Specs Powell

Although he achieved a lot of his fame in little groups through the swing period, Specs Powell was versatile more than enough to match into bop and hard bop configurations when asked. He began doubling on piano in his very own combo, but with the past due ’30s he was playing drums solely. Powell used Edgar Hayes (1939), Eddie South, the John Kirby Sextet (changing O’Neill Spencer from 1941-1942), Benny Carter, and Ben Webster, among numerous others. He proved helpful as an employee musician at CBS from 1943 on, but continued to be energetic in jazz. Among his even more notable later organizations had been Benny Goodman (1944), the Crimson Norvo Sextet (1944-1945), Mildred Bailey, Clyde Hart (documenting using the pianist in 1945), Billie Vacation, Erroll Garner, and Teddy Wilson’s trio. Powell, who documented just one record as a head (proceeding an 11-piece group for Roulette in 1957), was energetic in to the 1970s. Unfortunately, in 2007 he passed on from kidney disease problems.