Herb Powers Jr.

Real Name:
Herbert Powers Jr.
Profile:
Legendary mastering engineer who began his career at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs' NYC facility and was responsible for cutting a respectable share of classic Prelude and West End titles, as well as tons of disco, house, funk, and hip-hop classics over the years. He almost always included shout-outs and dedications inscribed in the run-out of his vinyl work, followed by one of his numerous signatures and his trademark smiley face - please do not include / transcribe the smiley face characters as part of ANVs. He also worked at Hit Factory Mastering. Herb still does lacquer-cutting and vinyl mastering, but most of his business is now in the digital domain. He owns and operates his own mastering facility called PM Entertainment, a.k.a Powers Mastering Studio.
Sites:
Variations:
Viewing All | Herb Powers Jr.
"Pump", "Superb" Herb, "Superb" Herb Powers, Jr, Da Herb, H Powers, H. Powers, H. Powers Jr., H. Powers, Jr., HERbIE JR, HNP, HP, HP Jr, HPowers, Harb Powers, Harb Powers Jr., Herb, Herb "95 Miles Per Hour" Powers, Jr., Herb "Always Smokin' Erb" Powers, Herb "Bass" Powers, Herb "Big Bang" Powers, Herb "Big Bottom" Powers, Herb "Big Daddy" Powers, Herb "Big Schtup" Powers, Herb "Boom Boom" Powers, Herb "Boom" Powers, Herb "Bwana" Powers, Herb "Clappers" Power, Herb "Dale Un Trago" Powers Jr., Herb "Dancing Machine" Power, Herb "Dancing Machine" Powers, Herb "FUA" Powers, Herb "Family Man" Powers, Herb "He Still Pumps" Powers, Herb "Hip-Hop" Powers, Herb "House" Powers, Herb "In Effect" Powers Jr., Herb "Let's Go" Powers, Jr, Herb "Musical" Powers, Herb "Nasty Blasty Masty-er" Powers, Herb "Now" Powers Jr., Herb "Pampers" Powers, Herb "Papa Pump" Powers, Herb "Papa" Powers, Herb "Pappa" Powers, Herb "Pump It Up" Powers, Herb "Pump It Up" Powers, Jr., Herb "Pump" Power, Herb "Pump" Power Jr, Herb "Pump" Powers, Herb "Pump" Powers Jnr., Herb "Pump" Powers Jr, Herb "Pump" Powers Jr., Herb "Pump" Powers, Jr, Herb "Pump" Powers, Jr., Herb "Pumpin" Powers, Herb "The Dude" Powers Jr., Herb "The Infamous Pump" Powers, Jr., Herb "The Pump" Powers, Herb "The Pump" Powers Jr., Herb "The Pump" Powers, Jr, Herb "The Pump" Powers, Jr., Herb "Weekend Warrior" Power, Herb "Weekend Warrior" Powers, Herb "Zulu" Powers, Herb ''Pump'' Powers, Herb ''The Pump'' Powers Jr., Herb ''The Verb'' Powers Jr, Herb 'Big Bang' Powers, Herb 'Pump' Powers, Herb 'Pump' Powers Jr., Herb 'The Pump' Powers, Herb 'The Pump' Powers Jr., Herb 'Weekend Warrior' Powers, Herb (Bwana) Powers, Herb (Pump) Powers, Herb (Pump) Powers Jr., Herb (The Pump) Powers, Herb (The Pump) Powers Jr., Herb (The Pump) Powers, Jr., Herb Jr, Herb Powell, Herb Powell, Jr., Herb Power, Herb Power Jr., Herb Powers, Herb Powers Jnr, Herb Powers Jr, Herb Powers Jr. (The Herb), Herb Powers, Jr, Herb Powers, Jr., Herb Pump Powers, Herb Towers, Herb'Pump' Powers Jr., Herbert Powers, Herbie, Herbie "Charming" Powers, Herbie "He Still Pumps" Powers, Jr., Herbie "Pump" Powers, Herbie "Pump" Powers Jr, Herbie "Pump" Powers, Jr., Herbie "The Pump" Powers, Herbie "The Right Pump" Powers, Herbie 'Cheeseman' Powers, Herbie (Pump) Powers, Herbie Jnr, Herbie Jr, Herbie Jr., Herbie Powers, Herbie Powers Jnr, Herbie Powers Jr., Herbie Powers, Jr., Herbie Powersz, Herby Powers, Herd Powers, Jr, Pump Power, Superb Herb, The Herb, The Herbo, Volume Pumpin' Herb Powers

