Just received *Bud Powell: Live at Birdland 1957* on the Japanese Marshmallow label. As the title says, this is a live recording made at Birdland with Donald Byrd, Phil Woods, Bud, Paul Chambers & Art Taylor, apparently for the Roulette label but rejected for some reason.
This is great Bud, fluent, intense, imaginative, reminding me of the best of the live stuff he did for ESP in 1953 - which is interesting considering that his somewhat halting RCAs were made in 1957 at about the same time as this recording – but there’s nothing halting here...
The group accompanying him is likewise excellent. Phil Woods, who often gets put down on this site, plays superb alto, relentlessly driving and inventive – certainly the best I have ever heard him play (those here who don’t like his playing should listen to this – the cat could really play), and Donald Byrd is at his fluent best (he too was a hell of a player at this time). Paul Chambers and AT make this one of the best rhythm sections Bud has worked with.
Tunes are Ornithology, Groovin’ High, Lover Man & Dance of the Infidels. This was not a live broadcast - rather it was professionally recorded live before a Birdland audience with Symphony Sid officiating.
Ten Stars.
Q