianist in the 1940s, Bud Powell was plagued by both mental illness and a fondness for, to borrow his mentor Charlie Parker's famous phrase, "a little sherry before dinner." As a result his output was vastly uneven. Catch Powell right and he is brimfull of energy and ideas. Catch him wrong and, while the technique is there, his playing falls flat and lacks inspiration it can even be a downright mess. Powell's move to Europe in 1959 gave him a new lease of life. This album, recorded in 1962, features Powell close to his best, scatting and growling happily as he plays with his old, rediscovered fire. Originally titled Bouncing With Bud, it has been released on different labels over the years, before emerging in Storyville's excellent In Copenhagen series. Powell is backed by the phenomenal bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, astonishingly just 15 at the time, and a self-effacing drummer, William Schiopffe.

The opener, "Rifftide," based on the chords of "Lady Be Good," dates back to 1945 when Powell was in his 20s and had just left Cootie Williams to take his place in the jazz revolution on 52nd Street. Just a year later, by which time he had absorbed Charlie Parker's ideas into his playing, his composition, "Bouncing With Bud" was being recorded by Sonny Stitt (as "Bebop In Pastel") and, more famously, in 1949 (under its correct title) by a quintet that included Sonny Rollins and Fats Navarro. The version here is claimed to be the first ever trio recording of the song.

The main part of the album comprises Powell's takes on tunes by fellow boppers. These include Tadd Dameron's "Hot House," the first time he's played it on record since the famous Massey Hall concert with Parker and Gillespie in 1953. Then there's Denzil Best's "Move" and, most interestingly, Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" and "52nd Street Theme."

Powell pays jaunty tribute to such pre-bop influences as Earl Hines on Irving Berlin's "The Best Thing For You," obliterating memories of a disastrous 1955 recording he made of the same song. The only ballad, Benny Golson's magnificent "I Remember Clifford," is given a sensitive, very slow and lyrical treatment, a welcome break from all the up-tempo pyrotechnics. This album documents a troubled genius seeking and finding reconciliation with his past. Grateful thanks to Storyville for putting it back in circulation.By Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bud-powell-in-copenhagen-bud-powell-storyville-records-review-by-chris-mosey

Personnel: Bud Powell: piano; Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen: bass; William Schiopffe: drums.

Bud In Copenhagen

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Brew Moore - Zonky

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 112,2 MB
Art: Front

(15:56) 1. Gene's Blues
( 0:17) 2. Introduction
(10:34) 3. I Should Care
( 0:10) 4. Introduction
(13:41) 5. Donna Lee
( 0:15) 6. Introduction
( 7:48) 7. Zonky

Brew Moore once said that "Anyone who doesn't play like Lester Young is wrong," a philosophy he followed throughout his career. In the early '50s, he recorded on a session with fellow tenors Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, and Allan Eager; at the time, they all sounded identical. Moore was the only one of the five who did not change his sound through the years. During 1942-1948, he worked with local bands in New Orleans and Memphis, moving to New York in 1948 and playing with Claude Thornhill's Orchestra (1948-1949). During the next few years, he freelanced, working with Machito, Kai Winding, and Gerry Mulligan, among others. In 1954, he moved to San Francisco, where he led his own groups and played with Cal Tjader. Moore, whose cool sound became out of fashion, moved to Copenhagen in 1961 and, other than three years in New York (1967-1970), stayed overseas until his death. He recorded as a leader for Savoy (1948-1949), Fantasy (1955-1957), Jazz Mark, Debut, SteepleChase, Sonet, and Storyville.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brew-moore-mn0000624818/biography

Personnel: Brew Moore, tenor sax; Kenny Drew, piano; Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, bass; Makaya Ntshoko, drums.

Zonky

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Kenny Drew - Fantasia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:25
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:34) 1. Flight Of Fancy
(5:37) 2. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:24) 3. Wishing Hoping
(4:59) 4. When You Wish Upon A Star
(8:54) 5. Fantasia
(5:06) 6. Dream
(6:33) 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:15) 8. Children's Dance

Kenny Drew was born in New York City in August of 1928. At the age of 5, he began studying classical piano with a private teacher and at 8, gave a recital. This early background is similar to that of Bud Powell, the man who later became his main inspiration as a jazz pianist. After digging Fats Waller, at 12, and then Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, Drew attended the High School of Music and Art. He was known as a hot boogie woogie player but passed through this phase before graduation.

