About
Richie Powell takes one chorus of piano on this crackling up-tempo reading of "What Am I Here For?," soloing third after Harold Land and Clifford Brown. His playing is energized by the surrounding fire, his lines responding to the momentum built by the two preceding horn soloists at approximately 274 BPM. Powell demonstrates considerable dexterity navigating the ABAC form's harmonic terrain, his single-note runs and chordal punctuations maintaining the rhythmic drive that characterizes this performance. The solo provides a brief but effective pianistic counterpoint between the horn features and Max Roach's closing drum chorus.
Richie Powell was 23 to 24 years old at the time.
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