MEL POWELL: FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS PLUS (BORDERLINE / THIGAMAGIG / MEL POWELL OUT ON A LIMB / THE MEL POWELL BANDSTAND) (2 CD) AVID

AVID Jazz here presents four classic Mel Powell plus albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“Borderline”; “Thigamagig”; “Mel Powell Out On A Limb”; “Bandstand”; All the jazz tracks from “Mel Powell Septet” and the E.P. “Classics In Jazz.”
Early 1950’s recordings from pianist Mel Powell….”one of the first musicians to make the transition from swing to serious composition without losing his mastery of either idiom”. An extremely busy musician, composer and arranger Powell was a mere sixteen years old when he replaced Teddy Wilson in the Benny Goodman Band during the early forties. For two years his piano playing and arranging dominated the Goodman band until he was drafted in 1943 and became a member of the Glenn Miller Air Force Band. After Millers death in 1945 Powell became the band leader and chief arranger. He then went on to study composition at Yale University removing himself almost entirely from the jazz scene (with the occasional exception of the odd gig with Goodman). But now he’s back! What unites all our featured albums (recorded between 1953- 1955)…………”is the devotion to jazz at its most inventive and exciting”. Our selections include such fine musicians as Ruby Braff, Bobby Donaldson, Mundell Lowe, Chuck Russo, Buck Clayton, Paul Quinichette, Oscar Pettiford and Michael “Peanuts” Hucko. As the liner notes from “Bandstand” testify “Powells extraordinary talents remain as undimmed as ever”
All four albums plus have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest ever sound quality!

CD1
1-7: ‘Borderline’
1. Borderline
2. Makin’ Whoopie
3. What’s New
4. Quin And Sonic
5. If Dreams Come True
6. Cross Your Heart
7. Avalon
8-15: ‘Thigamagig’
8. Thigamagig
9. You’re My Thrill
10. Button Up Your Overcoat
11. Don-Que-Dee
12. Bouquet
13. Ain’t She Sweet
14. Take Me In Your Arms
15. California, Here I Come
16-20: ‘Mel Powell Out On A Limb’
16. Gone With The Wind
17. Bunny Hug
18. Pennies From Heaven
19. Stomping At The Savoy
20.When Your Lover Has Gone

CD2
1-7: ‘Mel Powell Out On A Limb’
1. Cooch
2. Beale St. Blues
3. Three Little Words
4. You’re Lucky To Me
5. Liza
6. The Best Thing For You Would Be Me
7. Rosetta
8-14: ‘The Mel Powell Bandstand’
8. Ezz-May
9. My Last Millionaire
10. Everything I’ve Got
11. Firebug
12. Easy Swing
13. Soon
14. When Did You Leave Heaven
15. ‘S Wonderful from Mel Powell Septet
16. It’s Been So Long from Mel Powell Septet
17. I Must Have That Man from Mel Powell Septet
18. You’re Lucky To Me from Mel Powell Septet
19. Anything Goes from Classics In Jazz
20. Hallelujah from Classics In Jazz
21. There’s A Small Hotel from Classics In Jazz
22. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans from Classics In Jazz