It's Been So Long

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