Finding Jim - A Survey of The Life and Times of James Augustus Bell - Jazz Musician

California Baptist University
Finding Jim: A Survey of the Life and Times of James

Augustus Bell – Jazz Musician
A Paper
By Kerron Hislop
Presented in partial fulfillment of the course

MUS 500: Bibliography and Research Methods
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Posegate
November 17, 2014

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1
JIM’S FAMILY BACKGROUND AND EARLY YEARS ......................................................................... 2
JIM’S MIGRATION TO THE US .............................................................................................................. 3
CULTURAL FACTORS OF MIGRATION ....................................................................................................................4
NATURALIZATION ................................................................................................................................... 5
JAZZ IN THE 1920’S AND 30S ............................................................................................................... 6
KANSAS CITY JAZZ....................................................................................................................................................6
Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
The Kansas City Style ............................................................................................................................................ 7
NEW YORK JAZZ .......................................................................................................................................................8
Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8
The New York Style ................................................................................................................................................ 9
JAMES AS A MUSICIAN IN THE US .................................................................................................... 10
1920S ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
1930S ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10
THE MISSING PERIOD ........................................................................................................................................... 11
BANDS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Kansas City Revelers............................................................................................................................................12
Plaza Serenaders ..................................................................................................................................................13
Unknown New York Band.................................................................................................................................16
AS A COMPOSER..................................................................................................................................................... 17
RETURN TO THE WEST INDIES ........................................................................................................ 18
FAMILY .................................................................................................................................................................... 18
EMPLOYMENT ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
TOBAGO SPECIAL RESERVE POLICE BAND........................................................................................................ 19
ANECDOTAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................. 19
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................... 20
JAMES A. BELL TIMELINE ................................................................................................................... 21
1903 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1920 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1925 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1926 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1927 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1933 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1935 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1938 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1940 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
C. 1940......................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
1944 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1946 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1949 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
1973 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................................................... 22
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................ 25
Introduction
The early 1920’s and 1930’s saw the development of a musical genre in the United
States that would come to define the music of that nation and to an extent that of a
large part of the western world for the greater part of that century. The ‘Jazz Age’ as
it came to be known, was a period in which the ingredients of innovation, creativity
and often necessity combined in the cultural melting pot of some of America’s major
cities – New York, Kansas City, Chicago and New Orleans among others – to forge a
nation’s musical identity.
Into this musical cauldron were drawn individuals from all walks of life - some
intent on creating better lives for their families, others perhaps simply seeking to
make a name for themselves as artists. Hundreds of these musicians played a role in
the development of Jazz during this early period. They came from backgrounds as
varied as the music they played. Some had privileged upbringings, while others
could be considered waifs and delinquents. Some were locals, others immigrants. A
few became famous through their art, while the vast majority were journeymen who
never quite found the elusive spotlight.
One of these individuals was James Augustus Bell, a woodwind specialist and Jazz
musician who like so many others during that period made his own unique
contribution to the development of the genre. This paper seeks to shed some light
on this little-known musician by re-tracing some of his steps during that period and
examining what life would have been like for this immigrant from the Caribbean. It
also examines his musical environment, studies some of his colleagues and
contemporaries, and briefly examines his life after his return to the Caribbean.
The decision to research this topic came about as a result of my own personal desire
to find out more about this gentleman who I have heard so much about through
family stories and anecdotes, particularly after I started my own journey as a
musician and saxophone player. How many of these stories were factual, and how
many were just legend? This is what I hoped to discover, in addition to being able to
shed some light on and bring some recognition to this little known musician who, in
his own, way contributed to the development of music in the United States as well as
in the Caribbean.
Jim’s Family Background and Early Years
James Augustus Bell was born (according to most records) on February 14, 1903 in
the tiny fishing village of Sauteurs on the little island of Grenada in the British West
Indies.1 He was born to George Alexander Bell2, and Winifred Mary Bell, nee St. Clair
both also of Grenada3. George, who was born sometime around 1880 (no definitive
document has yet been obtained) worked as a carpenter4, planter5 (planting and
selling Cocoa) and also as proprietor at various stages of his life; owning his own
shop6 in Mt. Grace, Tobago in the early 1900s. Winifred, who was eight to ten years
younger than her husband was a housewife and part-time seamstress. The couple
had two children; James, and his younger sister Cislyn Areal, who was born
somewhere between 1904 and 1905 (source documents conflict).
The Bells were not rich, but did well enough to be able to afford to give both their
children at least up to an eighth grade elementary school education7. They were also
able to afford to travel fairly regularly. The family moved from Grenada and settled
in the neighboring island of Tobago sometime in the early 1900’s. They would have
resided somewhere between the island’s capital of Scarborough (which George,
Winnie and Cislyn list as their most recent address in 1921 New York immigration
records8) and the family’s land in Cinnamon Hill (which James lists as his address in
19209). It is possible that Scarborough is merely listed as a port of call rather than
an actual address, however the family did own land in Scarborough as well.
United States immigration records for the port of New York on April 27, 1907 show
that a thirty five year old George and twenty five year old Winifred sailed from
Barbados to New York along with Winifred’s twenty two year old brother James St.
Clair, a planter who was also from Grenada10 (ages are approximations), on the
cargo liner SS Tintoretto. Though Barbados is listed as their most recent address in
the immigration records, it may again have been the port of departure and not
where they actually lived. It is also possible that the family moved to Barbados from
Grenada (where both children were born just a few years earlier) before settling in
Tobago. The stated purpose of the 1907 US trip was to visit Winifred and James’
1
The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Petitions for Naturalization from the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New York, 1897-1944; Series: M1972; Roll: 817.
2
Appendix figure 11
3
Appendix figure 10
4
Year: 1907; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 0876; Line: 11; Page Number: 37.
5
6
Appendix figure 12
7
Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: T627_2646; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 31-948.
8
9
10
brother Alexander H. St. Clair who already lived in New York. It is unclear as to
exactly where Alexander lived though, since George and Winifred each gave two
different addresses as their destination – 36 W, 59th Street, New York and 270 W,
55th St., New York.
According to the immigration manifest, this was the first trip to the US for both
Winifred and her brother James (whose complexion is interestingly described in the
manifest as yellow). George, however, had previously visited New York in 1906,
staying a total of eleven months. It is uncertain what the purpose of that visit was.
The ships manifest also gives a sense of the family’s financial status at the time.
James is listed as having thirty dollars in his possession, while George and Winifred
travelled with approximately ninety dollars each – three times more than the
average travel funds carried by anyone else sharing the same manifest page. The
family’s children James and Cislyn were infants at this time (approximately four and
two years old), and did not make this trip - probably not being able to withstand the
rigors of ocean travel in those days. They were possibly left with relatives back
home until their parents returned.
Jim’s Migration to the US

