Narratives & Notes: The Life and Music of Jazz Piano Legend Bud Powell

Leimert Park Jazz Festival presents

Narratives & Notes: The Life, Music and Legacy of Jazz Pianist Bud Powell

in collaboration with The World Stage

Moderator: Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy, Professor of Music at the USC Thornton School of Music

Panelists:

Adam Ledbetter, Pianist

Roy McCurdy, Drummer (who appears in the film)

Haeyong Moon, Filmmaker

Live Performance by:

Adam Ledbetter (Piano)

Roy McCurdy (Drums)

Ben Williams (Bass)

About Earl Rudolph “Bud” Powell:

Bud Powell (1924–1966) was a revolutionary jazz pianist and composer whose innovations forever transformed the role of the piano in modern jazz. A central architect of bebop, Powell brought the rapid, melodic language of horn players to the keyboard, earning him the enduring nickname “the Charlie Parker of the piano.” A Harlem-born prodigy mentored by Thelonious Monk, Powell helped define the sound of 1940s New York bebop through lightning-fast right-hand lines, sparse left-hand chords, and bold harmonic ideas. His compositions, including “Un Poco Loco,” “Tempus Fugue-It,” and “Hallucinations”, remain cornerstones of the jazz canon. Despite profound personal struggles, Powell’s artistry left an indelible mark on generations of jazz musicians worldwide.

About Narratives & Notes:

Narratives & Notes is an ongoing concert-and-conversation program series presented by Leimert Park Jazz Festival that brings together artists, culture bearers, and thought leaders to explore how jazz reflects and shapes culture, community, and the human experience.

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