You’ve heard his work with artists including Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke,Roberta Flack, Erykah Badu, David Bowie, John Scofield, David Sanborn, Angelique Kidjo,Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Vanessa Williams, Stanley Turrentine, Victor Wooten and RandyCrawford.
Native of New York and a second generation musician, he has been immersed in music since he was born. Taking cues from his father, a jazz musician and professor of music, Poogie has always had an inherent connection to music. As hard as it may be to believe, he started playing at the age of ten months old and made his concert debut when he was two and half at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Hall with his father. By the ripe old age of five he’d already appeared on The Mike Douglas Show with Pearl Bailey. As a kid it wasn’t unusual for Poogie to see the likes of drummer Max Roach, saxophonist Ornette Coleman, pianist Marylou Williams, bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter and Richard Davis in his living room jammin’ with his father. Growing up he hung out with fellow musicians Bobby Broom, Omar Hakim, Marcus Miller, Lenny White and Bernard Wright & Weldon Irvine ; all of whom supported and influenced each other musically.
Poogie’s first “real” gig was with Tom Browne, Weldon Irvine and Hugh Masakela. Then came a tour with one of the creators of what we know as hip-hop, Afrika Bambaata and the Soulsonic Force and then with the Force MD’s, a Temptations-style vocal group who were among the first to incorporate R&B and hip-hop. “Touch and Go”, a song written by Poogie for the Force MD’s, won him the ASCAP Writer’s Award for Top 10 Singles in 1988.
From his hard work, Poogie was able to break into the traditional R&B world touring and recording with artists Freddie Jackson, Phyllis Hyman and Chaka Khan. He came into the New Jack Swing era working with Keith Sweat, Teddy Riley, SWV and New Edition.
He continued to tour and record with Marcus Miller, Victor Bailey, Bill Evans Soul Bop and Erykah Badu, among others.
Poogie is doing his own project with The Poogie Bell Band and a new album is due for release late Spring 2012. The members of this band are all old friends — Bobby Sparks on keys, Keith Anderson on saxophones and Patches Stewart on the trumpet.
Poogie likes performing in Europe, believing that audiences over here are more “astute listeners”, even more so in Eastern Europe where listeners were starved of jazz during the communist era.
Poogie Bell at Half Note on March 22 to 25, 2012.
DISCOGRAPHY
AS A LEADER:
Poogie Bell Band – My America (2011)
Poogie Bell Band – Get On The Kit (2009 – US release including 2 unreleased tracks)
Poogie Bell Band – Get On The Kit (2006 – Japanese release)
Poogie Bell Band – Thinking Outside The Box (2004)
AS A SIDEMAN:
Angelique Kijo – Oyo (2010)
Marcus Miller – A Night In Monte Carlo “Live” (2009)
Marcus Miller – Marcus (2008)
SMV – Thunder (2008)
Angelique Kijo – Djin Djin (2007)
Marcus Miller – Free (2007)
Marcus Miller – Silver Rain (2005)
Patches Stewart – Blow (2005)
Vanessa Williams – Everlasting Love (2005)
Lalah Hathaway – Outrun The Sky (2004)
Marcus Miller – M2 (2001)
Ronnie Jordan – Brighter Day (2000)
Marcus Miller – Live and More (1998)
Erykah Badu – Live (1997)
Gato Barbieri – Que Pasa (1997)
Marcus Miller – Tales (1995)
Philippe Saisse – Masques (1995)
Marcus Miller – The Sun Don’t Lie (1993)
Teddy Pendergrass – Little More Magic (1993)
David Bowie – Black Tie White Noise (1993)
Robin S – Show Me Love (1993)
Kirk Whalum – Cache (1993)
Chaka Khan – Woman I Am (1992)
Najee – Just An Illusion (1992)
Sado Watanabe – Good Time For Love (1990)
Victor Bailey – Bottoms Up (1989)
Johnny Kemp – Secrets of Flying (1987)
Force MDs – Touch and GO (1987)