David Bell
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You are listening to
"Uroboros"
"Uroboros"
David started playing music around the age of 12, studying drum set and rudimental snare studies. Shortly
afterward he decided that the drums weren't enough and also incorporated the guitar into his musical
activities. His first concert performance was at Fort Wayne's Tri-State Folk Music Festival, accompanying
his uncle (Dan Weirich) on some traditional American Folk music. Incidentally, David had been playing
the guitar for only 3 months. The experience was profound for him, as he was exposed to a variety of area
musicians and finally had the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.
During his teenage years David explored many styles of music ranging from jazz, rock, Latin, folk,
country, and the music of Northern India. This influence resulted in a very original and eclectic approach
to both drumming and guitar playing. During high school, David also had the opportunity to write
percussion parts for the marching band's field show. Given the broad musical background, he also taught
both drum set and guitar during his high school years. The cumulative effect of all these experiences
resulted in a musical confidence and a yearning to explore more areas of music.
While in college at Indiana University David decided to challenge himself and do something other than
music. He studied Anthropology, though continued studying drums and classical guitar with university
faculty. During graduate school at Northern Illinois University he continued his studies in Anthropology,
and also studied Flamenco guitar. Flamenco music, which originated in southern Spain, was a great way to
blend both his drumming and guitar worlds-- the style fuses both complex rhythms and melody.
During this time David worked as a session drummer for Skovol Unit, The Now, and also as a session
guitarist/drummer with Kerry Rutherford. His background in multiple styles allowed him to seamlessly go
from progressive rock to modern rock to folk music, and also allowed him to work with a wide variety of
artists.
David has been writing and performing with his wife, Joy, since 2004 when they formed Beyond Melroze.
They found that their broad background in music resulted in a highly creative relationship. Together they
performed live throughout Fort Wayne, IN and recorded their first CD, Messages from Afar.
During the recording of their first CD, Jon Gillespie of Monastic Chambers, asked if David would
contribute some Flamenco guitar playing to his CD project of world music and religion. David took his
offer and wrote some Flamenco-esque music to some verses from the Song of Solomon. The song was
titled, La Rosa de Saron. The song is part of a compilation CD under the Monkey Wings record label.
However, the focus remains the collective endeavor of Beyond Melroze, a group that defies categories and
always explores a variety of genres to provide the listener with a unique sound experience. David and Joy
share a passion for musical and emotional exploration that continues to develop as time goes by...