"Celia" is a bebop composition by pianist Bud Powell, written as a dedication to his daughter. The tune is a contrafact based on the chord changes of George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm," reharmonized and embellished with the chromaticism and harmonic sophistication that defined Powell's style. The melody is lyrical yet demanding, featuring appoggiaturas and embellishments that Powell himself would vary from performance to performance. Harmonic details include altered dominant chords and flexible II-V progressions in the bridge, giving improvisers a rich palette to work with while staying within bebop conventions. Powell first recorded the tune for Verve Records, and it appears on compilations of his work from that period. Though not as universally called at jam sessions as some other bebop staples, "Celia" is a respected piece in the repertoire, valued by advanced players for the interplay between its melodic beauty and its improvisational challenges. Lead sheets and transcriptions of Powell's performances circulate widely among students and educators, and the tune has been arranged for jazz ensemble settings beyond the piano trio format in which Powell originally conceived it.
