Main content

The Return of Bud Powell

Kate Molleson and biographer Peter Pullman discuss Bud Powell鈥檚 return to New York in 1964. After five years in Paris, his homecoming was heralded with great fanfare.

This week Kate Molleson explores the life and work of a jazz giant in his centenary year: the amazing Bud Powell, in the company of Powell鈥檚 biographer Peter Pullman. Focusing on Bud Powell as a performer, prioritising his own compositions but also appreciating the art of improvisation as spontaneous composition.

Bud Powell was born in 1924 and grew up in Harlem, against the backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance. He was a gifted pianist from a young age and became a pioneer of bebop. But he was a troubled soul and the great paradox of Bud Powell is how there could be such joy and expression in his music while his life was so painful.

Today Kate Molleson and Peter Pullman discuss Bud Powell鈥檚 return to New York in 1964. After five years in Paris, Powell鈥檚 homecoming was heralded with great fanfare. When he walked into Birdland 鈥 the jazz club where he鈥檇 reigned supreme in the late 40s and early 50s 鈥 he was given a 17-minute standing ovation. This was a mark of respect 鈥 a recognition, perhaps, of past, rather than present achievements, of a legacy that would live on beyond his own short life.

Peter Pullman's deeply researched biography of Bud Powell is called Wail: the Life of Bud Powell.

To listen on most smart speakers, just say: 鈥淎sk 91热爆 Sounds to play Composer of the Week.鈥

Music featured:
All God鈥檚 Chillun Got Rhythm (from Jazz Giant)
Hallucinations (from The Return of Bud Powell)
If I Loved You (from The Return of Bud Powell)
Thelonius (from A Portrait of Thelonius)
Like Someone in Love (from Ups and Downs)
Bouncing with Bud (Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette, from After the Fall)
Dusk in Sandi (Chick Corea, from Remembering Bud Powell)
Wail (from the Amazing Bud Powell)

22 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Last Friday 16:00

Music Played

  • Bud Powell

    All God's Chillun Got Rhythm

    Performer: Bud Powell. Performer: Ray Brown. Performer: Max Roach.
    • VERVE.
  • Bud Powell

    Hallucinations

    Performer: Bud Powell. Performer: John Ore. Performer: J.C. Moses.
    • ROULETTE.
  • Bud Powell

    If I Loved You

    Performer: Bud Powell. Performer: John Ore. Performer: J.C. Moses.
    • ROULETTE.
  • Bud Powell

    Thelonious

    Performer: Bud Powell. Performer: Pierre Michelot. Performer: Kenny Clarke.
    • COLUMBIA.
  • Bud Powell

    Like Someone In Love

    Performer: Bud Powell.
    • MAINSTREAM.
  • Bud Powell

    Celia

    Performer: Phineas Newborn, Jr.. Performer: Oscar Pettiford. Performer: Kenny Clarke.
    • RHINO ATLANTIC.
  • Bud Powell

    Bouncing with Bud

    Performer: Keith Jarrett. Performer: Gary Peacock. Performer: Jack DeJohnette.
    • ECM.
  • Bud Powell

    Dusk in Sandi

    Performer: Chick Corea. Performer: Wallace Roney. Performer: Christian McBride. Performer: Roy Haynes.
    • STRETCH.
  • Bud Powell

    Wail

    Performer: Bud Powell. Performer: Fats Navarro. Performer: Tommy Potter. Performer: Roy Haynes.
    • BlUE NOTE.

Broadcast

  • Last Friday 16:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time 鈥 why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.