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Technical

ZX 31712, 31712 Back Stabbers — Herb Powers Jr. O'Jays* O'Jays* - Back Stabbers(LP, Album, RE, Pit) Philadelphia International Records, Philadelphia International Records ZX 31712, 31712 US 1975 Sell This Version
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ASD 281 Philly Jump — Herb Powers Jr. Instant Funk Instant Funk - Philly Jump(12", Mono, Promo) TSOP, Columbia ASD 281 US 1976 Sell This Version
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76-5003 Tell Me How You Like It — Herb Powers Jr. John Davis And The Monster Orchestra* John Davis And The Monster Orchestra* - Tell Me How You Like It(7", Promo) Sam Records 76-5003 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 4782 Movin' In All Directions — Herb Powers Jr. People's Choice People's Choice - Movin' In All Directions(7", Mono, Promo) TSOP ZS8 4782 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DEDJ-1590 Super Band — Herb Powers Jr. Kool And The Gang* Kool And The Gang* - Super Band(7", Mono, Promo) De-Lite Records DEDJ-1590 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DEP-2023, DEP 2023 Open Sesame — Herb Powers Jr. Kool & The Gang Kool & The Gang - Open Sesame (Album) De-Lite Records, De-Lite Records DEP-2023, DEP 2023 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 3599 Life On Mars — Herb Powers Jr. Dexter Wansel Dexter Wansel - Life On Mars (Single) Philadelphia International Records ZS8 3599 US 1976 Sell This Version
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SD 36-140 Mystic Dragons — Herb Powers Jr. Blue Magic Blue Magic - Mystic Dragons (Album) ATCO Records SD 36-140 US 1976 Sell This Version
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VI-7001, VI 7001 Street People — Herb Powers Jr. Street People Street People - Street People (Album) Vigor Records, Vigor Records VI-7001, VI 7001 US 1976 Sell This Version
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PZ 34394, 34394 Jean Carn — Herb Powers Jr. Jean Carn Jean Carn - Jean Carn (Album) Philadelphia International Records, Philadelphia International Records PZ 34394, 34394 US 1976 Sell This Version
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45-7061 Spark Of Love — Herb Powers Jr. Blue Magic Blue Magic - Spark Of Love (Single) ATCO Records, WMOT Records 45-7061 US 1976 Sell This Version
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MARLIN 2201 Arabian Nights — Herb Powers Jr. The Ritchie Family The Ritchie Family - Arabian Nights(LP, Album, P/Mixed, Mon) Marlin MARLIN 2201 US 1976 Sell This Version
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45-3376 Straighten It Out — Herb Powers Jr. Anglo Saxon Brown Anglo Saxon Brown - Straighten It Out(7", Single, Mono, Promo, SP) Atlantic 45-3376 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 3600 Summertime And I'm Feelin' Mellow — Herb Powers Jr. MFSB MFSB - Summertime And I'm Feelin' Mellow(7", Mono, Promo) Philadelphia International Records ZS8 3600 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 4784 Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long) — Herb Powers Jr. People's Choice People's Choice - Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long) (Single) TSOP ZS8 4784 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 3602 Travelin' In Heavy Traffic — Herb Powers Jr. Don Covay Don Covay - Travelin' In Heavy Traffic(7", Promo) Philadelphia International Records ZS8 3602 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DSKO 73 Barrabas Barrabas - Desperately / Broadway Star(12", TP) Atlantic DSKO 73 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8-3597 My Music — Herb Powers Jr. Bunny Sigler Bunny Sigler - My Music(7", Styrene) Philadelphia International Records ZS8-3597 US 1976 Sell This Version
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ZS8 4781 Here We Go Again — Herb Powers Jr. People's Choice People's Choice - Here We Go Again (Single) TSOP ZS8 4781 US 1976 Sell This Version
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PZQ 34245 Message In The Music — Herb Powers Jr. The O'Jays The O'Jays - Message In The Music(LP, Album, Quad, Ter) Philadelphia International Records PZQ 34245 US 1976 Sell This Version
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PZ 34124 We Got The Rhythm — Herb Powers Jr. People's Choice People's Choice - We Got The Rhythm (Album) TSOP PZ 34124 US 1976 Sell This Version
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PZ 33957 All Things In Time — Herb Powers Jr. Lou Rawls Lou Rawls - All Things In Time (Album) Philadelphia International Records PZ 33957 US 1976 Sell This Version
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DISCO 1732 I Wanna Spend My Whole Life With You — Herb Powers Jr. Street People Street People - I Wanna Spend My Whole Life With You Vigor Records DISCO 1732 US 1976 Sell This Version
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2424 135 All My Life — Herb Powers Jr. Arthur Prysock Arthur Prysock - All My Life(LP, Album) Polydor 2424 135 Canada 1976 Sell This Version
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PZ 34358 Get Down With The Philly Jump — Herb Powers Jr. Instant Funk Instant Funk - Get Down With The Philly Jump(LP, Album, Promo) TSOP PZ 34358 US 1976 Sell This Version

