Richie Powell
Piano Solo on
The Blues Walk

About

Richie Powell's piano solo is the third of four solos on this recording, following Harold Land on tenor sax. Spanning six choruses of the 12-bar Blues form in B♭ at a blazing 261 BPM with a swing feel, Powell takes six choruses at the piano, his comping and solo work reflecting the hard bop aesthetic that the group helped pioneer. Richie Powell was just 23 to 24 years old at the time of this recording, already displaying remarkable maturity. Powell's extended piano improvisation builds gradually through the choruses, developing melodic ideas with increasing complexity and rhythmic intensity.

Richie Powell was 23 to 24 years old at the time.