Poogie Bell Band

Best jazz CDs: Poogie Bell

BEST OF 2006

Thursday, December 28, 2006

1. Poogie Bell Band, "Get on the Kit" (Yuji Sound)
This not-too-poppy, not-too-esoteric side project for the regular drummer of Marcus Miller's band reminds me of how melodic fusion used to sound before it got too smooth in the 1990s. "Breezeword" is my personal favorite, and it's also good to see some local boys put out some good music.

2. Keb' Mo,' "Suitcase" (Epic)
Not too long ago, Keb' Mo' was pure blues, mournful aching Mississippi blues. But somewhere between his first Grammy and now, he has sounded less like Robert Johnson and Charley Patton and more like a store-front bluesman, hell-bent on hitching a ride in the boxcar of a commercial train. Still, "Suitcase," Mo's latest recording, has enough to remind you that when he has a mind to he can revert to the blues and its country traditions.

3. Nancy Wilson, "Turned to Blue" (MCG Jazz)
Nancy Wilson just seems to get better with age, balancing moments of extraordinary repose with richly expressed lyricism. She has always had the stuff a great vocalist needs: timing, intonation, dynamics and a well-defined jazz artistry.

4. Christian Scott, "Rewind That" (Concord)
Christian Scott is the latest in a long, distinctive line of trumpeters to come from New Orleans. And like most, he has quickly developed a signature sound and style. I first heard the 23-year-old Scott a few years back, performing with his uncle and saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. on a restaurant balcony in New Orleans. I thought then, and I am quite sure now, that he is one of the most poised young players to come along in some time and someone to pay attention to.

5. Sonny Rollins, "Sonny, Please" (Doxy)
We all know Sonny from "Saxophone Colossus" and "St. Thomas," a free-flowing tune that made it hip to explore Caribbean calypso music. At 76, Rollins is still relentless. Teaming with longtime bassist Bob Cranshaw, Rollins unleashes his massive chops on an interesting set of standards and originals. - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

by Laura Allen
for the Gazette
Poogie Bell sounds like a busy guy. “I’m on my way out the door to a gig tonight,” he said. In the background, you could hear the sounds of family — Bell’s young son and wife doing the Thursday family night routine while dad prepared to leave for a club date with his band.

Poogie Bell will leave his Pittsburgh home and bring his band for a Friday night show at the Empty Glass in Charleston.

Music has always been a family affair for Bell. He grew up with musicians like Ornette Coleman and Max Roach stopping by the house to play with his dad. Classic jazz has been in the family, so to speak, since before Bell was born.

While Bell draws inspiration from his father, he doesn’t hesitate to step up with his own ideas. “I prefer music with an edge,” said Bell. That’s evident with the tune “Redd Fox,” which opens with a sample from the “Sanford and Son” sitcom of ’70s fame, followed by the standard organ lick that everyone knows. But the crunchy guitar by Wheeling native Juan Vasquez and funky drums laid down by Bell give this tune a life of its own.

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A recent check on the group’s MySpace page revealed eight opinions on the definition of “funky jazz,” which is the Poogie Bell Band’s preferred description of their music. One respondent wrote: “haha, this is like suzuki asking his students what zen is. Everyone knows, but no one can say. And that means it’s one of the things that means the most.”

Bell’s answer is a little more specific. “To me, funky jazz is the music I grew up on in the ’60s and ’70s,” said Bell. “It’s probably best defined by what Herbie Hancock did on the ‘Headhunters’ album.”

“Headhunters” — the best-selling album in jazz history — was a boundary-breaking effort that merged funky bass line hooks and amped-up instruments from rock with the sophistication of jazz. Released in 1973, the record continues to inspire a wide range of musicians, from nationally known hip-hop artists to local bands. (The Charleston-based Bob Thompson Unit regularly blisters the tune “Watermelon Man” from the “Headhunters” album during their Tuesday night gig at Legends.)

