Bud Powell - Copenhagen 1962 (Remastered) (2025) [Hi-Res]

One of the giants of the jazz piano, Bud Powell changed the way that virtually all post-swing pianists play their instruments. He did away with the left-hand striding that had been considered essential earlier and used his left hand to state chords on an irregular basis. His right often played speedy single-note lines, essentially transforming Charlie Parker's vocabulary to the piano (although he developed parallel to "Bird").

Bud Powell was, according to Herbie Hancock “the foundation out of which stemmed the whole edifice of modern jazz piano" and, for Hampton Hawes “the greatest be-bop piano player in the world “.

Though his life was short and troubled (1924 – 1966), Bud found a warm welcome and some solace and tranquility during the years he lived in Europe, mostly in Paris, from 1959 to 1963 which probably extended his life a bit, but even then Powell spent part of 1962-1963 in the hospital. He returned to New York in 1964, disappeared after a few concerts, and did not live through 1966.

These previously unreleased recordings that make up this album are from March and August of 1962 from Danish Radio Concert Hall and Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. However battered mentally and physically the man was, here’s the clear evidence of his genius, more intact than generally believed.

Bud Powell, piano
Niels-Henning Ørsted-Pedersen, double bass
Jørn Elniff, drums

Recorded Denmark Radio concert hall, Copenhagen March 25, 1962 (track 1-5)
Recorded at Jazzhus Montmartre, Copenhagen March 1962 (track 6-8)
Recorded Denmark Radio TV studio August 1962 (track 9-11)

Digitally remastered