Kenny's first professional job was as accompanist at Pearl Primus' dance school. At the same time, he was alternating with Walter Bishop Jr. in a neighborhood band that included Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean and Art Taylor. In this period, he used to hang-out on 52nd Street to listen to Charlie Parker and Powell and began sitting in at various jam sessions around town.

In January of 1950, Drew made his first appearance on record, with Blue Note. Howard McGhee was the leader and the other featured soloists were Brew Moore and J.J. Johnson. One of the six sides released was “I'll Remember April.” The label, in addition to stating “Howard McGhee's All Stars”, further read, “Introducing Kenny Drew.”

Later, in 1953, Kenny made his first album as a leader. Again it was Blue Note who recorded him, this time in a trio with Curly Russell and Art Blakey. But Kenny opted to settle in Los Angeles for the next few years. There in 1955, he formed a quartet with the late Joe Maini, Leroy Vinnegar and Lawrence Marable. The quartet first recorded together in 1955 for Pacific Jazz. In December, Jazz West, a subsidiary of Aladdin Records, brought the quartet as is into Capitol's recording studios for “Talkin' & Walkin'.” In February of '56, Kenny's band and arrangements were used for another Jazz West release, this one by vocalist Jane Fielding. A month later, Drew, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane and Philly Joe Jones made the great “Chambers' Music” for the same label, which is now reissued on Blue Note.

In early 1957 Kenny made his way back to New York as accompanist for Dinah Washington. That September, he participated in John Coltrane's monumental masterpiece “Blue Train,” but his association with Blue Note did not heat up again until 1960 when he made his own “Undercurrent” as well as Jackie McLean's “Bluesnik,” and “Jackie's Bag,” Kenny Dorham's “Whistle Stop,” Dexter Godon's “Dexter Calling,” Grant Green's “Sunday Mornin'” and a couple of Tina Brooks dates all within the space of a year.

Although Kenny was active on the recording and club scenes in New York and even subbed for Freddie Redd for a while in the successful Off-Broadway run of The Connection, he eventually chose to migrate to Europe. But he again popped up on a classic Blue Note date, Dexter Godon's “One Flight Up,” done in Paris in 1964.

Kenny became a major star in Europe and Japan although his music was sadly neglected at home. He settled in Copenhagen where he ran a publishing company and was the house pianist at the Café Montmartre. He was also the pianist for the Steeplechase label, where he was on countless sessions backing visiting musicians. He left an impressive legacy of recordings both as sideman and leader. Kenny Drew died on Aug. 4, 1993. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kenny-drew

Personnel: Kenny Drew (p); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b); Ed Thigpen (d)

Fantasia

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Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen & Sam Jones - Double Bass

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:45
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. Falling In Love With Love
(5:37) 2. A Notion
(3:44) 3. Giant Steps
(6:09) 4. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(6:22) 5. Miss Morgan
(5:47) 6. Au Privare
(5:02) 7. Yesterday
(5:16) 8. Little Train
(5:11) 9. A Notion (Take 1)
(5:58) 10. Miss Morgan (Take 2)

A virtuoso who mostly played in bop-oriented settings, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was in great demand since he was a teenager. One of many superb European bassists to emerge during the 1960s, Pedersen originally studied piano before starting to play bass with Danish groups when he was 14. He had to reluctantly turn down Count Basie's offer to join his orchestra when he was just 17, but worked steadily as the house bassist at the Club Montmartre and as a member of the Danish Radio Orchestra.

Whenever American jazzmen passed through Scandinavia, they asked for Pedersen; during the 1960s he played with Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, and even Albert Ayler (although the latter's session was not too successful). In the 1970s, Pedersen was featured in a duo with Kenny Drew. Starting in the mid-'70s, he was an occasional member of the Oscar Peterson Trio and he recorded several dates as a leader for SteepleChase. Pedersen also recorded in many different settings for Pablo Records during the era. He remained very active until his sudden death in April 2005. He was 58.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/niels-henning-%C3rsted-pedersen-mn0000404907/biography

Personnel: Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Sam Jones; Drums – Billy Higgins; Guitar – Philip Catherine; Percussion – Albert "Tootie" Heath

Double Bass

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