The album received mixed but generally positive reviews upon release. According to jazz critic Scott Yanow, the album's "previously unreleased solo piano performances were recorded by photographer Francis Paudras in France and are from an extensive tape collection owned by Celia Powell, Bud's daughter." He praised the recording quality given the circumstances and described Bud Powell's form as "generally excellent." Yanow awarded the album 4 stars out of 5.[2] Robert Calder described Eternity as "a selection of consistent performances deficient mainly in the sound quality of the last couple tracks, as well as some occasional slight thinning of the recorded piano tone. It’s of definite individual musical interest."[3] However, Jack Bowers of All About Jazz was less complimentary, claiming that "Powell [was] essentially alone at the piano, in Francis Paudras' apartment in rue de Boursault, noodling away on an Erard baby grand, playing for his own amusement and presumably never dreaming that his cursory exercises, taped on what is said to be an English Ferrograph recorder, might one day reach a wider audience."[1]
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release. Because Powell's discography features albums with the same title, record labels are identified to avoid any confusion.
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