Madeline Bell's 75th Birthday Gig

It’s with enormous pleasure that the 606 Club welcomes this wonderful multi-award winning singer with her fantastic 6-piece band. Born in the USA Madeline had a successful career with some of America’s most prominent Gospel groups before moving to London in the early 60’s as a result of her involvement with the widely acclaimed show “Black Nativity”. A series of recording contracts followed and Madeline soon established herself as both recording artist and leading session singer. Her clear, powerful, soulful voice was heard with the likes of Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Scott Walker, Long John Baldry, Joe Cocker, and Elton John, but probably her best known association at this time was with the iconic vocalist Dusty Springfield, with whom she worked for many years. At the same time Madeline was producing some successful albums of her own, and it demonstrates the respect with which she is held that Dusty Springfield repaid the compliment by singing backing vocals for her. In the late 60’s and early 70’s Madeline finally achieved stardom herself as the lead singer with the band “Blue Mink”, with 7 top ten singles and a world wide following. From the mid 70’s Madeline concentrated on her studio work, working on innumerable film scores and vocal sessions as well as expanding her musical range with artists as diverse as John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and James Last. In 1999 she received an Award by the International Alliance For Women In Music recognising her as an artist of important stature and in 2003 she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Music Heritage Foundation for her “significant and outstanding contribution to the music industry”. This remarkable singer continues to excite and enthral audiences around the world with her involvement in projects such as the “SAS” Band (an “all-star” Soul/R&B outfit), the BBC Big Band and her Ray Charles Show with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw based in Holland. Tonight we are really pleased to say that Madeline has chosen to spend her Birthday (it's a biggish one, but we're not saying…) with us at the Club. We absolutely adore Madeline here so we are both happy and excited to once again be hosting this brilliant singer on this special occasion. She will be accompanied, as always, by Tommy Blaize and musicians from the Tommy Blaize Band, so book a seat and hang on to your hat, promises to be quite a ride! Booking definitely recommended.

“Madeline Bell...lovely...talented...and thoroughly captivating” AllAboutJazz