The tune

In Walked Bud is a 1947 jazz composition by Thelonious Monk, written in honor of his friend Bud Powell and built on the chord progression of Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies. The tune’s title and spirit are tied to Powell, who is said to have defended Monk during a 1945 Savoy Ballroom raid, though details vary by source. Monk recorded several versions, beginning with the 1947 sessions later released on Genius of Modern Music (1951); a famous 1958 live rendition on Misterioso features a long Johnny Griffin solo. In 1968 a vocal version with Jon Hendricks appeared on the album Underground, making In Walked Bud a bebop jazz standard and a frequently covered piece. The composition showcases Monk’s distinctive melodic style over Blue Skies harmony and remains a key part of his and Powell’s musical history.

What the song is about

In Walked Bud was written by Thelonious Monk in honor of his friend, fellow pianist Bud Powell. Biographies of Powell cite the tune as Monk's gratitude for Powell's defense during a police raid on the Savoy Ballroom in 1945, when Powell reportedly tried to stop police from arresting Monk and was struck on the head, though other accounts differ on the details. The 1968 vocal version, with lyrics by Jon Hendricks, also refers to Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Pettiford and Don Byas.