On Monday May 31, 192011 a dapper-looking seventeen-year-old young man12
disembarked the SS Matura at Ellis Island, New York filled with excitement and
wonder as to what may lie ahead in his new life. James (Jim) Bell had embarked the
ship nine days earlier in Port of Spain, the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago. He
lists one Mr. J. Cummings as his nearest relative or friend (contact person most
likely) on the ship’s manifest but no one is sure of the identity of that individual at
this point. His occupation is listed as “student”13. It is uncertain as to whether this is
because of his age or whether he actually left Tobago to pursue further studies in
the US. If the latter was indeed the case, there is no certainty as to whether his
original intention was to study music or if he planned to pursue some other field of
endeavor. James’ second child, James Malcolm Bell, years later recounts his
recollection of being teased by a schoolmate that his father (James) “left Tobago to
become a doctor but came back… with a saxophone.”14
This was James’ first trip to the United States, but it would not be his last. His father,
mother and sister, who were not in the country at the time, would join him about a
year later – arriving in New York from Trinidad on the SS Maraval on May 14,
11
12
Appendix figure 9
13
Year: 1920; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2774; Line: 12; Page
Number: 221.
14
See appendix testimonial of James M. Bell
192115. The family lists its Trinidad contact as Mrs. J. P. Patterson of 3 Lodge Place,
Port of Spain, Trinidad, but the identity of this individual is also unclear.
Not much is known about the life of James and the rest of his family during this early
period after migration, but we do know that according to the 1925 New York State
Census, the family (George, Winifred, James and Cislyn) lived at Building 6, 99th
Street, New York.16 They are all recorded as aliens (“al”) with regard to their
immigration status, which means that none of them had been in the country long
enough to be able to file for naturalization. James is recorded as having been there
for four years while the rest of the family is recorded as being there for three (it is
uncertain why these dates seem to be off by a year). By this time though, George
had found a working class job as a Butler while Winifred continued as a housewife.
James seemed to have already found his calling, since his occupation is listed as
“musician”. The Census also shows that Cislyn was employed as a Ribbon Blocker – a
minimum wage job that in 1888 paid the paltry sum of $6.50 per week17, and
involved preparing cloth ribbons for shipping by winding or “blocking” them on
cardboard cylinders or “blocks” by use of a small, simple power machine.18
Cultural Factors of Migration

