Charles Bell

[bebopbob]

I just picked up a copy of Charles Bell and the Contemporary Jazz Quartet's Another Dimension on an Atlantic LP. A smooth and mellow set from 1962. Aside from this and one other album he did for Columbia, has he recorded before or since?

Is he still active in music? If not, what happened to him?

[jazzbo]

This was one of the first lps I've ever owned, it was part of a gift package that was given to US Peace Corps volunteers in 1968 or so, a lot of probably not well selling lps were given out to them, and a volunteer gave me copies of the lps he didn't want, which included Leo Wright's "Blues Shout" and this one, and helped begin my jazz oddyssey when I was 14 or so.

I've never found his other lp. I'm hoping one day this "Another Dimension" will see cd reissue.

[Simon8]

Digging this thread out while listening by chance to a few of Bell's pieces online. At first sound, a quite intriguing, distinctive pianist. The allmusic biography puts the emphasis on his "soul-jazz" influence and playing "full of blues licks, gospel phrases and inflections"... which is not what stands out to me. His trio has a go at "Work Song", but at a unhurried, delicate tempo, much more, say, John Lewis-like than Bobby Timmons'. They do mention later his "harmonic abilities" and that may be the key. He does an arresting version of "Whisper Not" as well:

Anyone knows more about Bell ? Recommandations ?

[jazzbo]

"Another Dimension" has come out or will soon come out on cd via Japan. A highly recommended session.

[sgcim]

I wonder what happened to Bill Smith also, the guitarist on the Bell LP?

[mikeweil]

Fresh Sound reissued a rare live trio LP originally on Gateway. I must admit It's been ages since I last listened to the Jazz Piano LP that Mosaic reissued ....