The record is great not only because of the musical ideas, but also because the band Hancock placed around him is tight. They are a cohesive unit. Bell takes that approach as well. “As a drummer, I’m always surprising people,” he said.

“They assume that I’m in it for the explosive drum solos, that as a drummer I can’t have melodic ideas as a composer.”

Bell seems proud of the fact that his band is not about individual achievement. “We want to make great music,” he said. “I’m the bus driver, driving the bus, but it’s all of us that make the music good.”

ONLINE: www.poogiebell.com

If you go

The Poogie Bell Band performs after 10 p.m. Friday at the Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St. Cover $5. Call 345-9893. - The Gazette, Charleston, WV

JaiJai Jackson speaks w/drummer Poogie bell about his current cd and a sneak peek @ his new cd

Press Release by: yuji sound records

Venue: state theatre (falls church,va)

8/2205 -
The sound of Poogie Bell's drums is what you hear on many of the world's finest jazz, neo-soul, R&B, POP and hip-hop records. Performer, record producer, composer, and arranger, you've heard his work with artists including Chaka Kahn, Marcus Miller, Roberta Flack, Erykah Badu, David Bowie, David Sanborn, Joe Sample, Stanley Turrentine, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Al Jarreau, Vanessa Williams, Randy Crawford, Alex Bugnon, Victor Bailey,...and many many more.

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 debut when he was two and half on Pittsburgh's public T.V QED13 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 Ornett 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 Omar Hakim, Marcus Miller, Lenny White , Bernard Wright, Bobby Broom, Weldon Irvine, Victor Bailey,Vincent Henry all of whom supported and influenced each other musically.

Poogie's first "real" gig was with Weldon Irvine, Tom Brown, Chaka Khan 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 the first to incorporate R&B and hip-hop. "Touch and Go", a song written by Poogie&Victor Bailey for the Force MD's, won them the ASCAP Urban Music Writer's Award for Top 10 Singles in 1987. 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 Kahn.He came into the New Jack Swing era working with Keith Sweat, Teddy Riley, SWV and New Edition. He continues to tour and record with Marcus Miller, Alex Bugnon, Victor Bailey and Erykah Badu, among others.

Now Poogie is doing his own thing with The Poogie Bell Band. The Poogie Bell Band consists of 5 members. They are, Juan Vasquez (guitar, vocals), Kevin Barefoot (bass), Howie Alexander (keyboards), and Ian Gordon (trumpet). Poogie Bell has performed and recorded with: Marcus Miller, Erykah Badu, Victor Bailey, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Stanley Turrentine, David Bowie, Kenny Garrett, Chaka Khan, Gato Barbieri, Woody Shaw, David Sanborn, Phyllis Hyman, Lalah Hathaway, Eve, Al Jarreau, Vanessa Williams, Bill Evans, Babyface, Luther Vandross, Shania Twain, Clay Aiken, Busta Rhymes, Sonny Fortune, Randy Crawford, Karen Bernod, Roberta Flack, Gerald Albright, Bobby Broom, Alex Bugnon, Hiram Bullock, Michael Davis, Kindred and The Family Soul, Charles Fambrough, Force M.D's, Ronny Jordan, Johnny Kemp, Najee, Keith Sweat, Teddy Pendergrass, Noel Pointer, Billy Porter, Nelson Rangell, Philippe Saisse, Samantha Siva, Sadao Watanabe, Kirk Whalum, Heather Headly, New Edition and George Howard.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK POOGIE OUT ON JAIJAI JACKSONS (WOMAN OF JAZZ) RADIO SHOW ON www.xradio.biz/lasvegas@ 8pm Nov.1,2005. THEY WILL TALK ABOUT HIS CURRENT CD THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND HOW HIS BAND CAME TOO BE AND JAIJAI GET'S POOGIE TOO GIVE US A SNEAK PEEK AT HIS NEW CD GET ON THE KIT WHICH HAS A HOST OF GREAT MUSICIANS LIKE MARCUS MILLER ROY HARDGROVE MACEO PARKER SO MAKE SURE YOU CATCH JAIJAI AND POOGIE AT WWW.XRADIO.BIZ/LASVEGAS @8PM ON NOV.1,2005.....ITS GOING TOO BE VERY COOL! - Jai Jai Jackson

Monday, June 12, 2006; Page C03

The Marcus Miller Band and the Clarke/Duke Project have strong ties to 1980s fusion jazz, but funk ruled Friday night at Wolf Trap.

