Graeme Bell AO MBE b.1914

Bell’s original band broke up in 1953. He formed a new group for tours to entertain the troops in Korea and Japan. After a spell in Brisbane, he moved to Sydney in 1957, opening an art gallery and playing casual engagements. That year he and his skiffle group toured Australia with Johnny Ray for entrepreneur Lee Gordon. In 1962 he formed another band, the Graeme Bell All Stars. They played at the smart Chevron Hotel in Kings Cross, and Bell presented popular floorshows at Sydney’s other major venues. He recorded, broadcast and hosted his own national television show, Trad Pad on Channel 7. Again a household name, he toured nationally and internationally, including an Arts Council sponsored study tour of the United States.

In 1964 he toured New Zealand with Frank Ifield. He next made ground-breaking tours of Papua New Guinea, before again setting off for appearances throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.

In 1978 Bell was made a Member of the British Empire. During the 1980s he played at the Kobe Jazz Festival in Japan and made several appearances at the Breda Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.

In 1990 Bell was the first Western band leader to take a jazz band into China. With singer Little Pattie, the Graeme Bell All Stars completed a highly successful and extensive concert tour of China and South-East Asia, followed by appearances at Expo 90 in Osaka, Japan. The same year Graeme was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to music. In 1995 he celebrated his 85th birthday by narrating a tribute concert at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne.

Since then, Graeme has continued to tour worldwide. In 1997, he was inducted into the Aria Awards Hall of Fame. In 2003 members of the All Stars reformed under the name Graeme Bell Reunion Band. They undertook a series of limited engagements and recorded an album of Australian jazz compositions.

The Australian jazz awards, which commenced in 2003, are named ‘The Bell Awards’ in his honour. In 2004 the Victorian Jazz Archive mounted a special exhibition to celebrate Bell’s 90th birthday. The Archive holds a significant collection of Bell memorabilia, including photographs, instruments, clothing, posters, paintings and sound recordings.

In 2006 Live Performance Australia recognised Graeme Bell’s life-long devotion to performing excellence with its James Cassius Williamson Award.

Frank Van Straten, 2007