One of the many frustrating ironies of jazz history has to do with
Mel Powell. A superb swing pianist in the
Earl "Fatha" Hines/
Art Tatum/
Teddy Wilson vein,
Powell was at the height of his powers as a jazz improviser when, in the 1950s, he decided to retire from jazz and put his time and energy into classical music. Before making that decision, he recorded some inspired small-group swing dates for Vanguard in the early to mid-'50s. One of the CDs that illustrates the excellence of
Powell's Vanguard output is
It's Been So Long, which spans 1953-1956 and contains selections from four of his classic John Hammond-produced LPs (including Borderline and Out on a Limb). Joined by such accomplished soloists as trumpeter
Buck Clayton, clarinetist Edmund Hall, and the
Lester Young-influenced tenor saxman
Paul Quinichette,
Powell lets loose and really goes that extra mile. Not surprisingly, many of the songs are associated with
Powell's one-time employer
Benny Goodman, including "Stompin' at the Savoy," "Avalon," and "If Dreams Come True." After his Vanguard sessions,
Powell didn't record another jazz album as a leader until 1987's The Return of Mel Powell on Chiaroscuro. In
Powell's case, jazz's loss was certainly classical's gain. ~ Alex Henderson