Dance of the Infidels: A Portrait of Bud Powell

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, disturbing, and uplifting
Review: A very well written and well documented account of a period in the life of a jazz legend, Bud Powell. Francis Paudras' sincere and humane relationship with Bud Powell is evident throughout the book. Great quotes from other musicians and friends in Bud Powell's life. Although I knew the ultimate fate of Bud Powell, the ending is very disturbing. I have many questions that I would like to ask Mr. Paudras. It is shame that he is no longer with us. An excellent book.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant, Wonderful, *must read* book
Review: As my review below will show, I think Paudras' biography is essential reading for any fan of Bud Powell. Until recently it was the only book available on the subject. However a new book about Bud Powell has arrived on the scene and is available from Amazon. I have ordered my copy: The Glass Enclosure : The Life of Bud Powell -- by Alan Groves, Alyn Shipton.
"Dance of the Infidels" is absolutely first rate. It is for good reason that the back cover contains endorsements both by Marian McPartland and Herbie Hancock. I heartily agree with Marian McParland: "...Francis Paudras has captured the genuius who was Bud Powell in this fascinating book..." I agree with Herbie Hancock too: "Francis Paudras is a hero who has dedicated his life to preserving the history of the great cultural figures of jazz...This book is a wonderful living document of his personal relationship with the genius of Bud Powell..." As for the importance of Bud Powell, here is a quote from Bill Evans: "Of all the musicians I ever loved--Bird and Stan Getz and Miles and lots of others that no one even knows I listened to--it was Bud who influenced me the most..." (By the way, be sure to read "Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings" by Peter Pettinger.) I personally feel that "Dance of the Infidels: A Portrait of Bud Powell" should be required reading in all jazz programs at every college, university, and school in the country if not the world. It is a profound book. I feel sorry for anyone who is unable to appreciate this book. You will never listen the same way to Art Tatum or Dizzie Gilespie or Monk or, of course, Bud, after you read this book. The inside cover mentions that Francis Paudras committed suicide on November 27, 1997.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant, Wonderful, *must read* book
Review: As my review below will show, I think Paudras' biography is essential reading for any fan of Bud Powell. Until recently it was the only book available on the subject. However a new book about Bud Powell has arrived on the scene and is available from Amazon. I have ordered my copy: The Glass Enclosure : The Life of Bud Powell -- by Alan Groves, Alyn Shipton.
"Dance of the Infidels" is absolutely first rate. It is for good reason that the back cover contains endorsements both by Marian McPartland and Herbie Hancock. I heartily agree with Marian McParland: "...Francis Paudras has captured the genuius who was Bud Powell in this fascinating book..." I agree with Herbie Hancock too: "Francis Paudras is a hero who has dedicated his life to preserving the history of the great cultural figures of jazz...This book is a wonderful living document of his personal relationship with the genius of Bud Powell..." As for the importance of Bud Powell, here is a quote from Bill Evans: "Of all the musicians I ever loved--Bird and Stan Getz and Miles and lots of others that no one even knows I listened to--it was Bud who influenced me the most..." (By the way, be sure to read "Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings" by Peter Pettinger.) I personally feel that "Dance of the Infidels: A Portrait of Bud Powell" should be required reading in all jazz programs at every college, university, and school in the country if not the world. It is a profound book. I feel sorry for anyone who is unable to appreciate this book. You will never listen the same way to Art Tatum or Dizzie Gilespie or Monk or, of course, Bud, after you read this book. The inside cover mentions that Francis Paudras committed suicide on November 27, 1997.

