Powell was perhaps the first pianist to vocalize on the piano, meaning that he transfered his vocalized improvisations directly through his hands to the instrument. This gave his music a deep connection to time, which is an artifact of the human voice. Previously, horn players were more likely to express their improvisations vocally, as the mouth and breath are directly tied to the performance of horn players.
Powell suffered from Bi-Polar Disorder, and in November 1947, Powell was admitted to Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, where he stayed for more than a year, receiving electroconvulsive therapy which caused severe memory loss. The young Jackie McLean and Sonny Rollins became friendly with Powell on his release from the hospital, and Powell recommended McLean to Miles Davis. However, Powell suffered from mental illness throughout his life, and had a reputation for his strange behaviour. In fact his problems, exacerbated by a beating from the police in 1945 for being disorderly, could all be attributed to being a manic depressive, although his illness was almost certainly a key driver of his immense creative talent. He was also an alcoholic, and even small quantities of alcohol had a profound effect on his character, making him aggressive. Powell's continued rivalry with Charlie Parker, while essential to the production of brilliant music, was also the subject of disruptive feuding and bitterness on the bandstand, as a result of Powell's troubled mental and physical condition. He spent all of 1952 (and parts of many subsequent years) in a hospital. When he was out of the hospital, he was often locked up in a hotel room and was usually denied receiving the money he earned performing.
It is generally agreed that his best recordings are those made prior to 1954, both for Blue Note Records and for Norman Granz (at Mercury Records, Norgran Records, Clef Records and later on Verve Records).
After 1953 (when Powell attempted suicide), his style became darker and slower. Many jazz critics pronounced him "washed up" during the last decade of his career. There were a few recordings which never should have been issued (Verve from January 1955 and Roulette Oct. 1964). Still, he continued to play with great intensity even without the speed that made him famous in the 1940s. His late 1950s Blue Note recordings are recommended. Bud performed regularly with drummer Kenny Clarke and bassists Oscar Pettiford or Pierre Michelot. He performed brilliantly as a sideman for Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dexter Gordon on recordings in the early 1960s. As late as 1962 he recorded concerts in Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland, in which he played as brilliantly as he had played in the late 1940s. Powell moved to France in 1959, when his life was extended by several years under the care of a fan named Francis Paudras, whose book "Dance of the Infidels" is required reading for any Powell fan. Paudras' friendship produced many impromptu recordings and was the basis for the 1987 Bernard Tavenier film "Round Midnight", for which Dexter Gordon received a best actor Oscar nomination (as a fictional composite of Bud Powell and Lester Young).
Paudras and Powell returned to Birdland in the fall of 1964 to initial critical acclaim. Bud despised the drummer he had to play with and soon lost his regular engagement at Birdland. After Paudras returned to France without Powell, ESP-disk's founder became Bud's legal guardian, but let Bud self-destruct from late 1964 until his death in July, 1966. Bud's last recordings were a haunting, sparse "Round Midnight" from Carnegie Hall in March 1965 and other trio tracks from January 1966 on the mysterious "Ups 'n Downs" album.
He is survived by his daughter Celia, who has been reissuing Paudras' recordings of her father on the Pablo and Piadrum labels.
Sweet and Lovely
Bud Powell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet and lovely heaven must have sent her my way
Skies above me never were as blue as her eyes
And she loves me, who would want a sweeter surprise
When she nestles in my arms so tenderly
There's a thrill that words cannot express
In my heart a song of love is taunting me, melody, haunting me
And she loves me, there is nothing more I can say
Sweet and lovely sweeter than the roses in May
Sweet and lovely heaven must have sent her my way
Skies above me never were as blue as her eyes
And she loves me, who would want a sweeter surprise
When she nestles in my arms so tenderly
There's a thrill that words cannot express
In my heart a song of love is taunting me, melody, haunting me
Sweet and lovely sweeter than the roses in May
And she loves me, there is nothing more I can say
The lyrics of Bud Powell's song "Sweet and Lovely" convey a deep sense of admiration and affection for a special person in the singer's life. The opening lines describe this person as being sweeter than the roses in May, suggesting their exceptional beauty and charm. The singer believes that this individual has been sent from heaven, emphasizing their extraordinary nature. The comparison between the person's eyes and the sky creates an image of unparalleled beauty.
The lyrics continue to express the singer's overwhelming joy and love for this person. When they are held in their arms, it brings about an indescribable thrill that words cannot capture. The singer's heart is filled with a love song that haunts and teases them, symbolizing the passionate emotions this person evokes.
Overall, "Sweet and Lovely" describes the depth of admiration, love, and happiness that comes from having someone special in one's life. It portrays a sense of wonder and gratitude for the beauty and love experienced with this person.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet and lovely sweeter than the roses in May
She is sweet and lovely, even sweeter than the beautiful roses that bloom in May.
Sweet and lovely heaven must have sent her my way
She is so incredible and perfect that it feels like she was sent to me by heaven.
Skies above me never were as blue as her eyes
Her eyes are so captivating and beautiful that they make the skies above seem less blue by comparison.
And she loves me, who would want a sweeter surprise
The fact that she loves me is the most delightful and unexpected surprise one could ever wish for.
When she nestles in my arms so tenderly
When she rests gently and affectionately in my embrace
There's a thrill that words cannot express
The feeling of joy and excitement is so intense that no words can adequately describe it.
In my heart a song of love is taunting me, melody, haunting me
In the depths of my heart, a beautiful and enchanting song of love plays, constantly teasing and lingering in my thoughts.
And she loves me, there is nothing more I can say
The fact that she loves me is the ultimate expression of affection and there are no words left to describe how happy it makes me.
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Capitol CMG Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, HARRY TOBIAS MUSIC COMPANY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles N. Daniels, Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
3340steve
Makes me think that Monk and Bud listened to each other...check his final chorus there...beautiful.....
Brandon Shamar
They were best friends and they could imitate each other. Monk wrote tune called In Walked Bud recalling when he first met Bud at a session. Monk would stay at Buds house all day and night. He'd sleep there. They admired each other greatly
Red Peaux
Nice! That's basically Monk's arrangement from "The High Priest". I never knew how much Bud looked up to him until I read the bio.
John Whitehead
FLAWED GENIUS THANK YOU
Robbie Borne
It's nice. Very Monkesque. I saw Monk in 1965. Had to go twice. He forgot to show up the first time. He was soo stoned that the skin on his face was tight. What a performance!
Shayan Noghrehsaz
How can I have the full version of this concert?
Nelson Azevedo
genio
Ahash31
magnificent
渡邉政雄
非常に珍しいパウエルの動画ですね。貴重な動画のアップ有難うございます。
OoOoOo
Man this shit pretty