Spotlight: Bud Powell documentary, Harlem Week, Brooklyn Jazz Fest

“The Amazing Bud Powell” (Blue Note 1952) — The title says it all, and one can also add such adjectives as legend or genius to the pianist and composer Bud Powell, one of the great architects of bebop, along with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Perhaps one of the greatest pianists to walk the planet, although becoming a full household name eluded him. To discover the magical musicianship of Powell is easy enough: Just gravitate toward his many recorded albums from the 1950s and ’60s. 

However, to experience his personal tapestry, emerge into the deep waters of his musical journey through “Bud Lives! A Love Letter to Bud Powell” (74 minutes, 2025) by filmmaker and producer Haeyong Moon. She describes the documentary as a “love letter” to Powell, blending rare performance footage, intimate interviews, and vivid storytelling to bring Powell’s world to the forefront. Powell’s life was no crystal stair — a few interviewees mentioned his traumatic brutalizing by police officers; his mesmerizing dexterity, the beauty of his music flowing like a babbling brook, and the creativity of joy and agony. In other words, the complex life of being gifted and Black in America. 

“Bud Lives!” is an enticing visual that immerses viewers in Bud’s music, influences, and legacy, while also sharing the perspectives of musicians who knew him, from Lennie Tristano and Jackie McLean to Kenny Barron and Jason Moran. Moon has made a touching jazz film that will inspire enthusiasts and non-jazz folks alike to make a concerted effort to listen to Powell’s music, as well as those artists appearing in this documentary. It’s a true jazz history highlighting the master. Powell loved the music and it loved him! He was always the mentor, teacher, and friend. Viewers will feel compassion and the love he shared unselfishly with the world. Powell was extremely modest, but here, musicians and fans give praise to a man who influenced virtually every jazz pianist who came after him — and more than a few of his own era.

On August 6, the film will premiere at Theater N (221 W. Tenth Street) in Wilmington, Delaware. The filmmaker will be in attendance at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. 

Harlem is the venue on August 8, 3 p.m. at Maysles Documentary Center (343 Malcolm X Blvd.). This special date marks the 60th anniversary of the funeral procession for Powell in Harlem. The filmmaker will be in attendance. For more info, visit maysles.org.

The 52nd Annual Harlem Week arrives once again with explosive events for the entire family from August 1–16, celebrating Harlem’s rich history as the Black cultural capital of the world, its ever-evolving intergenerational moves in the present and giant steps into the future. This year’s highlights include celebrating the 30-year anniversary of “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite” album from the legendary singer/songwriter; the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute; a tribute to gospel great Richard Smallwood (the singer/songwriter and pianist, who passed last year, was best known for his blend of R&B, soul, and choral compositions into the gospel tradition); and performances by rapper, singer, and producer Kwame, coming out of the hip hop hot spot of East Elmhurst Queens, and Harlem’s own hit-making songstress Alyson Williams, among others. 

For more than 50 years, Harlem Week has been recognized as one of the country’s most absorbing outdoor festivals, featuring such signature events as A Great Day in Harlem, Summer in the City, and the event that started it all: Harlem Day, along with a host of community-centered programming, including the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K Run & Children’s Run, the Hazel Dukes Memorial Family Health Walk, a Climate Change Conference, a NYC Jobs & Careers Fair, and Senior Citizen’s Day. 

“We are committed to strengthening community, expanding economic opportunity, and ensuring Harlem’s influence continues to shape culture globally,” said Marko Nobles, chair of Harlem Week. Sixteen days of live and virtual events are centered around this year’s theme: “Honoring Our Legacy.” For a complete listing, visit harlemweek.org.

Brooklyn basks in the glow of a long jazz tradition, from Dickie Habersham-Bey’s famous Blue Coronet and the storied East jazz club to, presently, Sistas’ Place. On August 8, the rays will shine even brighter for the first annual Brooklyn Jazz Festival at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park (171 East Drive), an all-day affair from noon to 10 p.m. It will feature a lineup of artists who are always looking for the next frontier while shaping music in the moment.  

“My goal was simple: to assemble the best musicians in the world within our budget, many of them local, and in doing so be sure that we represented the diversity that is a hallmark of Brooklyn itself,” explained festival curator, guitarist, and producer Joel Harrison. 

The festival covers two stages with inventive artists who go beyond mere categories and capture the music in their own unique context: the hot tinge of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms with Bobby Sanabria and Vinicius Gomes; piano travels with Jason Moran, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Craig Taborn; moving and virtuosic sax playing with Chris Potter, Ingrid Laubrock, and others. Representing the guitar is Emmanuel Michael with Marcus Gilmore’s band, Vinicius.

Harrison will join Vernon Reid in celebrating the pivotal 1969 Miles Davis recording, “In a Silent Way.” “We definitely plan to do the Miles music in our own way — there’ll be a lot of way-out sonic exploration and funk,” said Harrison. Linda May Han Oh and Joel Ross (as well as Marcus Gilmore’s “Journey to the New”) represent the younger generation, and each has wonderful individual ensembles and approaches. Just the drummers at this festival play in stratospheric mode: Eric Harland, Sanabria, Gilmore, and Kendrick Scott. “I think we have a diverse collection of creative musicians that will surely be astounding,” said Harrison. 

This is not a free event ($97 basic ticket; $197 VIP ticket w/leather chair and food for 10 straight hours of music). The LeFrak Center at Lakeside is operated by the Ekstein Development Group, whose founder, Erik Ekstein, produced the Brooklyn Guitar Festival and the Brooklyn Jazz Festival. For a complete schedule, visit Bklynjazzfest.com.

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