Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Rico Belled was born in the Netherlands on May 9, 1970 to Spanish/Swiss parents. Growing up in a multicultural environment, with a pianist father, he was exposed to many styles of music. He started playing piano at age 11, exploring everything from classical music to jazz. At 15 he started playing gigs with local bands doing pop and blues, while slowly getting interested in the bass, which he started practicing at age 17.

In 1989, while studying electrical engineering at the TU Delft, Rico met Roy Cruz in The Hague and joined his weekly Sunday night band at De Pater, exploring the world of Funk and Jazz playing Fender Rhodes. During these sessions they broke down all stylistic walls from playing Weather Report tunes to full on James Brown Funk, featuring as many as 10 people on the little stage. Here he got an education in the art of jamming.

Realizing music was his passion, in 1992 Belled gave up engineering and moved to Los Angeles, California and attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Post graduation he was already playing with a few different groups in the Los Angeles area and in the following years made a name for himself as a bass and keyboard session musician. His breakthrough came when he joined Wrecking Crew pianist Don Randi and the house band at the Baked Potato in 1994. A two year residency offered the opportunity to lead his own group performing his original music at the club.

This led to him performing and recording with Marc Antoine, The Dan Band, Sound Assembly, Jeff Robinson, Leslie Paula’s Latin Soul Band, Liza Minelli, Chris Standring, Scott Grimes, Keiko Matsui and many others. He has co-written and published music with Mindi Abair and Jeff Robinson. All this led to him being asked to join the Rippingtons, starting with recording the album ‘Modern Art’, for which he received a Grammy Nomination in 2010. Still a member, bassist Rico Belled remains one of the top bassists in Los Angeles, known for his deep groove and versatility, staying busy live and in the studio.

More Posts: bandleader,bass,composer,history,instrumental,jazz,music