Azo Bell
Ukulele

". . . underpinning the hilarity is expert musicianship. Bell, both a virtuoso and highly imaginative improviser, wrests some glorious sounds from his ukulele."
John Shand Sydney Morning Herald November 2001.

"the ukulele is the most unthreatening thing you can make out of wood..."
Azo Bell.

Azo Bell began playing music as a child in the mid 60s. Since then he has played guitar in jazz, blues, rock, reggae, hi-life, latin and free improvising ensembles plus recording and theatrical performances. He is also a master of ukulele and musical saw, designer and builder of fretted instruments, producer of analog acoustic recordings, experienced sailor and alleged father of two.

In the early 70's Azo studied jazz at NSW Conservatorium and played with fusion group - Spacecraft. He travelled and played music through Australia, the USA and Central America. He was a founding member of the notorious Keys Music Association in 1980, and concentrated on jazz-based music for the next few years playing with Keys, Mark Simmonds' Freeboppers and Rated X with musicians such as Miroslav Bukovsky, Steve Elphick and Chris Abrahams. On the NSW North Coast in the mid 80's Azo worked with Senegalese drummer Aziz N'diaye, Graeme Lowndes' Holy Cats and others.

Azo developed a show for World Expo 88 in Brisbane featuring musical saw and junk instruments. From late 1989 to 1993 he toured internationally as musical director for theatre group Stretch MkI directed by Benni Seidel. His improvisations were orchestrated for concerts with the Sth Australian & Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, he also featured as guest soloist.

From 1993 he was back in Sydney with popular soul-groove band Bellydance, playing on both their albums, and refining his unique ukulele style.

In 1997 Azo formed the Old Spice Boys with Billy Milroy and Tim Reeves. In 2002 he performed solo in the US including in-concert appearances at the Global Ukulele Summit in New York, and 2002 Ukulele Expo in New Jersey.

Azo has produced seven CDs - Music For Humans (1990), Pagi Pagi (1997), Tortoise Shell (1997), and Small Time (solo ukulele - 2004), plus the Old Spice Boys' 3 albums: Lost In Spice, Alibi of Birdland and Live at the Rails - distributed by Vitamin Distribution vitamin@vitamin.net.au

Azo Bell's ukulele music is found in the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum in the USA. www.ukulele.org As a session player he has added his unique touch to many recordings, including recent CDs by Mic Conway's National Junk Band, David Lane, Jimmy Little and Jeff Lang. He wrote and performed a ukulele soundtrack for a Michael Leunig animated film shown in 2002. His songs are on several ABC compilation CDs and the sound-track of the TV series "Sea Change".

People often wonder why an accomplished and innovative guitarist chooses to play the ukulele. His band mates claim "it's so he can pick on something even smaller".