Rating:
Summary: A Shining Example of the Generosity of the Human Spirit
Review: For some time I had been tempted to buy this book, but had always been put off by the review on this page by the Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review, which describes it as a florid remembrance containing much passion (and by inference little substance).
Then recently I was told that an acquaintance had read the book and stated that it was one of the most moving stories he had ever read.
So on this recommendation I bought it and having just completed the book, I can now reiterate unequivocally that it truly is a remarkable tale of the generosity and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Herbie Hancock stated that Francis Paudras was a hero. I would add that he was a saint.
Francis was first drawn to Bud because of the latters musical genius, but then he also sensed the deep humanity and sensitivity of Powell. When he saw Bud's heartache as a result of being abused and at the mercy of people such as his (purported) wife Buttercup, he took him into his own home as a member of his own family. Paudras was a young and struggling graphic artist, living in a cramped apartment with a new (and fortunately equally kind and understanding) wife.
For years they fed, clothed and kept a roof over Bud's head, fought his battles with the police and Buttercup for him, nursed him through ill health, paid his medical bills and asked for nothing in return other than the deep satisfaction of knowing that they were bringing a measure of happiness, stability and love to a man whose deep humanity and musical genius made them love him unreservedly.
When Francis finally brought Bud back to the USA for a triumphant return gig, it was nice to see those people who held their hands out in genuine friendship and support. It was infinitely sad to read of those who showed indifference and sometimes even violence towards Francis as he continued to try and protect Bud from succumbing to the dark forces which had brought the latter to his mental breakdown originally.
As desparately sad as I feel for Bud after reading the book, I feel equally sad for Francis Paudras, who met with more personal tragedy of his own at the end of Bud's life.
Francis Paudras was clearly the sort of man who was extremely sensitive, especially to the plight of another. He gave his love and his life unconditionally to Bud Powell, asking (and receiving nothing material) in return. In a world where we are constantly confronted with man's indifference and hostility towards his fellow man, this is a story to remind you that there are people in this world who are decent, moral and have a deep capacity for unconditional kindness towards their fellow human beings.
After Bud Powell died, Francis Paudras lived for another 31 years before taking his own life. I pray that he found some happiness and loving companionship himself in those long years, especially in the face of the blind indifference, misunderstanding and even hostility such as that shown in the Los Angeles Times Review.
So please do yourself a favour and buy this remarkable book.
Even though it will make you sad, it is also uplifting. It deserves to be read as a paen to two remarkable human beings.
And say a prayer for Bud, for Francis, for Francis' wife Nicole and for Francis' little son Gilles.

Rating:
Summary: A remarkable story of compassion
Review: Francis Paudras was an aspiring jazz pianist who idolized and steeped himself in the music of Bud Powell. Rather suddenly he found himself in the position of caretaker and personal friend of his musical idol. Powell's circumstances were tragically sad. Barely competent to care for himself at this point in his life he was being verbally and certainly financially abused by a horror of a woman named Buttercup. Largely abandoned by his American friends Powell was living in deplorable conditions when Paudras and he became acquainted. Paudras' devotion to his new friend is a remarkable example of human compassion and love toward another human being. Through his efforts Bud Powell was able to experience some joy in his final years although the shadow of his tragic past was always close at hand. Powell's musical accomplishments are legendary and Paudras' writes with passion and understanding of the depth of Powell's talents and of his incredibly far-reaching influence on so many jazz musicians.
This book combines a warm human interest story, albeit with tragic elements, with an examination fo Powell's musical career that results in one of the finest jazz profiles ever published. Highly recommended to anyone remotely interested in jazz. For fans of Powell it is indispensible reading.

Rating:
Summary: Well Wrirren
Review: I expected this book not to be so well written because it was a translation. I was really surprised. Once I started it I could not put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A must read for Powell fans!
Review: I had read various stories about Bud Powell in jazz books and album sleves, but it was amazing to read such an in-depth account of what Bud was like during the last decade of his life. Francis Paudras covered a lot of ground and kept it intriguing the whole way. To learn how he met the man he idolized for so long and how their friendship developed is moving in itself. Then you get to understand the details of Bud's habit's and mental instabilities and how he could apply his pain to his performances. This book is sad, occsionally funny, but mostly a triumph of human spirit, kindness and friendship. I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: We still don't have a real biography of Bud
Review: It's a sad statement that this book represents the best musical biography of the great Bud Powell. 'Dance of the Infidels' tells us more about the author and his bizarre, romanticized view of American Jazz than it does about Powell, the purported subject - this is pure hagiography. Bud was a true genius, and his fascinating, erratic, and complex musical life deserves a better telling than this one.

