ROGER BELL

Roger Bell 1919 - 2008 the younger of the two Bell brothers spearheaded the post-war resurgence of improvised jazz in Australia. A gifted and virtually self-taught player and inimitable vocalist, his bright driving but melodic and lyrical trumpet lead was much of the striking sound that characterised the Graeme Bell Band from the forties onwards playing at major dance venues such as the Heidelberg Town Hall and the Palais Royale at the Exhibition Buildings. All this was consolidated by the first commercial recordings of the band by EMI in 1947.

The band went to Prague in 1947 to the World Youth Festival, sponsored by the Eureka Youth League, whose hall in North Melbourne they used as a weekly night club, The Uptown Club. By their return in 1948 they were widely known in Europe and had sparked a jazz-for-dancing movement in the UK. Roger’s infectious playing and singing were very much part of the success of the tour. A three-month ABC tour of all states consolidated the band’s reputation. They again visited Europe and the UK in October 1950.

After the core band broke up in 1952 Roger played lead trumpet in popular jazz groups such as Frank Traynor’s Jazz Preachers, Max Collie, The Melbourne Jazz Club house band and with his own group The Pagan Pipers. He continued to make recordings, particularly with the latter, and played at many festivals. He recorded and released albums on the W&G and Swaggie labels during the 60s. He again visited Europe in 1971 and 1981, playing with old friends such as Humphrey Lyttelton and Claude Luter in Paris. He died in Melbourne in 2008 aged 89.

SINGLES

'Wombat / When You're Smiling'' 1963 W&G

EPs

'Roger Bell's Pagan Pipers' 1956 Swaggie

ALBUMS

'Roger Bell And His Pagan Pipers' 1963 W&G

'The Wombat' 1963 Swaggie

'Roger Bell And His Pagan Pipers' 1968 Swaggie

'Olga Brolga' 1968 Swaggie

'Maple Leaf Rag' 1974 Swaggie

References

https://australianjazzrealbook.com/artists/roger-bell/