QC's Own Jazz Professor To Be Celebrated In August

The Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival is only 3 weeks away but another Quad City jazz man will be celebrated August 18-20 with the Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival (formerly Polyrhythms Jazz & Heritage Festival).  Bell grew up in East Moline's Watertown district and after receiving degrees from Augustana College and University of Iowa, headed west to California. One of his first gigs was with the Roy Eldridge Septet along with fellow QC native Louis Bellson. The Jazz Professor moniker came from his many years as an educator whose students included Sheila E, Michael Wolfe (Arsenio Hall Show), guitarist Dwight Sills and trumpeter Jon Faddis.  Bell passed away early this year.


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