I live a dual musical life. I spend some of my time working on alt.pop/singer-songwriter/electronic music. I spend some of my time writing serious choral and classical music.
My classical composer website and mobile site are up and running! You are invited to take them for a test-drive at:
http://www.dgeoffreybell.com
Happy listening!
Friday, August 22, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
New Official Geoffrey Bell Website!
I've spent recent weeks trying to consolidate all of the music I have written and recorded, to get it "out there" so people can hear it. I'm reaching way back to the 1970s to dust off old recordings, and organizing more recent work, putting it where it can be heard. If a songwriter writes songs that nobody hears, do the songs really exist?
So, warts and all, I have created the New Official Geoffrey Bell website and mobile site. It has six samples of my songs, spanning a range of genres. It has links to iTunes, Amazon and Google Play, where more songs are available.
There is more to organize, more music to make public, and there are so many more songs waiting to be finished. Happy listening!
The New Official Geoffrey Bell Website
So, warts and all, I have created the New Official Geoffrey Bell website and mobile site. It has six samples of my songs, spanning a range of genres. It has links to iTunes, Amazon and Google Play, where more songs are available.
There is more to organize, more music to make public, and there are so many more songs waiting to be finished. Happy listening!
The New Official Geoffrey Bell Website
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Electronic Rock - 1978
Amongst the reels of tape that were digitally restored, we recovered three pieces of electronic rock. I wrote and recorded all three in the Electronic Music Lab at the University of Calgary. Each instrumental part was recorded one track at a time, built layer upon layer until I ran out of tracks.
"What?" is a solo instrumental piece of electronic rock. The studio Moog was monophonic, meaning it could only play one note at a time. It took forever, but I had fun!
"You and I" features Pat Tufts doing vocals with me. "Look Around" is my call for positive action in the world.
If you enjoyed electronic rock in the late seventies, you might enjoy a blast from the past with these!
This link might take you there:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/geoffrey-bell-archive-electronic/id908855481?uo=4
Otherwise, search iTunes for Geoffrey Bell, then click "Geoffrey Bell Archive: Electronic Songs - 1978".
Happy listening!
"What?" is a solo instrumental piece of electronic rock. The studio Moog was monophonic, meaning it could only play one note at a time. It took forever, but I had fun!
"You and I" features Pat Tufts doing vocals with me. "Look Around" is my call for positive action in the world.
If you enjoyed electronic rock in the late seventies, you might enjoy a blast from the past with these!
This link might take you there:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/geoffrey-bell-archive-electronic/id908855481?uo=4
Otherwise, search iTunes for Geoffrey Bell, then click "Geoffrey Bell Archive: Electronic Songs - 1978".
Happy listening!
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Recordings Found
In March I wrote about recordings that are most likely lost for good. I know they existed at one time, but it's unlikely I'll ever hear them again.
Happily, I have been able to recover some other old recordings of mine that were on reel-to-reel tape. Thanks to the kindness and hard work of Keith Smith and Rob Bartlett, I have recovered a number of recordings that go back as far as 1975. Through their combined magic, the music can be heard again.
I will be gradually releasing tracks as I work through them. The first collection is ready today!
I was 18 years old when I recorded four songs for piano and flute at Sound West Recording Studio in Calgary. I recorded each piano track first, then improvised flute tracks over three of them. These pieces are being released on an EP this week on iTunes, Amazon & Google Play. Just search for Geoffrey Bell. The EP is called Geoffrey Bell Archive: Piano & Flute.
I have also put together a slideshow on YouTube using one of the tracks. Happy listening!
http://youtu.be/rVdjm6mUWa4
Happily, I have been able to recover some other old recordings of mine that were on reel-to-reel tape. Thanks to the kindness and hard work of Keith Smith and Rob Bartlett, I have recovered a number of recordings that go back as far as 1975. Through their combined magic, the music can be heard again.
I will be gradually releasing tracks as I work through them. The first collection is ready today!
I was 18 years old when I recorded four songs for piano and flute at Sound West Recording Studio in Calgary. I recorded each piano track first, then improvised flute tracks over three of them. These pieces are being released on an EP this week on iTunes, Amazon & Google Play. Just search for Geoffrey Bell. The EP is called Geoffrey Bell Archive: Piano & Flute.
I have also put together a slideshow on YouTube using one of the tracks. Happy listening!
http://youtu.be/rVdjm6mUWa4
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Lost Recordings
As I rummage through my collection of songs I have written and recorded over the years, I have started to think about recordings once made, now lost. I know that most of these recordings are long-gone, never to be heard again. Some part of me wishes I could travel back in time to get one copy of each, just so I could listen to them again.
"Bed" performing on Sun Tree Stage - Calgary Stampede - July 10, 1974
In 1974 I was playing keyboards in a rock group called "Bed". We covered songs by Led Zepplin, Jethro Tull and the Allman Brothers, and created new interpretations of blues standards, such as "Stormy Monday".
