"Mediocre" is a composition written by

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...

for his album '' The Lonely One...'' which has been noted for its unconventional structure and its combination of stride piano with jarring right-hand interpretation.

History

Powell recorded the composition only once in his entire career: on January 13, 1955, at Fine Sound Studios in NYC for

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, ...

. He was joined by

Percy Heath Percy Heath (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005) was an American jazz bassist, brother of saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975. Heath played with the Modern Jazz Quartet throughout ...

on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums, and the album was released by Verve as ''The Lonely One...'' in 1959.

Reception

The unconventional composition has divided critics. Patrick Burnette of All About Jazz described the first half of the track as "slyly humorous," but criticized the recording quality and summarized it as "a frightening record which seems a direct expression of—rather than an aesthetic response to (a la '

Glass Enclosure "Glass Enclosure" (occasionally "The Glass Enclosure") is a composition by jazz pianist Bud Powell. The first recording was Powell's version for Blue Note Records in 1953, which was released as part of the album '' The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2'' ...

')—his unstable mental condition." Barry Harris and

Michael Weiss Michael Weiss may refer to: Sports * Michael Weiss (figure skater) (born 1976), American former figure skater * Michael Weiss (swimmer) (born 1991), American swimmer * Michael Weiss (triathlete) (born 1981), Austrian triathlete and cyclist * Mich ...

showed similar concern regarding the composition. ''

DownBeat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

'' praised the composition as "oddly fetching," and, regarding the place of the composition within the album, remarked that its "idiosyncrasy reaches some lofty plateau." Weiss noted that the bassline occasionally clashes with the piano during the tune, and suggested that Heath played through the recording by ear.

Notable recordings

* '' The Lonely One...'' with Heath and Clarke * '' Remembering Bud Powell'' by

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

References

Compositions by Bud Powell 1955 songs American jazz songs {{Improve categories, date=January 2024