Born in New York City, United States,[1] Powell learned piano and violin while young and then clarinet and saxophone.
In the late 1920s, he played with June Clark, Gene Rodgers's Revellers, and Cliff Jackson's Krazy Kats (1928–1930).
He never recorded as a leader, but worked extensively as a sideman throughout his career.
Among his credits are (in roughly chronological order) Elmer Snowden, Dave Nelson, Sam Wooding, Kaiser Marshall, Rex Stewart (1933), Fats Waller (1935–37), Edgar Hayes, Claude Hopkins (1938–39, 1944), Teddy Wilson, Andy Kirk (1940–41), Fletcher Henderson (1941–42), Eddie South, Don Redman (1943), Chris Columbus, Cab Calloway (1945–48), Lucky Millinder (1949–51), Jimmy Rushing, Buddy Tate, Benton Heath (1953–61), Ray Charles (1961–62), Buddy Johnson, Duke Ellington, and Saints & Sinners (1965–69).
Powell appears in A Great Day in Harlem.