Eugene Chadbourne, the music critic for the Calgary Herald, wrote about the performance:
"Bed plays rock and roll, and it tries to play the music as hard and as energetically as possible."
"The members of this group were all much younger than the average band featured so far at Sun Tree."
"...the group's Sun Tree performance revealed seeds of the kind of potential Calgary's music scene needs badly. These guys should keep playing."
From the stage, I could see the technicians in the sound booth, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder recording our show. We were never offered a copy. It sure would be fun to hear that recording now!
"Lassiter's Third Herd" - studio recording of five blues standards - Ida Banks' studio in Edmonton, 1976
In the summer of 1976 I played keyboards for Art Lassiter's blues band. We recorded five blues standards. The band was tight, and we played well. Money was tight, and I didn't pay for a copy of the recording. I wish I could hear it again.
"A Certain Kind" - 30 min. TV special - April 9, 1976
In 1976 I also played keyboards in a Calgary Jazz/Rock trio. We were invited to record a 1/2 hour TV special in the SAIT television studio, and the production won the 1976 SAIT Television Production Award. It was broadcast on Friday, April 9th. Sadly, this was before people owned VCRs. We have other studio recordings, but chances are that a recording of the TV special no longer exists.
Where does that leave me? Looking at a box of reel-to-reel recordings, wondering if I can find anyone with a good-quality reel-to-reel tape recorder in good condition. Amongst these, there is my first professional studio recording of flute and piano music I recorded when I was 17. I'd like to hear it again, and share it with sympathetic ears.
There is more music to be heard in my archives. And there is so much more new music waiting to be recorded!
"Bed" performing on Sun Tree Stage - Calgary Stampede - July 10, 1974
In 1974 I was playing keyboards in a rock group called "Bed". We covered songs by Led Zepplin, Jethro Tull and the Allman Brothers, and created new interpretations of blues standards, such as "Stormy Monday".
Eugene Chadbourne, the music critic for the Calgary Herald, wrote about the performance:
"Bed plays rock and roll, and it tries to play the music as hard and as energetically as possible."
"The members of this group were all much younger than the average band featured so far at Sun Tree."
"...the group's Sun Tree performance revealed seeds of the kind of potential Calgary's music scene needs badly. These guys should keep playing."
From the stage, I could see the technicians in the sound booth, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder recording our show. We were never offered a copy. It sure would be fun to hear that recording now!
"Lassiter's Third Herd" - studio recording of five blues standards - Ida Banks' studio in Edmonton, 1976
In the summer of 1976 I played keyboards for Art Lassiter's blues band. We recorded five blues standards. The band was tight, and we played well. Money was tight, and I didn't pay for a copy of the recording. I wish I could hear it again.
"A Certain Kind" - 30 min. TV special - April 9, 1976
In 1976 I also played keyboards in a Calgary Jazz/Rock trio. We were invited to record a 1/2 hour TV special in the SAIT television studio, and the production won the 1976 SAIT Television Production Award. It was broadcast on Friday, April 9th. Sadly, this was before people owned VCRs. We have other studio recordings, but chances are that a recording of the TV special no longer exists.
Where does that leave me? Looking at a box of reel-to-reel recordings, wondering if I can find anyone with a good-quality reel-to-reel tape recorder in good condition. Amongst these, there is my first professional studio recording of flute and piano music I recorded when I was 17. I'd like to hear it again, and share it with sympathetic ears.
There is more music to be heard in my archives. And there is so much more new music waiting to be recorded!
Performing at Calgary Stampede, age 17
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Now available on iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Spotify, GooglePlay, etc.
It's finally happened! A selection of my songs are now available on iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Spotify, GooglePlay, etc.
Unfortunately, there's already an established Geoff Bell out there writing electronic synth/rock.
So, do a search for Geoffrey Bell and you'll find me. More music is on the way!
Unfortunately, there's already an established Geoff Bell out there writing electronic synth/rock.
So, do a search for Geoffrey Bell and you'll find me. More music is on the way!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Promoting vs. Writing
Every hour I spend posting online, adding links, connecting sites is an hour I am not creating music. On the flip side, if a songwriter writes songs in isolation and no-one ever hears them, do they exist beyond the room in which they are being played?
My life is a juggling act. If posts are sporadic, I hope it means I am writing.
I'll let you know when new songs are ready to be heard.
In the meantime, please visit my Bandcamp page and SoundCloud page to hear what I've posted online.
Happy listening,
Geoff
My life is a juggling act. If posts are sporadic, I hope it means I am writing.
I'll let you know when new songs are ready to be heard.
In the meantime, please visit my Bandcamp page and SoundCloud page to hear what I've posted online.
Happy listening,
Geoff
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