Reviews

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protomd

protomd

September 19, 2022
What an absolute legend! Thanks for all the good vibes over the years :D
Digger-Lord_Chasky

Digger-Lord_Chasky

November 9, 2020
The all time best ever
( type 4 words more )
smainfunk

smainfunk

April 16, 2020
We rarely talk about him but he’s everywhere on our Shelves
Maybe one of the most important person in the 70 & 80 decades in the black music industry !??
So talented that he had monopoly and in my mind he worked night and day like a slave
But sure it’s been a pleasure for him

Always smiling on pics, seems to be a nice person. I better understand the smileys on dead wax ;)

Thanks a ton Man

Just wondering if he became close of some soul funk artist, if he tried to produce something, what’s his taste, did he’s more on soul side, disco, boogie, electro ?

So curious about him as he handled tons of original tapes in his golden hands
And many have never been released moreover... he probably heard some insane lost tapes

I dream about live his life during 70/80’s... can’t be more happy to go at work !

Big Respect to this Monster Shadow Worker
Thanks for all these perfect jobs
gdhalla

gdhalla

July 7, 2019
Found his beautiful name etched on the vinyl of Ashford and Simpson album Street Opera, which I just pulled out of storage. It sounds meticulous. Had to look him up. Incredible mastering.
ruffrob

ruffrob

April 1, 2016
Herb Powers was a staple for me in my DJ career. When I saw a record mastered by him,i know I was in for a treat. I was actually angered to find some of the records I liked NOT mastered by him,once i got home them from the record store. But given the large amount of gems he made sound so good,he couldn't be everywhere or on every record. He's a friend on Facebook that I got the opportunity to chat with recently. Hats off to you brother,I hear vinyl is making a comeback,and I only hope you're part of it!!
soulkings

soulkings

January 26, 2016
edited over 7 years ago
The Rudy Van Gelder of the Electro / Funk scene (with best respect to both engineers) ;))
discfiend

discfiend

February 23, 2015
Herbie! Thanks for all the great sounding classics ; )
MeanDumpsterCat

MeanDumpsterCat

December 26, 2013
Every time I see "Herbie Jr. :^) " on a record, I know it's going to be worth buying!
Yemsky

Yemsky

June 22, 2013
As Discogs only allows Videos on Youtube to be embedded, here's a link to a 100 minute long interview with Herb Powers Jr. at the Red Bull Academy in 2013: http://vimeo.com/66162113
See 1 reply
Media-Rite

Media-Rite

March 29, 2011
Of the hundreds of records I have listened to where I see the Herbie Jr etching in the runouts, all mastered nearly perfectly. This man has done the music world a huge favor one record at a time in a career spanning way longer than I have been alive.

What I always found fascinating is how he is able to saturate the mids and high range frequencies without even the slightest bit of artifacting or distortion, i.e. the hi hats always sound super crisp yet don't jump out of the speakers and hiss you down.

Same goes for the bass, especially 808 kick drums, which always seem to be mixed PERFECTLY and punch hard even on a not so great stereo. I bet an 808 would boom on a clock radio speaker if Herb mastered it! :)... Keep in mind this quality has been in effect since the late 70's. I guess I could go so far as to say the final mix on a lot of Def Jam / Profile / Capitol mid to late 80's rap records was DEFINED by Herb Powers. Just listen to a lot of today's pop rap which uses essentially the same TR-808 / 909 drum kits and tell me if it hits as hard or as clean. NO? WHY NOT? Because sadly this is a gift that is fading from the studios and engineering process of recorded music.

Modern technology will allow anyone to record, mix and release an album from their bedroom now..... but will it ever replace the God-given talent of making it sound like Herbie Jr mastered it?

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