Miller is touring with an exceptional septet, featuring longtime compatriots, such as drummer Poogie Bell and trumpeter Patches Stewart, plus the Swiss-born chromatic harmonica player Gregoire Maret. It's a highly interactive band, not just a support group for Miller's bass guitar virtuosity, with a far-reaching and imaginatively orchestrated repertoire. The band's opening set, which turned out to be the evening's highlight, zigzagged across genres and generations, with cleverly arranged nods to Stevie Wonder ("Boogie On Reggae Woman"), Beethoven ("Moonlight Sonata") and Miles Davis ("Jean-Pierre" and "Tutu"). Miller, who worked closely with Davis at the end of his recording career, used "Jean-Pierre" to illustrate the late trumpeter's gift for making the most of a simple melody, a point underscored by Stewart's muted and spacious brass work. But no matter what the tune, there was no mistaking Miller's engaging spirit, sly phrasing and unmistakably resounding tone.



From left, Marcus Miller, George Duke, Stanley Clarke. On Friday at Wolf Trap, the Marcus Miller Band zigzagged across genres to make the most of simple melodies; the Clarke/Duke Project had its best moment with funk. (Silver Rain Publicity)
The teaming of keyboardist George Duke and bassist-guitarist Stanley Clarke in a mostly quartet format never jelled. Clarke, playing electric and acoustic bass, was in phenomenal form, and keyboardist Duke punctuated the performance with a melodic piano interlude that pointed to his firm roots in straight-ahead jazz. But Duke had vocal problems, as the vintage Project hit "Sweet Baby" demonstrated, and the performance was haphazardly paced. Nothing proved more crowd-pleasing, though, than the George Clinton-inspired call-to-funk "Mothership Connection."

-- Mike Joyce - Washington Post

Sunday night was the Marcus Miller show at the Birchmere. I've been to the Birchmere a number of times; it's a great venue with good sound and a good environment.

Marcus, on the other hand, I've only seen once before. Marcus is an absolute monster player, massively influential (to me and legions of others). Seeing him play live is a near religious experience for a bass player like myself.

Miller's road band consists of Marcus Miller (natch) on bass guitar/alto sax/bass clarinet, Dean Brown on guitar, Poogie Bell on drums, Bruce Flowers on keyboards, Roger Byam on sax/flute and Michael "Patches" Stewart on trumpet/fluglehorn. These guys have been with Marcus for a long time and it shows. They have real chemistry on stage, play off each other's cues and seem to have a real good time in the process. They are also first class musicians in their own right. Poogie Bell is one of the better drummers I've seen play like (just a huge, deep pocket, no matter how complex the drum line), and Patches Stewart is probably the best trumpet player I've ever seen live — bar none. Marcus is no fool when it comes to staffing his ship.

Mr. Miller is not as kinetic a player as other bass players I respect, but he's an amazing player in his own right. Not a lot of flash and tricks, but solid, undeniable groove. From some new material from a forthcoming album (a pretty straight ahead funky R&B tune with some rap/singing thrown in called Gonna Get Hurt and a very tribal feeling tune called Ethiopia) to some Miller standbys (Cousin John, Panther, Amazing Grace, and a medley of Power, Marcus' take on Jaco's Teen Town and Tutu) and quite a few covers (Red Baron, Frankenstein, Come Together). Not to mention some songs that Marcus has written for other people: Maputo for David Sanborn and Bob James (although I really prefer Marcus' take on it to theirs) and Da Butt for E.U.

