Benny Powell
Encyclopedia
Benny Powell was an African American jazz
trombonist. He played both standard (tenor) trombone
and bass trombone.
Born Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr in New Orleans, Louisiana
, he first played professionally at age 14, and at 18 began playing with Lionel Hampton
. In 1951 he left Hampton's band and began playing with Count Basie
, in whose orchestra he would remain until 1963. Powell takes the trombone solo in the bridge of Basie's 1955 recording of "April in Paris
".
After leaving Basie, he freelanced in New York City
. From 1966 to 1970 he was a member of the Thad Jones
-Mel Lewis
Jazz Orchestra, playing on Monday nights at the Village Vanguard
. Among other engagements, he played in the house band of the Merv Griffin Show, and when the show moved to Los Angeles, California
, in 1970 Powell also relocated there. He did extensive work as a session musician
, including with Abdullah Ibrahim
, John Carter
, and Randy Weston
. Later in his career he worked as an educator, including as part of the Jazzmobile
project. Having moved back to New York in the 1980s, he began teaching at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in 1994.
He died in a Manhattan
hospital at the age of 80, following back surgery.
With Moacir Santos
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trombonist. He played both standard (tenor) trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and bass trombone.
Born Benjamin Gordon Powell Jr in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, he first played professionally at age 14, and at 18 began playing with Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
. In 1951 he left Hampton's band and began playing with Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, in whose orchestra he would remain until 1963. Powell takes the trombone solo in the bridge of Basie's 1955 recording of "April in Paris
April in Paris (song)
"April in Paris" is a song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg in 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The original 1933 hit was performed by Freddy Martin, and the 1952 remake was by the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, whose version made the Cashbox Top 50.Composer Alec...
".
After leaving Basie, he freelanced in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. From 1966 to 1970 he was a member of the Thad Jones
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader.-Biography:Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to a musical family of ten . Thad Jones was a self taught musician, performing professionally by the age of sixteen...
-Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis was an American drummer, jazz musician and band leader. He was born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents....
Jazz Orchestra, playing on Monday nights at the Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. At first, it also featured other forms of music such as folk music and beat poetry, but it switched to an all-jazz format in 1957.-History:Over 100 jazz...
. Among other engagements, he played in the house band of the Merv Griffin Show, and when the show moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, in 1970 Powell also relocated there. He did extensive work as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, including with Abdullah Ibrahim
Abdullah Ibrahim
Abdullah Ibrahim , born Adolph Johannes Brand, 9 October 1934 in Cape Town, South Africa, and formerly known as Dollar Brand, is a South African pianist and composer...
, John Carter
John Carter (jazz musician)
John Wallace Carter was an American jazz clarinet, saxophone, and flute player.-Biography:Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he played with Ornette Coleman and Charles Moffett in the 1940s. From 1961, Carter was based mainly on the West Coast. There he met Bobby Bradford in 1965, with whom he...
, and Randy Weston
Randy Weston
Randy Weston , is an American jazz pianist and composer, of Jamaican parentage.-Biography:Weston studied classical piano as a child. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he ran a restaurant that was frequented by many of the leading bebop musicians...
. Later in his career he worked as an educator, including as part of the Jazzmobile
Jazzmobile
Jazzmobile, Inc. is based in New York, and was founded in 1964 by Daphne Arnstein, an arts patron and founder of the Harlem Cultural Council and Dr. William "Billy" Taylor. It is a multifaceted, outreach organization committed to bringing "America's Classical Music"—Jazz—to the largest possible...
project. Having moved back to New York in the 1980s, he began teaching at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in 1994.
He died in a Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
hospital at the age of 80, following back surgery.
As leader
- Coast to Coast (Trident Records, 1982)
- The Gift of Love (Faith Records, 2003)
- Nextep (Origin RecordsOrigin recordsOrigin Records is a jazz record label based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1997. Originally started by Seattle drummer John Bishop, the label was conceived to help with the design, production, and distribution of jazz records made by his own groups as well as artists he's worked with over...
, 2008)
As sideman
With Chico O'FarrillChico O'Farrill
Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill was a composer-arranger best known for his work in the Latin idiom, although he also composed straight-ahead jazz pieces and even symphonic works....
- Nine FlagsNine FlagsNine Flags is an album by Cuban composer-arranger Chico O'Farrill featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1966)
With Moacir Santos
Moacir Santos
Moacir Santos was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist and music educator. Baden Powell de Aquino and Wilson das Neves both studied under him...
- SaudadeSaudade (album)Saudade is an album by Brazilian composer Moacir Santos recorded in 1974 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars.-Track listing:# "Early Morning Love" - 3:25...
(Blue Note, 1974)