Jimmy Powell

Among the pioneering figures in Britain's emerging blues movement stood Jimmy Powell, who issued his debut release—the two-part single "Sugar Babe"—on Decca in 1962, at a moment when Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies were only beginning to make their mark. In 1963 he assembled the Dimensions to serve as his regular support group, with a teenage Rod Stewart already among its members handling vocals and blues harp. The ensemble performed regularly at the Crawdaddy Club, a focal point of the period's blues surge, and secured a contract with Pye Records; yet none of their singles gained traction, even though the group delivered a high-energy style that echoed the earliest Rolling Stones recordings, displayed forceful instrumental drive—as evident on "I'm Looking For A Woman"—and maintained a convincing grasp of blues forms.

After the Dimensions disbanded in 1965, Powell pursued a solo path while continuing to employ pickup ensembles he still billed as the Dimensions during live appearances. He departed Pye for the Strike label before returning to Decca toward the close of the decade. Even in 1969 he continued issuing new singles, while his original Decca sides from the early sixties began appearing in reissue form.