Geoff Bull
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Randolph Bull is an Australian jazz
trumpeter and bandleader
.
Bull played with the Melbourne New Orleans Jazz Band in 1961, then formed his own group, the Olympia Jazz Band, in Sydney
; his sidemen included guitar/banjoist Geoff Holden, clarinetist Peter Neubauer, and bassist Dick Edser. The group played often at the Brooklyn and Orient hotels in Sydney. He toured internationally in 1966-67 and recorded with Alton Purnell
, Barry Martyn
, and Captain John Handy
. He returned to New Orleans in 1974 and several times thereafter, recording with many local musicians. Additionally, he arranged for musicians such as Purnell and Sammy Price
to tour Australia.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpeter and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
.
Bull played with the Melbourne New Orleans Jazz Band in 1961, then formed his own group, the Olympia Jazz Band, in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
; his sidemen included guitar/banjoist Geoff Holden, clarinetist Peter Neubauer, and bassist Dick Edser. The group played often at the Brooklyn and Orient hotels in Sydney. He toured internationally in 1966-67 and recorded with Alton Purnell
Alton Purnell
Alton Purnell was an American jazz pianist. He was a longtime performer in Dixieland jazz....
, Barry Martyn
Barry Martyn
Barry Martyn is an English born jazz drummer, active principally on the New Orleans jazz revival circuit....
, and Captain John Handy
Captain John Handy
Captain John Handy , was an American jazz alto saxophonist. Handy's style was rooted in New Orleans Jazz but also incorporated elements of R&B....
. He returned to New Orleans in 1974 and several times thereafter, recording with many local musicians. Additionally, he arranged for musicians such as Purnell and Sammy Price
Sammy Price
Sammy Price was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and jump blues pianist and bandleader. He was born Samuel Blythe Price, in Honey Grove, Texas, United States. Price was most noteworthy for his work on Decca Records with his own band, known as the Texas Bluesicians, that included fellow musicians...
to tour Australia.
Further reading
- B. Johnson, The Oxford Companion to Australian Jazz. Melbourne, 1987.
- W. Bebbington, ed. The Oxford Companion to Australian Music. Melbourne, 1997.