Drawn to New York possibly by the promise of prosperity and a better life, as well
as the availability of opportunities not yet obtainable in the Caribbean, James and
his family became part of the wave of migration (particularly West Indian) that
swept the US around that time. John Cowley in his paper West Indies Blues: an
historical overview 1920s-1950s, talks about the role that trade, as well as other
cultural connections played in creating a natural channel for migration between the
two territories. He talks about the fact that there were many similarities between
the culture of West Indian Slaves and those in the South of the United States with
influences moving in both directions. Before the abolition of slavery in the United
States, black West Indians were actually considered blood brothers in the struggle
for emancipation and cultural contacts and exchanges between the two regions
were common occurrences ever since the earliest settlement by Europeans. Many of
these exchanges were often musical.
Cowley goes on to suggest that this scenario created the perfect environment for the
migration of West Indian blacks, particularly from the British colonies, to the United
States during this period. Some of the migration was permanent, some was seasonal,
but almost all occurred for economic reasons. Seasonal migrants would generally
15
16
New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 22; Assembly
District: 09; City: New York; County: New York; Page: 37.
17
Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries, New Jersey. Annual Report of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries of New
Jersey, Volume 11, Parts 1887-1888.
The Bureau, 1889. Accessed November 10, 2014. Google eBook.
18
Bureau of Labor, United States. - Volume 645 of
61. Cong., 2. sess. S docs, Volume 4 of Report on the Condition of Women and Child Wage-earners in the United States, Report on
the Condition of Women and Child Wage-earners in the United States. 1911. Accessed November 10, 2014. Google eBook.
travel to the US to work temporarily in the agricultural sector; returning to their
islands once the work season was over. Permanent migrants would find that their
opportunities for employment would commonly be either as male industrial
workers or female domestics – generally the same opportunities available to US-
born blacks. Examination of the Bell family’s status in 1925 further emphasizes the
accuracy of Cowley’s analysis.
Many of those who could not see themselves settling into jobs as domestic or
industrial workers turned to music to make a living. Musicians were general well
respected and with the burgeoning music scene in many of the major cities, they
were also in high demand. Whether it was his original intention to become a
musician or not, having lived in New York for five years by 1925, Jim had been bitten
by the Jazz bug, as had the rest of the city, and he no doubt saw life as a musician as
an avenue to success.
Naturalization
Approximately six years after he arrived in the United States, James began the
process of applying to become a US Citizen through Naturalization by filing his
Declaration of Intention (Form 2202) with the US Department of Labor19. The
papers were filed at the Southern District Court in New York City, New York on
December 14, 1926 and they represent the first part of a three-step process in
moving from the status of alien to that of naturalized citizen. According to the
Ancestry.com Learning Center, the process of Naturalization at that time involved:
a) Filing of the Declaration of Intention Form (First Papers). This was
usually done soon after the immigrant’s arrival in the country, and before
1906 could take place in any court of record – at the local, state or federal
level. This changed when the federal government began regulating the
process in 1906.
b) Filing the Petition For Citizenship (Form 2204). This document was
referred to as Second or Final Papers, since this was the last document
that had to be submitted by the applicant. There was usually a five-year
waiting period after the filing of First Papers before this one could be
submitted.
c) Issuance of Certificate of Naturalization (Form 2207). This document
was issued to the new citizen upon final approval of the application.
An analysis of Jim’s Declaration of Intent form20 reveals some interesting

information that helps to bring his picture into clearer focus. Several physical
characteristics are revealed. At age 23 he is 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 148
pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion and no other visible
distinctive marks. He lists his occupation as “Musician”, so this accounts for his
19
Appendix figure 1
20
Appendix figure 1
employment status in 1926. His address also appears to be 169 W 128 St., New York
(the image of the document is blurred).
More information is revealed in the Petition for Citizenship21 form filed on October
21st, 1932. Jim’s address was now 231 W 116 St., New York and he was still
employed as a musician. Other details like his birthplace, residence in home country
and arrival data are also included, but perhaps some of the most interesting
information presented has to do with the listing of two of his musical
contemporaries as witnesses and signatories to the document. Walter R. Thomas, a
musician of 52 E 132 Street, New York and Dugas Crawford, an orchestra contractor
of 315 W 120 Street, New York are provided as witnesses, and no doubt unearthing
more information about these individuals will reveal more details about James
himself. However, up to the time of writing, it has proven very difficult to find any
evidence of the activities of these gentlemen.
Jim’s Citizenship process was completed on February 6, 1933 with the issuance of
his Certificate of Naturalization (#3678948)22 – just under thirteen years after he
first set foot in the United States.
Jazz in the 1920’s and 30s

