Dee Bell
Biography
“Dee’s voice is pure and tender, at times haunting. Her approach to the material is straightforward and unpretentious. She takes you inside the lyrics, and you can almost hear her smile.
- Jesse Hamlin, SF Chronicle
The Music
Dee Bell’s debut album, Let There Be Love with Stan Getz on saxophone, and Eddie Duran (a Benny Goodman Band graduate) on guitar, was released on the Concord Jazz label (CJ-206) as an LP for Valentine’s Day 1983. The record also featured prominent Bay Area musicians Al Plank, Vince Lateano, and Dean Reilly. Let There Be Love posted in the top ten in Radio and Records jazz airplay charts in the spring of 1983. The follow-up recording in 1985 of One by One (CJ-271), also on the Concord Jazz label, reached number 13 on the Radio and Records jazz airplay charts in early summer 1985. This album featured trumpeter Tom Harrell along with Duran and Plank, and other Bay Area jazz musicians. Let There Be Love was chosen as a BillBoard Magazine “Recommended LP Jazz Pick in 1983. “ Bell was also nominated by Downbeat Magazine in their Jazz Critic’s Poll for two consecutive years as “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition.” BAM Magazine nominated Let There Be Love as the Best Debut Album and One by One as Best Jazz Vocal Album, both in their release years. Bell has performed nationally and internationally and has appeared at the Golden Globe Awards, the Russian River Jazz Festival, the Jazz in the City Festival, the Napa Valley Mustard Festival to name a few, as well as a wide variety of television, club and hotel performances.
Personal Life
Bell moved to San Francisco in 1978 to develop her professionalism as a vocalist and to work toward her goal to make a record in five years. One of her first experiences in Northern California was when she “sat in” at a Santa Cruz Jazz Club with Eddie Jefferson, where he told her “to keep on singin’ because you’ve got a fine sound.” The story of her first musical pairing with Eddie Duran is legendary. She met Eddie Duran at the Trident Restaurant where she was a waitress and his trio was the musical entertainment. He heard her sing “Happy Birthday” to a friend after hours, was taken with her voice and then asked her to sit in on all of his performances at the Trident over the next few years. In 1982, Eddie and Dee made a demo tape that enticed Stan Getz to volunteer to play on a record date, as Stan also was enchanted by Bell’s sound. The demo tape led to Let There Be Love with Stan Getz, followed by One by One, also with Eddie and featuring Tom Harrell.
Bell grew up in a musical family in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in her formative years, Indianapolis, Indiana, and is the middle child of five. She played clarinet and dulcimer at a young age, but as early as nine, her dream was to become a singer. Between the ages of 12 and 23, she performed in many musical groups, both vocal and instrumental.
First a pre-medicine, then an art student, she graduated from Indiana University in 1972 as an art teacher and metal sculptress. After graduation, she lived for several years in a cabin in the Hoosier National Forest with a wood stove for heat, no running water, and no telephone. During this period she studied voice with IU’s visiting opera diva, Eileen Farrell, and performed in local clubs while she ran her own health food restaurant (which fostered one of the first health food stores in the Midwest). Bell also freelanced in the graphic arts by painting signs and creating logos for health food companies such as Willow Run Margarine. She continues to perform in the Midwest during summers, in California festivals, and for private invitation-only concerts.
“Bell has a haunting, jazz-infected sound, her diction and phrasing flawless.”
- Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times
Flight 108
Way back in the very late 70's Fred Story, Ben Williams and Scott McLaughlin connected and started the most amazing musical journey. Fred played piano, synth and wrote the music that cleared FLIGHT 108 for takeoff. He was also a very popular local radio talent in those days and had a very progressive jazz show on WBCY 107.9 in Charlotte, NC. Hence the name FLIGHT 108. With Ben on electric fretless bass and Scott on drums and percussion they started performing their brand of jazz in the southern region. It wasn't long before Andre Ferreri joined the group on guitar and added a new element to their sound. Andre had been working with jazz groups as well in the south and had his own composition contributions to make for the band. Their sound was established and they were off enjoying a regular stream of performances. They were fortunate enough to be regular warm up act for THE DIXIE DREGS and playing concerts with artists like John Scofield, Earl Klugh, Ray Charles, Blood Sweat & Tears, David Sanborn, Kenny G, The Rippingtons, Sea Level and Dave Valentin. Primarily playing nightclubs and festivals and slowly building a huge following by playing live shows and radio airplay on many of the jazz stations.
They recorded their first album in 1985 and produced one a year for the following two years. Their recording style was simple. Everything was recorded direct to 2 track master and live in the studio with no overdubs. This guaranteed that their recordings would have the same level of energy that exuded when performing live. They decided to go in a different direction on their fourth album and recruited BILL EVANS on saxophone and DAVE VALENTIN on flute. Both who are respected musicians and have had exceptional careers in the jazz community. Including the elements of brass and woodwind again added a new sound for this group.
