Graeme Bell facts for kids

Graeme Emerson Bell (7 September 1914 – 13 June 2012) was an Australian Dixieland and classical jazz pianist. He was also a composer and a band leader. People often praised his band's music for having a special "Australian edge." He called this a "nice larrikinism" and a "happy Aussie outdoor feel."

Graeme Bell was a very important person in promoting jazz music in Australia. He helped bring famous American musicians, like Rex Stewart, to play there. He was also the first Australian jazz band leader to still be playing at 90 years old. Plus, he was the first Western musician to lead a jazz band on a tour to China. The American music magazine DownBeat once said his band was "unquestionably the greatest jazz band outside America." The Australian Jazz Bell Awards, which started in 2003, are even named "The Bells" in his honour.

Early life and first steps in music

Graeme Bell was born in 1914 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. His father, John Alexander Bell, was a performer in musical comedy and music hall. His mother, Mary Elvina Bell, was a singer. She had even performed with the famous singer Nellie Melba. Graeme's younger brother, Roger Bell, also became a jazz musician.

When Graeme was 12, he started taking weekly piano lessons. He learned classical music first. His parents paid for his lessons for four years. He went to Scotch College, Melbourne in 1929 and 1930. There, he loved playing cricket and drawing modern art.

Graeme left school at 16 during the Great Depression. This was a time when many people lost their jobs. He worked as a clerk for an insurance company for over nine years. He also worked briefly as a farm hand. He paid for his own piano lessons for two more years. Later, he taught piano to earn extra money.

His brother Roger, who played drums, helped Graeme discover jazz. Roger would play old 78 rpm records, including songs by Fats Waller. Graeme started playing jazz with Roger in 1935. They played at dances and clubs in Melbourne. One of their first shows was at the Portsea Hotel.

By 1941, Graeme had his own band called the Graeme Bell Jazz Gang. During World War II, he was not able to join the army. Instead, he entertained Australian soldiers. He even traveled to Mackay, Queensland in 1943. After returning to Melbourne, he became a full-time musician. His band was called the Dixieland Jazz Band. This band included his brother Roger Bell and other musicians. Graeme Bell made his first recordings in 1943.

A career in jazz music

A poster for the 1947 performance of Graeme Bell and his Dixieland Jazz Band at the World Democratic Youth Festival

In 1946, Graeme Bell became the leader of the house band for the Eureka Youth League. He also started a music club called the Uptown Club. After playing at the first Australian Jazz Convention, his band was renamed the Australian Jazz Band. This band became the first Australian jazz band to tour Europe.

In 1947, the Australian Jazz Band toured Czechoslovakia for over four months. A youth group helped sponsor their trip. They played at the World Youth Festival in Prague. Graeme Bell wrote his first song, "The Lizard," during this time. Another early song he wrote was "Czechoslovak Journey." He recorded it in Prague in 1947.

In 1948, the Australian Jazz Band traveled to the United Kingdom. Graeme Bell started the Leicester Square Jazz Club there. His band played music especially for dancing. They played songs that were not typical jazz songs. They encouraged people to dance, which made them very popular. People said his band's music had a special "Australian edge." Graeme described it as a "nice larrikinism" and a "happy Aussie outdoor feel." Many other bands, like the Cootamundra Jazz Band, were inspired by his music.

In the early 1950s, Bell often returned to the UK and Europe to perform. While touring Germany, he met some very enthusiastic fans. He remembered that "German girls would hide in the band bus." Some even wore fake wedding rings to get into hotels with the band members.

After returning to Australia, Bell moved to Sydney in 1957. Besides playing music, he was a key person in promoting jazz in Australia. He helped bring American musicians, like trumpet player Rex Stewart, to Australia. The Australian Musicians Union had some rules about foreign artists. So, Stewart had to play a meter in front of the band to be called a soloist.

In Sydney, Bell also played commercial music and taught piano. In the 1960s, a new interest in traditional jazz in the UK led Bell to form the Graeme Bell All Stars. This band toured the UK. Bell once said he learned how to get the best music from his band members. He felt his own piano playing became less important than creating a great band sound.

After five years of research, Bell wrote a book called Graeme Bell, Australian jazzman in 1988. In 1997, Bell was added to the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) ARIA Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for musicians. By 1999, Bell had made over 1,500 recordings. He had also performed thousands of shows in Australia and around the world.

Personal life

Graeme Bell's younger brother, Roger Bell, was also a jazz musician. Roger helped Graeme change from playing classical music to jazz. They often performed, toured, and recorded music together.

Graeme Bell was married three times. He passed away on 13 June 2012, at the age of 97, after having a stroke.

Discography

Albums

• Top of the Town – 1950 (EMI)
• Cakewalkin' Babies Back Home – 1951 (EMI)
• Inside Jazz Down Under – 1954 (Angel)
• Jazz Series I – 1961 (Zyp)
• Jazz Series II – 1962 (Zyp)
• Down Town with Graeme Bell – 1974 (Festival)
• Graeme Bell All-Stars – 1980 (Jazzology)
• Czechoslovak Journey – 1983 (Swaggie)
• Paris 1948 – 1983 (Swaggie)

Honours and awards

Graeme Bell received several important awards for his contributions to jazz music. On 1 January 1978, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized his valuable service to jazz music. On 11 June 1990, he became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This was for his great service to music, especially jazz.

The Australian Jazz Bell Awards, also known as "The Bells," started in 2003. They are named in his honour. At the very first awards ceremony, Graeme Bell inducted his old band member, Ade Monsbourgh, into the Graeme Bell Hall of Fame.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are annual awards in Australia. They celebrate excellent achievements in all kinds of Australian music. They began in 1987. Graeme Bell was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1997.

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia. They are presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. In 2006, Graeme Bell received the JC Williamson Award. This is the LPA's highest honour for a person's life work in live performance.

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