Let me promise you, there has never been any rendition of any Beatle's song that ever grooved as hard as the Marcus Miller version of Come Together. No matter what was going on, you could not resist the power of that bass line. Just like Frankenstein — I can remember that song from the 70's, but the Miller take would have had dead people up and dancing.

One of the things that I have noticed about Marcus' show is that it is very clearly his show. He usually starts the tune, he gives very clear direction to his bandmates (like mimeing how he wanted Poogie to play his drumline at a few points during the show) and calls solos as the song progresses (pointing to which member of the band is to solo and when their solo is to end).

During the encore of the show, Marcus took requests from the audience, played through a medley of his tunes (if it was rehearsed, they sold me on the performance — it felt like there were just making it up on the spot) and then closed with Da Butt. That pick makes since, given that D.C. is the birthplace of go-go music. He even got Sugar Bear (the lead singer of E.U.) up to perform the singing.

I managed to get good seats to the show, and I took quite a few photos. Check them out here. - BC Blogcritics Magazine

Poogie Bell has been playing the drums before he could walk or talk. Now he's fronting his own band.

by Dave Richards
Staff writer

When Poogie Bell says he was born to play the drums, you better believe him. You know anyone else who could keep time before he could walk or talk?

Bell — the son of Charlie Bell, a jazz keyboard player and music professor — was still in diapers when he watched his dad's band practice one day. For hours, he stared at drummer Allen Blairman, totally mesmerized.

"Two, three weeks later, my mother is awakened at 5 a.m. by the sound of someone playing drums," Bell said. "She goes, 'Damn! What the hell is Allen doing in the house at 5 a.m.? Has he lost his mind?'

"She comes downstairs and sees me up on the drum stool — tat, tat, tat — keeping time. I've been playing drums as long as I can remember."

He still is except now, for the first time, Poogie Bell leads his own group. After building a strong reputation as a session player and touring musician with mainstream jazz and R&B performers, he fronts the Poogie Bell Band. The Pittsburgh-based funk/jazz groove outfit makes its Forward Hall debut on Saturday with special guests Amanda Barton and Charity Nuse from Big Leg Emma.

Performing with Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Roberta Flack, and David Sanborn among others, Bell became accustomed to playing in concert halls and at big outdoor festivals. But now he's back at clubs while the Poogie Bell Band builds a name. He's fine with that.

"It makes me proud to be able to go out and play music that I helped write, and have good cats who want to play with me," Bell said. "It makes you feel good to go out and play your music, regardless of where the gig is.

"We've played clubs so far that are really good and clubs that, when you get there, you go, 'Damn!' But the people show up, and you try to bring a vibe. Then it doesn't matter where you are, if the music feels good."

It sure sounds good on "Thinking Outside the Box," the band's debut. The quartet takes a phat, aggressive, groove-heavy approach on the stomping "MPD," while turntable scratching and Bell's slinky drum work infuses "Boogie Hustlers" with an infectious, exciting contemporary energy.

"I think the current stuff we're doing reflects the better parts of '70s fusion — at least the parts that had a groove," Bell said.



UNDERNEATH IT ALL LIES Bell's ongoing love of jazz.

"I consider myself to be a musician who has a jazz heart and a funk mind, so there's always going to be jazz overtones in the music, drenches of it everywhere," he said.

"But I aim to have a whole bunch of different flavors, all making sense. It's a matter of figuring how to make the spices right, so the sauce is going to come out good. As much as I love jazz, I also love country and western and hip-hop, and we blend all of that together."

Bell, 43, still frequently tours with jazz bassist Marcus Miller; they completed a European tour during the summer. In fact, the beginnings of Poogie Bell Band date back to a Miller show at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild a few years ago. That's where Bell met young bassist Kevin Barefoot, who plays in Mr. Nimbus.

