A creative exploration of Bud Powell's bebop vocabulary for modern jazz harmony

Author

Flavio Colonetti, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow

Author Identifier

Flavio Colonetti: http://orcid.org/0009-0002-4062-5964

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Music Honours

School

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

First Supervisor

Tom O'Halloran

Abstract

This thesis presents a practice-led research (PLR) exploration of adapting Bud Powell's bebop improvisational language for contemporary jazz performance. Through transcription and analysis of Powell's right-hand melodic material, this study employs an iterative framework to identify and transform several core stylistic traits. The initial investigation, focused on creatively transforming two extended melodic phrases, demonstrated success in traditional functional harmonic contexts but revealed a limitation when applied to the more modern, vertical chord progressions.

This prompted a methodological shift to a more modular system, whereby a catalogue of 26 short "Vocabulary Seeds" (VS) drawn from across Powell's discography was created. As demonstrated in applications over contemporary compositions, this approach proved more effective, enabling Powell's vocabulary to be flexibly adapted to vertical harmony, characteristic of modern jazz. A final analysis using my own improvised solo assesses the degree to which this material transitioned from conscious practice into spontaneous application. The documented creative process offers a replicable model for musicians, highlighting how traditional bebop language can be used as a generative resource for personal creative explorations in 21st-century jazz.

DOI

10.25958/jx10-k630

Recommended Citation

Colonetti, F. (2026). A creative exploration of Bud Powell's bebop vocabulary for modern jazz harmony. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/jx10-k630