Noal Cohen's Jazz History Website

He's played with just about everyone. His discography is a virtual history of jazz over the last 60 years. Well into his seventh decade, trombonist Benny Powell is finally receiving the recognition he deserves. The consummate sideman, Powell spent three years with Lionel Hampton (1948-51) and twelve with the Basie band (1951-63). But those most illustrious associations are only part of the story. He was also a charter member of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and worked with the orchestras of Duke Pearson, Bill Holman and Bill Berry as well as the Merv Griffin TV show ensemble. A wonderfully versatile musician, he has participated in sessions involving artists across a wide range of styles and genres. In recent years, his work with pianist Randy Weston in smaller bands has been documented by a number of excellent recordings. He has also become deeply involved in jazz education at many levels and is on the faculty of The New School For Jazz and the Performing Arts.

Because of the large number of recordings involved, Powell's discography is a massive undertaking. At the outset, I decided that some limitations in scope would have to be imposed. Thus I have chosen not to include here most of his sessions with Hampton and Basie as those are well known and details about them can be found elsewhere. For example, Powell's Hampton period can be found in Vincent Pelote's discography section of Hamp: An Autobiography by Hampton and James Haskins (Amistad Press, 1993) while the Basie years are comprehensively covered in Count Basie: A Bio-discography by Chris Sheridan (Greenwood Press, 1986). Instead, I have tried to emphasize the recordings of lower profile but still high quality that some jazz enthusiasts and collectors may have missed including those of the trombonist himself.

See also Bob Bernotas's Interview with Benny Powell.

Thanks to Bob Bernotas, Michael Cuscuna, Craig Dorsheimer, Michael Fitzgerald, Peter Friedman, Bill Gallagher, John Hasse, Gerd Heinlein, Ken Kimery, Annie Kuebler, Bill Holman, Ronald Lyles, Matt McCabe, Jamie McGregor, Ed O'Brien, John Pickworth, Chris Sheridan, Dan Skea, Derek Styles, Michael Weil, Gary Carner, Larry Appelbaum, Michel Ruppli, Peter R. Smith, Peter Smithson, Joop van der Leij, Ken Droz (Mack Avenue Records) and Jack Woker for information.

Please email me with any additions, corrections or comments.