Bell had long been curious about the jam-band scene, but was too embedded in jazz and R&B over the years to experience much of it. So he quizzed Barefoot, who's just 25.

"He starts breaking it down to me," Bell said. "I got a crash course in Phish and Moe and String Cheese and Soulive and Martin, Medeski and Wood. Of course, I'd heard of MMW and Soulive. But I was like a lot of jazz musicians who are in the mainstream. They either don't know what the scene is, or they hear the music and they think, 'They don't play well.'

"Now that I'm doing this and understand what it is, I understand why Soulive and String Cheese are popular and what they have to offer and bring to their audience. With my band, I'm trying to do that — just do it in our own way, with our own style and our own sound."

Keyboard player Howie Alexander and guitarist Juan Vazquez, who's also in the Latin-jazz band Sauce, complete the Poogie Bell Band lineup. For the group's second CD, Bell plans to rely on star power to help the band get noticed.

He says such friends as Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Kenny Garrett, Soulive's Eric Krasnow, and the Allman's Oteil Burbridge may all appear, if scheduling can be worked out.

In the meantime, Poogie Bell Band builds word-of-mouth the old-fashioned way — one hot live show at a time.

"I don't mind starting this from the ground up," Bell said. "I've been doing the mainstream in jazz for the majority of my career. So this underground stuff is kind of cool."


- Erie Times, Showcase

[ Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2005 ]
Band attracts the ladies
Poogie Bell Band to bring jazz, soul to Crowbar

By Jessica Horton
Collegian Staff Writer
Chicks really love the Poogie Bell Band.

The band will return to Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave., bringing a fresh, funky eclectic mix of jazz and soul that, according to Poogie Bell himself, appeals especially to the female variety.

"For some strange reason, it seems like chicks dig the band," drummer/frontman Bell said. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but it seems like there are always more girls than guys at our shows. I may be old and married, but I still have eyes."

The band started two years ago when bassist Kevin Barefoot went to get Bell's autograph after a show in Pittsburgh.

If you go
What: Poogie Bell Band with Flowdown and Jazzam
Time: 8 p.m.
Date: Tonight
Place: Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.
Details: Tickets are $6 for the all-ages show.

"I was playing a show in Pittsburgh when I met Kevin," Bell said. "I thought, while I'm here I want to do something -- so we started a band."

Barefoot describes their sound as comparable to that of bands such as Soulive and Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. "I would describe our music as funky jazz with some soul thrown in there," he said. "We also do some '70s-type funk fusion. We do some vocal stuff, but it's mainly instrumental."

Bell said he likes to describe the band's sound as having a "jazz heart with a funk mind."

"The roots are in jazz and improv," he said. "But we play funky and hip-hoppish. With my band, you can either get up and dance or you can sit back and let it take your mind places. It's a throwback to the days of music when you could dance to it, study to it or clean the house to it."

Dan Rosenkrantz (junior-mechanical engineering) said the most appealing aspect of the music is its versatility. "One of my friends made me listen to one of their songs," he said. "It's usually not the kind of music I listen to, but I immediately loved it. It makes me feel relaxed, but at the same time it makes me want to dance -- if I could. I've been anxious to see them perform live ever since."

The band members said they are anxious to return to Happy Valley. "When we play at different venues, we have a wide range of people -- young, old, black, white -- but playing at Penn State is great because these are the people we are trying to reach, the college-age crowd," Bell said. "They always have a good time and it's always really chill."

Barefoot said the difference in audiences is the way they respond and react to the music.

"I love playing for a college audience because the kids love hearing live music," he said. "It's nice to play in a college town versus other towns because older crowds may just sit, while college kids get into it right away."

Anyone who appreciates a good concert would love the Poogie Bell Band, Bryan Hoover (junior-journalism) said. "They blew me away the first time I saw them," he said. "My favorite thing about the band is the rhythm section. They also have one of the most talented bass players I've ever seen. Anyone who likes music would appreciate the pure musicianship of the band." - The Daily Collegian (State College, PA)