Specs Powell, Swing Era Drummer, Dies at 85

[Brownian Motion]

The New York Times

Printer Friendly Format Sponsored By

September 21, 2007

Specs Powell, Swing Era Drummer, Dies at 85

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 20 (AP) — Specs Powell, a drummer who played with some of the biggest names in jazz and was one of the first jazz musicians hired by a national radio network, died Saturday in San Marcos, Calif. He was 85 and lived in San Marcos, a suburb of San Diego.

The cause was complications of kidney disease, said his son Ted Smith.

Mr. Powell, born Gordon Powell in New York on June 5, 1922, played piano as well as drums early in his career. But he rose to fame as a drummer during the swing era, when he was a fixture on the active 52nd Street jazz scene.

In 1943 he was hired by CBS for its in-house orchestra. Moving from radio to television, he later helped provide music for “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Jackie Gleason Show,” “Candid Camera” and other CBS shows. He remained active in jazz during his years with CBS and in 1957 recorded his first and only album as a leader.

Over the years Mr. Powell worked with Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins and many other jazz stars. He was the drummer on a celebrated 1945 recording session, led by Red Norvo, that was among the first to feature the modern-jazz pioneers Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.

A versatile percussionist who carried a kit filled with castanets, clickers and other noisemakers, Mr. Powell used a specially designed stand that would allow him to play his bongo drums standing up, instead of slowing down to settle them between his knees.

He stayed with CBS until 1972, then moved to the Virgin Islands. He and his wife, Peggy, later retired to the San Diego area.

Mr. Powell is survived by his wife and three children.

[Guest Bill Barton]

R.I.P.

He was a fine musician.

My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

[mikeweil]

One of the rarest LPs in my collection that was never reissued on CD, AFAIK, is a co-led Roulette LP (Vogue pressing, that is) of a Sahib Shihab / Specs Powell band - Dizzy Gillespie wrote the liner notes. At the time I found it a strange but attractive mixture of modern bop and swing era stylings, but the pairing of the leaders with Powell's background explains some.

From what I heard on this LP, he was a very good drummer playing for the band in a most effective way - I always wondered what became of him.

R.I.P.

[Bluerein]

That Roulette LP you're taling about was issued on CD in Japan but for Blue Note Club members only (a Japan only afair). Of course I managed to become a member and have the cd. If interested I could get more copies of it. It's in the nice carton sleeve format we all love (or loath). Not cheap......$50 each.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Specs played drums on two tracks of Shirley Scott's "Soul song" with Stanley Turrentine & Eric Gale - "Think", the lead track on the LP, which wasn't the Aretha song but the Lowman Pauling song originally recorded by the "5" Royales, is one of the greatest examples I've heard of a drummer pushing a soloist (Stanley) over the cliff into screaming hysteria (after the track was SUPPOSED to finish and the band was winding down through the out). For that alone, Specs will always be a revered drummer in my opinion.

RIP, Specs. Stanley's waiting for another push.

MG

[mikeweil]

..... $50 each.

UGHHH - they wanted to make it even rarer? Crazy ......

[Kalo]

Specs played drums on two tracks of Shirley Scott's "Soul song" with Stanley Turrentine & Eric Gale - "Think", the lead track on the LP, which wasn't the Aretha song but the Lowman Pauling song originally recorded by the "5" Royales, is one of the greatest examples I've heard of a drummer pushing a soloist (Stanley) over the cliff into screaming hysteria (after the track was SUPPOSED to finish and the band was winding down through the out). For that alone, Specs will always be a revered drummer in my opinion.

RIP, Specs. Stanley's waiting for another push.

MG

As a fan of the "5" Royales, I've got to hear that Shirley Scott cover.

As for Powell's nickname: he wore glasses, no? (Forgive my ignorance, but I never saw the man in a photo or on television.)

Edited September 23, 2007 by Kalo

[JSngry]

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

What a lovely sleeve!

MG

[Kalo]

Thanks!

[Bluerein]

looks just as the mini LP cd I have

[mikeweil]

Yes, really nice cover - the Vogue issue is totally different, has Shihab in B&W on the cover .....

[brownie]

ChuckStewart took the photo on the cover of the Specs Powell album on Roulette. Nice date with good solo spots (by Ray Copeland, Leon Merian, Jimmy Cleveland, Aaron Sachs, Sahib Shihab and others). Ray Copeland wrote the arrangements.

Sad to hear of his passing away!

[alocispepraluger102]

http://www.congahead.com/Musicians/Meet_Mu...pecs/powell.htm