Get Budd - Roy Budd

Advantages: beautiful music
Disadvantages: none

...The Pavilion Of Dreams was Californian pianist / composer Harold Budd's 1978 recording debut. Using unusual combinations of musicians in small chamber groups he crafted some beautiful pieces of music for this Brian Eno produced album. The first track "Bismillahi 'Rrahman 'Rrahim" is a lengthy meditative work which showcases jazzman Marion Brown's gorgeous sax playing. The combination of the gentle piano, the vibes and the sultry ultra laid back sax works amazingly well and the result is twenty minutes of bliss. This is chill out music long before the term was invented. The rest of the album doesn't quite live up to the delicacy of the opening track but it's not far off. No-one else was scoring Madrigals in 1978 and the two pieces here are delightful - light and airy and full of life. Budd was intentionally writing 'pretty music... Read review

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Advantages: Brilliantly inventive: electronica at it's most exciting and intelligent
Disadvantages: Too few people will ever hear it

..., samples, drones and rhythmical ambiguities but nevertheless Budd is an important and potent part of the mix. Listening to Music for Fragments from the Inside' I was a little apprehensive, not sure what I was getting myself into. The first listen left me a little uncertain but a second listen and I began to get my feet and listening late night recently I realised just how good the music is, how clever, how accessible and just how hypnotic. This is not dance music; it's not going to get people up on their feet dancing. Even at its most rhythmical it's not about to make you flail. The music has a different quality and I've used the word already: hypnotic. For hypnotic is exactly what Music for 'Fragments from the Inside' is. I'm not sure the extent to which the album is either improvised (Budd's magnificent album "Le Bella Vista... Read review

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Advantages: Beautifully textured, warm solo piano from a unique and incomparable artist
Disadvantages: It lasts but 40 minutes... I could easily listen to another 40 more!

...' more straightforward keyboard works. Even those who enjoy Bill Evans might be worth seeking out a copy. Overall, La Bella Vista is a deliciously textured, warm, entrancing, subtle and finally beautiful album. Best listened to at night, or when in a contemplative mood, but then that's my opinion. Admittedly it's not a radical or revolutionary album and I don't think it's going to change anyone's life, but then I think any such claims are nonsense. Still, it might just get you running out to buy many more Budd albums. If anyone is interested in investigating this unique, elegant and to my mind necessary musician then avoid Amazon as it's more expensive that Play, who have La Bella Vista for a reasonable £11.99, though if you search about a bit you might find it a little cheaper. Final note: not sure why, but for some reason... Read review

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