Mike Melillo's salute to
Bud Powell features a program made up of mostly very familiar tunes by his favorite pianist. With bassist Massimo Moriconi and drummer Giampalolo Ascolese along for the ride,
Melillo's formidable technique is up to the challenges of the hard-driving "Hallucinations" and "Un Poco Loco," while he is hardly fazed by the twists and turns of "Tempus Fugit." The pianist tackles
Powell's richly textured "Oblivion" unaccompanied. There's even one obscurity from the
Powell canon, "Sure Thing," which is primarily a solo feature for the leader, though the rhythm section makes a brief appearance.
Melillo's one original of the session is the laid-back "Alternate Changes," which fits right in with the overall mood of this recommended CD. The only disappointment is the lack of liner notes explaining his choice of songs; one also wonders if a take of "Parisian Thoroughfare" might be lurking in the label's vault. ~ Ken Dryden