Over the years FLIGHT 108 morphed through several transitions with different players after Ben and Scott went on to other projects. Fred and Andre remained the consistent backbone of the group while the musician roster included Lee Venters, Donnie Marshall and Michael Johnston on Drums. Rick Blackwell, Ben Hermann and Rusty Springfield on bass guitar. David Lail, Mark McClure on saxophone and flute. Through that period their music thrived and they were able to continue with their older songs as well as develop a whole new sound.
Always open to try new music they developed a huge catalog of original compositions. Making it very difficult to pick the songs for their albums. Their unwavering dedication to performing and perfecting their sound set FLIGHT 108 apart from all the other groups of their time. One thing is for sure. This was a group that was unique and original and there will never be another like it!
Andre Ferreri
2010 to present guitarist/songwriter with "THE BRUBAKERS".
2011 Charlotte Symphony performances with Deana Martin and Jennifer Holliday.
2007-2009 performed with Funk, Soul Band "POWERHOUSE". Also performed with Composer/Conductor Victor Vanacore and the Charlotte Symphony and Greensboro Symphony. Performed with comic/musician Joe Piscopo. Produced several new album releases for various artists.
2002 to 2007. Performing with original jazz/rock instrumental group AIRSTREAM.
1996-2002. Working for Andre Ferreri Music Productions, writing and producing music for television, radio and corporate video. Post scored music for Discovery Wings series "Speeders In The Sky" and several other programs for Discovery Channel.
1996 Composed all original music for Habitat For Humanity album Sounds Of Nature. For raising money to plant trees.
1995 Composed all original music and performed five albums for Earth Songs nature music. Titles are Natural Guitar, Natural Jazz , The Long Way Home, Thunderstorm Blues and Blue Tide.
1995 Composed and performed original score for the movie The Architect. Guitar work on Win TV series. Seventeen episodes for TNN. Guitar work on Raceday Theme song for TNN.
1990-96 Guitarist and computer sequencer for Soundchoice and Pocket Songs. Karaoke music.
1986 Recorded all original solo album titled The Peacemaker .
1982-85 Guitar work on several Earl Owensby movies.
1981-94 Performed with the group Flight 108 . Which performed all original Jazz-Fusion music around the southeast U.S. Recorded four albums Flight 108 Circuits , Zero Gravity and Flight 108 IV.
1994-96 Performed with The Hive Five NBA basketball team (Charlotte Hornets) pep band.
1975-96 Writing and guitar work for numerous national and local TV and radio ads. Session guitarist on many recordings including Brook Benton, Maurice Williams, General Johnson, Jim Brock, The Poor Souls, Fred Story, Maria Howell and many others. Performed live shows Herbie Mann, Dave Valentin, Bill Evans, Adam Nitti, Sam Moore, Brian Hyland, Danny The Juniors, Lou Christy, Dennis Yost The Classics Four, The Chiffons, The Shirelles, Little Anthony The Imperials, The Coasters, The Marvelettes, The Platters, Deana Martin, Jenifer Holliday, Maria Howell, Roger Williams and many others. Worked as a guitar clinician at several music stores with Larry Coryell, Chuck Levell and T Lavitz.
1979-81 Formed original group called Projections . Recorded one album titled Projections
1978-79 Toured southeast with R&B group Hourglass .
1975-78 Toured U.S. with Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs .
1974-75 Studied Berklee College of Music, writing and arranging with guitar major.
MARI
Singer/Guitarist Mari received her musical education while growing up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. From guitar lessons beginning at age 9 to high school ensembles and several lead roles in musical theater along the way. She began composing in college and spent years performing at weddings, clubs and special events both locally and internationally.
Seeming to skip a generation or two, music played a major role in Mari's family heritage. Her grandmother played piano for the Silent Movies in the early 1900's. Her mother's great grandfather was the conductor of a Big Band in Union Town Pennsylvania in the early part of the 20th century.
Mari has an interesting musical story contributing to the intriguing metomorphosis of a unique style spanning many generes including Pop, Bossa and Jazz. In this self-titled project her crystal clear vocals and relaxed, subtle phrasing reflect the unique and familiar flavors of Basia, Joni Mitchell, Astrid Gilberto and Nora Jones.
The musicianship of the players is impeccable on this very impressive debut for the eclectic Mari.
The Brubakers
www.thebrubakers.net
For nearly two decades, the contemporary jazz group known as The Brubakers has enjoyed consistent artistic and commercial success by grafting elements of Pop, Rock, R&B, Fusion and a variety of other sounds to their unwavering jazz foundations. In the course of three recordings, the group has continued to explore the limitless dimensions and permutations of jazz while at the same time appealing to a broad mainstream audience.
On their website, www.thebrubakers.net you'll find information about the group and its members, discover pictures that document the group from its formation to the present, and see the direction we've taken on our musical journey. You can read about the individual members' musical influences and some of our experiences. Key members of earlier Brubakers configurations are represented in our alumni section, including bassist Roger Kohrs, keyboardist Mark Holland, and guitarist Alex Bost.
Check out our latest CD "Triple Bypass"! We are very excited about all the new songs and hope our fans enjoy them as well! Our second CD "Second Nature" and our first "The Time Has Come" have been successes for us, and we are very pleased to be promoting and performing "Triple Bypass"!
