Rick Bell
Richard W. Bell (born in Birmingham) is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, and film animator.
Bell began playing saxophone professionally while in high school. He attended Auburn University as an art major, joined the Auburn Knights Orchestra and soon became a featured soloist.
After graduating from college, Rick married Auburn Knights vocalist Dannie Sue Mackin and together they toured with the Al Belletto Sextet. After their stint on the road, the couple settled in Atlanta, Georgia to begin a family, and together raised three daughters.
During his early years in Atlanta, Rick pursued a dual career of film animator and musician. In this period, he was active as a composer, arranger, and singer for numerous radio and television jingles. Since 1980, music has been his primary occupation, with the focus on jazz saxophone and composition. He has written for the Atlanta Singers, the Hotlanta Jazz Singers, and instrumental ensembles ranging from big bands to quartets.
Rick has been a member of many Atlanta area jazz groups, including the Atlanta Jazz Band, the Neighborhood Arts Ensemble, Ted Howe's Blue Gass Orchestra, the Yancey Korosi Quartet, the Ojeda Penn Experience, Future Reference (as co-leader), and his own quintet. He regularly sat in with touring jazz greats at E.J.'s jazz club
In 1988, Rick was featured with trumpeter Red Rodney at the Atlanta premier of the movie "Bird" by director Clint Eastwood.
Bell is a regular featured performer at the W. C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama, as a member of the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars.