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Teddy Powell

Teddy Powell (March 1, 1905 – November 17, 1993) was born in Oakland, California, United States, as Teodoro Paolella, and became a respected American jazz musician, band leader, composer, and arranger. Some of his compositions were written under the pseudonym Freddy James.

Powell began playing violin when he was eight and picked up the banjo when he was fourteen. During the late 1920s to the early 1930s, he was a member of the Abe Lyman orchestra, taking on the additional tasks of gathering radio bands. He formed the Teddy Powell Orchestra in 1939 and it performed through the 1940s. Powell's sidemen included Tony Aless, Gus Bivona, Pete Candoli, Irving Fazola, and Charlie Ventura, but his best sideman left for better paying work.

"Snake Charmer", a song Powell published in 1937 (lyrics by Leonard Whitcup), is still a popular song among partner dancers in Finland, where it is usually performed as a translation: Kuningaskobra fi). It placed 69th on the 1952-1959 charts, and is still being recorded by modern performers, as listed in the recordings database of the Finnish national broadcasting company Yle.

After the band folded, Powell wrote music and arrangements. He had hits with "Bewildered" and "If My Heart Could Only Talk". During the latter part of his career, he worked in music publishing.


Birth and Death Data: Born March 1, 1905 (Oakland), Died November 17, 1993 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, songwriter, leader, composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 137 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-066964 10-in. 7/18/1941 Yes, indeed! (A jive spiritual) Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble director  
Victor BS-066965 10-in. 7/18/1941 Amor Dick Judge ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-067785 10-in. 9/11/1941 Honey Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-067786 10-in. 9/11/1941 Make love to me Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-067787 10-in. 9/11/1941 The birth of the blues Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-067788 10-in. 9/11/1941 I love you best of all Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-068074 10-in. 11/4/1941 Serenade to a maid Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal ensemble director  
Victor BS-068075 10-in. 11/4/1941 Hoe down Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-068076 10-in. 11/4/1941 How about you? Dick Judge ; Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet director  
Victor BS-068077 10-in. 11/4/1941 How do you do without me? Dick Judge ; Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet director  
Victor BS-068078 10-in. 11/4/1941 Kickin' the conga around Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-068482 10-in. 12/16/1941 Good-bye, Mama (I'm off to Yokohama) Dick Judge ; Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet and vocal ensemble director  
Victor BS-068483 10-in. 12/16/1941 Would it make any difference to you? Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-068484 10-in. 12/16/1941 All through the night Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-068485 10-in. 12/16/1941 I ain't tellin' Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BS-071490 10-in. 10/15/1941 Hereafter Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-071491 10-in. 10/15/1941 When your old wedding ring was new Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal quartet director  
Victor BS-071492 10-in. 10/15/1941 You're not the kind Ruth Gaylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-071493 10-in. 10/15/1941 Sweethearts or strangers Dick Judge ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-073420 10-in. 3/10/1942 All those wonderful years Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-073421 10-in. 3/10/1942 'Tain't no good Peggy Mann ; Tommy Taylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet director  
Victor BS-073422 10-in. 3/10/1942 If you are but a dream Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-073423 10-in. 3/10/1942 There won't be a shortage of love Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-073856 10-in. 4/30/1942 Somebody's thinking of you tonight Peggy Mann ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director, composer  
Victor BS-073857 10-in. 4/30/1942 Got the moon in my pocket Tommy Taylor ; Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
(Results 76-100 of 137 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Powell, Teddy," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247.

Powell, Teddy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247.

"Powell, Teddy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247

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