Richard Powell (September 5, 1931 – June 26, 1956) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He was not assisted in his musical development by Bud, his older and better known brother, but both played predominantly in the bebop style.
After early work around Philadelphia and New York City, Richie Powell played in the bands of Paul Williams (1951–52) and Johnny Hodges (1952–54). He switched in the spring of 1954 to being pianist and arranger for the quintet co-led by trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach. This band toured extensively across the U.S. for two years, and released both studio and concert recordings, including the Grammy Hall of Fame inductee Clifford Brown & Max Roach.
Powell, his wife, and Brown were killed in a car crash when traveling overnight from Philadelphia to Chicago. Powell was beginning to achieve recognition at the time of his death, but he never had the chance to record as a leader. He had a playful piano style, and was fond of using musical quotations. His relatively heavy touch and use of left-hand fourths influenced fellow pianist McCoy Tyner.
Early life
Powell was born in New York City on September 5, 1931. He was the youngest of three sons, after William, Jr., and Bud, seven years Richie's elder. Their parents were William, Sr. and Pearl Powell. The family was musical: William, Sr. was a stride pianist; William, Jr. led bands as a trumpeter and violinist; and pianist Bud became one of the leaders of bebop.
One account of why Richie took up the piano is that he pestered drummer Max Roach, who lived nearby, for drum lessons, and Roach, eventually fed up, suggested that he play the piano instead. Bud did not assist his brother at all in his musical endeavors; instead, according to a biographer of saxophonist Jackie McLean, "it was an excellent but now forgotten pianist named Bob Bunyan who taught Richie Powell chords on the piano. Richie would study with Bunyan, and then go home and watch his brother practice. [...] Richie and Jackie became tight friends and used to rehearse together". Richie also studied music with Mary Lou Williams, and attended the City College of New York.
Later life and career
From 1949 to 1951, Powell worked around Philadelphia and New York City. He then played in the bands of Paul Williams (1951–52) and Johnny Hodges (1952–54). With Williams' R&B-oriented band he recorded four tracks late in 1952 that were released as singles. Powell also played on a medley track for the Hodges album Used to Be Duke (1954).
Powell was with Hodges' band in Los Angeles in the spring of 1954 when Roach needed a new pianist for the quintet that he co-led with trumpeter Clifford Brown. Powell was offered, and accepted, the job. He also became arranger for the quintet. They performed and rehearsed a lot, then had several recording sessions that August for EmArcy Records, which resulted in their first album, Brown and Roach Incorporated. In the same month, Powell was involved as pianist for some tracks at a session arranged for singer Dinah Washington that featured a studio audience. In September the quintet played for a fortnight at the Black Hawk in San Francisco, then began a tour of the eastern United States the following month. The band's saxophonist, Harold Land, reported that, when touring, "Richie was a little busy with the ladies. He had harems in almost every city".
Further recording sessions for Powell with Brown and Roach took place in New York during January and February 1955. The tracks cut in January, with arrangements by Neal Hefti, were released as Clifford Brown with Strings. The February sessions yielded the albums Study in Brown, and, combined with tracks from the previous year, Clifford Brown & Max Roach. The latter was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. At the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1955 Powell played with Roach and others as backing for Washington. Recordings made of the Brown–Roach quintet at the same event were released decades later.