''Bud Powell's Moods'' is a studio album by

jazz pianist Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the Musical ...

Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. A pioneer in the development of bebop and its associated contributions to jazz theory,Grove Powell's application of complex phrasing to ...

, released in 1956 by Norgran, featuring sessions that Powell recorded in 1954 and 1955. The album was re-issued by

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * '' The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee h ...

, and released as a CD replica by Verve (Japan) in 2006 (POCJ-2740). The sessions (with alternate takes) are also available on CD on ''

The Complete Bud Powell on Verve ''The Complete Bud Powell on Verve'' is a five-disc box set, released on September 27, 1994, by Verve Records, containing all of jazz pianist Bud Powell's recordings as leader for producer Norman Granz. Track listing ''All songs were written by ...

'' (1994) box set.

History

The sessions on this album mark the beginning of a two-year period (from June 1954 to September 1956) when Powell recorded exclusively for

Norman Granz Norman Granz (August 6, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American jazz record producer and concert promoter. He founded the record labels Clef, Norgran, Down Home, Verve, and Pablo and the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series. Gra ...

at Fine Sound Studios in New York. The two Powell compositions, "Buttercup" and "Fantasy in Blue", are both up-tempo, in contrast to the generally mellow mood of the rest of the album. According to pianist

Barry Harris Barry Doyle Harris (December 15, 1929 – December 8, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. He was an exponent of the bebop style. Influenced by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, Harris in turn influenc ...

, Powell did not select many of the tunes for the session, and he was unfamiliar with some of them, particularly "I Get a Kick out of You," at the time of recording.

Track listing 12" LP (MGN 1064, MGV 8154)

''All songs were written by

, except where noted.'' # " Moonlight in Vermont" (

Karl Suessdorf Karl A. Suessdorf (April 28, 1911 – February 25, 1982) was an American songwriter. Biography The son of Henry F. Suessdorf, he was born in Valdez, Alaska, United States, where his father operated from 1907 to 1917 the Copper Block Buffet, a ...

, John Blackburn) – 3:35 # "

Spring Is Here "Spring is Here" is a 1938 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical '' I Married an Angel'' (1938), where it was introduced by Dennis King and Vivienne Segal. Rodgers and Hart had previously written ...

" (

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers wa ...

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include "Blue Moon"; " The Lady Is a Tramp"; "Manhattan"; " Bewitched, Bo ...

) – 3:27 # "Buttercup" – 2:59 # "Fantasy in Blue" – 3:04 # "

It Never Entered My Mind "It Never Entered My Mind" is a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical '' Higher and Higher'', where it was introduced by Shirley Ross. Notable recordings *Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, ...

" (Rodgers, Hart) – 2:56 # "

A Foggy Day "A Foggy Day" is a popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The song was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film '' A Damsel in Distress''. It was originally titled "A Foggy Day (In London Town)" in reference to ...

" (

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the ...

) – 3:45 # "Time Was" (aka "Duerme" «Sleep») (

Miguel Prado This is a list of characters from the Jeff Lindsay novel series ''Dexter'', consisting of ''Darkly Dreaming Dexter'', ''Dearly Devoted Dexter'', ''Dexter in the Dark'', ''Dexter by Design'', ''Dexter Is Delicious'', '' Double Dexter'', the ''Dex ...

Gabriel Luna Gabriel Luna is an American actor and producer. He is known for his roles as Robbie Reyes / Ghost Rider on the ABC action superhero series '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (2016–2017), Tony Bravo on the El Rey Network drama series ''Matador'' (20 ...

, Bob Russell) – 4:17 # "

My Funny Valentine "My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart coming of age musical ''Babes in Arms'' in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 1300 albums performed ...

" (Rodgers, Hart) – 2:53 # "

I Get a Kick out of You "I Get a Kick Out of You" is a song by Cole Porter, which was first sung in the 1934 Broadway musical '' Anything Goes'', and then in the 1936 film version. Originally sung by Ethel Merman, it has been covered by dozens of prominent performers, ...

" (

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

) – 4:26 # "

You Go to My Head "You Go to My Head" is a 1938 popular song composed by J. Fred Coots with lyrics by Haven Gillespie. Many versions of the song have been recorded, and it has since become a pop and jazz standard. Melody and lyrics Alec Wilder terms Coots' melod ...

" ( J. Fred Coots,

Haven Gillespie James Lamont Gillespie (February 6, 1888 – March 14, 1975), known under the pen name Haven Gillespie, was an American Tin Pan Alley composer and lyricist. He was the writer of " You Go to My Head", "Honey", "By the Sycamore Tree", " That Luc ...

) – 4:11 # " The Best Thing for You (Would Be Me)" (

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Berlin received numerous honors including an Acade ...

) – 2:41

Personnel

Performance

–

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

''June 2, 1954, Fine Sound Studios, New York, side A tracks 1-4.'' *

George Duvivier George Duvivier (August 17, 1920 – July 11, 1985) was an American jazz double-bassist. Biography Duvivier was born in New York City, the son of Leon V. Duvivier and Ismay Blakely Duvivier. He attended the Conservatory of Music and Art, where ...

"This date was done in two sections and on one date we used George Duvivier on bass and on the other Percy Heath. The drummer on both dates was Art Taylor." –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

Art Taylor Arthur S. Taylor Jr. (April 6, 1929 – February 6, 1995) was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".Watrous, Peter (February 7, 1995)"Art Taylor, 65, Jazz Drummer Who Inspired Young Musicians" ''The Ne ...

–

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

''June 4, 1954, Fine Sound Studios, New York, side A tracks 5-6 and side B tracks 1-2.'' *

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 througho ...

– bass * Art Taylor – drums ''January 12, 1955, Fine Sound Studios, New York, side B tracks 3-5.'' *

Lloyd Trotman Lloyd Nelson Trotman (May 25, 1923 – October 3, 2007), born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, was an American jazz bassist, who backed numerous jazz, dixieland, R&B, and rock and roll artists in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He resided i ...

– bass *

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

– drums

Production

– producer *

David Stone Martin David Stone Martin, born David Livingstone Martin (June 13, 1913 – March 6, 1992 in New London, Connecticut) was an American artist best known for his illustrations on jazz record albums.Detailed biographical information is spread throughout ...

– cover design

Release history

The two June 1954 sessions were originally released on a 10" LP called ''The Artistry of Bud Powell'' on Norgran in 1954.

''The Artistry of Bud Powell'' 10" LP (MGN 23)

# "Moonlight in Vermont" (Suessdorf, Blackburn) # "Spring Is Here" (Rodgers, Hart) # "Buttercup" # "Fantasy in Blue" # "It Never Entered My Mind" (Rodgers, Hart) # "A Foggy Day" (Gershwin, Gershwin) # "Time Was" (Prado, Luna, Russell) # "My Funny Valentine" (Rodgers, Hart)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bud Powell's Moods Bud Powell albums 1956 albums Albums produced by Norman Granz Norgran Records albums