Mel Powell was a jazz pianist and composer of classical music. Melvin Epstein was born in The Bronx, New York City on February 12, 1923 to Russian Jewish parents, Milton Epstein and Mildred Mark Epstein, and began playing piano as a child. He performed jazz professionally in New York City as a teenager. As early as 1939, he was working with Bobby Hackett, George Brunies, and Zutty Singleton. He changed his last name to Powell in 1940. In 1941-42 he played, composed, and arranged for Benny Goodman. A member of Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band in 1943-45, he played with Django Reinhardt in... Paris at war's end. Powell briefly returned to Goodman's band, then worked in Hollywood after World War II and married actress Martha Scott. In 1948 he played himself in the movie A Song Is Born as the jazz pianist working with Benny Goodman. In this movie he worked along with many other famous jazz players including Louis Armstrong. After studying at Yale with Paul Hindemith in 1948-1952, he all but gave up jazz for classical composition.
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| Birthdate: | February 12, 1923 |
| Birthplace: | The Bronx |
| Date of death: | April 24, 1998 |
| Education: | Yale University |
| Also known as: | Powell, Mel |