Rating:
Summary: We still don't have a real biography of Bud
Review: It's a sad statement that this book represents the best musical biography of the great Bud Powell. 'Dance of the Infidels' tells us more about the author and his bizarre, romanticized view of American Jazz than it does about Powell, the purported subject - this is pure hagiography. Bud was a true genius, and his fascinating, erratic, and complex musical life deserves a better telling than this one.

Rating:
Summary: A Portrait of a Man
Review: Obviously any serious Bud fan will have to read this, being one of only a handful of books devoted to the genius. That being said I ended getting much more out of the read besides examining a period in a musician's life. Even if this book were not about one of my favorite musicians I still would recommend it highly and would call it one of the more interesting reads I have had. (I read it about 6 months ago.)
This book also becomes, inadvertently I believe, a study into human personality. Bud had numerous mental problems, many of which were pigeonholed as manic-depressive or schizophrenic. But the author's fly on the wall psychology savant observations (many obviously from journal entries) show that these diagnoses are simple and barely scratch the surface of the behavior of Bud Powell.
I think about this book often particularly when I am considering what makes a person a person. Before I read this book I thought I had an idea, but after reading it I am not so sure. It also led me to read more direct analyses of personality by Lucan and Piaget.
Bud begins the book in horrible shape, mental & physical, completely reliant on someone who cares nothing for his well being. He is unkempt and rarely speaks. You wonder how he could have reached the age he has with so few of the skills which are required for human survival.
When the author begins to interact with Bud it is almost always wordless, with the author describing Bud's input with non-verbal actions. How "looking into his eyes I could tell how Bud felt."
I was very skeptical believing perhaps the author's worship of Bud were clouding his judgment about Bud. Maybe the author wanted to communicate with Bud so bad he was sub-consciencely creating Bud's side of the conversation.
This hero worship by the author made certain that there was a bias to anything in the book, but a careful reader can still infer what actually took place.(It is nowhere near as revisionist as Miles Davis' autobiography.) And after reading the book I honestly believe that Mr. Paudras would never intentionally lie about anything to do with Bud Powell
As the action of the book proceeds you realize there must be something happening to Bud because of the healthy changes occurring and the gains Bud makes. Bud begins to perform again, gets healthier, and begins to take more control of his life. But major barriers still remain. Often he will only communicate with Francis. It went as far as when someone would ask Bud a question he would ignore it until Francis repeated the question to Bud and then Bud would only answer Francis. Also, Bud was greatly affected by even the smallest portion of alcohol, which would haunt him for the remainder of his life.
By the end of the book I was engrossed. There is even a heart-wrenching climax that was more affecting than most novels I have read. The denouement is too powerful to describe. (I am choosing my words carefully as not to give away anything)
There is a measurable action by Bud which makes me doubt the assessments that he was merely a child with a prodigal gift allowing him to never mature. Apparently, Bud would write poems to go along with most of his songs. Most have been lost. The poem by Bud included in the book is so lucent and shows a startling awareness that I was left contemplating why Bud behaved the way he did. Francis spent so much time with him it could not have been and act. Also, Bud hurt himself by acting this way that you have to believe he would have stopped if he could.
This book has helped make Bud's amazing art even more poignant for me. I believe every person has trouble relating to the world around him or her. To me, Bud music is about expressing these difficulties. Somehow trying to reconcile the sublime beauty of the world with the horrible darkness it also contains.
Although, my belief in heaven is dubious at best, if I could pick two people who deserve to be there it is Bud Powell & Francis Paudras.
My final comments are about the fate of the author who recently committed suicide. After getting to know a side of him through his book. (And I do believe the seeds of his demise are hinted at in the reading particularly in the last scenes.) It also opens up a whole slew of questions about when is life worth living, and is there any reward for those who love and bring goodness to the world when all they seem to receive is senseless pain.
As you can tell I have thought about this book considerably so if you have any insights you'd like to share please drop me a line at [e-mail]. Thanks. DW.