In the 1920’s and 1930’s, the latest craze sweeping the United States was that of Jazz
music. Born in the seedy streets of New Orleans, this phenomenon was growing up
and spreading its wings far and wide; particularly to major cities like Chicago, Ohio,
Kansas City and New York. Each city brought its own unique flavor to the genre and
affected it in several ways through experimentations with rhythmic style,
harmonization, instrumentation, ensemble size and other aspects of the music.
Photographs taken of James as a musician23 indicate that he worked in Kansas City

as well as New York, so it would be beneficial to take a look at the jazz scene in those
two cities.
Kansas City Jazz

Overview
Kansas City (KC) in the late 1920s and into the 1930s was described as one of the
most decadent yet thriving cities in America. Geoffrey Ward’s Jazz: A History of
America’s Music describes it as “an economic oasis in the heart of the country, a
mecca for migrants from the South and musicians in search of work”. It was filled
with brothels, bars, gambling and every other imaginable kind of vice, attracting a
range of characters from mobsters to musicians. Nightclubs, dance halls and
21
Appendix figure 2
22
Appendix figure 3
23
Appendix figures 13, 14, 21, 22
cabaret’s flourished, making it easy for musicians who were having trouble finding
work in the rest of the country to make a living there.
Hasse and Lathrop24 state that because of the economic importance of the city,
bands from all over the South and Southwest, the Great Plains and the Midwest
passed through the city either to play local dates or as a stopover point. KC was
known for its legendary jam sessions and cutting contests (usually between the local
musicians and the visitors), which, more often than not, would last all night. “Kansas
City became known for a style of big-band jazz steeped in the blues of the South and
old Southwest and rich with riffs and rhythmic drive.”25
Some of the more famous musicians associated with Kansas City Jazz include pianist
Mary Lou Williams, pianist and bandleader Bennie Moten, pianist and bandleader
William “Count” Bassie, and later saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker.
The Kansas City Style

The Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century describes the Kansas City style of Jazz
as a looser, more ‘blusey’ style of playing than that of New Orleans, or even New
York. Because many of the musicians playing in Kansas City were travelling
musicians who stayed in town only briefly, the arrangements played had to be
simple enough to be quickly learnt – often during informal jam sessions. These
became known as “head arrangements”, many of which incorporated standard three
chord blues progressions that were easily committed to memory and rehearsed,
allowing for more freedom of expression by instrumental soloists.”26
According to the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains, some of the elements that
contributed Kansas City jazz’s characteristic driving swing sound included the use of
the walking bass technique, the time-keeping function of the rhythm guitar, and the
use of the hi-hat for greater rhythmic emphasis. Though the style was primarily
instrumental, bands often drew on the blues vocal tradition of the Deep South and
Southwest by adding a blues shouter to the band, which gave the repertoire some
variety. The Kansas City Sound was popularized in the early stages by Bennie
Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra and later on to a greater extent by Count Basie who
took over the group after Moten’s sudden death in 1935; eventually morphing it into
the Count Basie Orchestra.
“In the competitive, superheated environment of the Kansas City jam session, the
powerful sound of the tenor saxophone emerged as the dominant instrument.”27
Some of the great tenor sax players who participated in these sessions included
24
Hasse and Lathrop, 2012
25
Ibid.
26
Wishart, 2004
27
Wishart, 2004
Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Herchel Evans, Chu Berry, Bud
Johnson and Buddy Tate. From photographs of James on the bandstand28 as well as
family recollections, it is known that the tenor saxophone was his horn of choice,
along with the soprano sax and clarinet (family testimonials indicate that he also
played the violin and piano). Considering that it is believed that he spent at least
part of his musical career in Kansas City, it may be possible that the style of playing
employed there could have influenced his choice of instrument.
New York Jazz

Overview
The period of the 1920s during which James and his family resided in New York City
coincided with the heart of the Harlem Renaissance – a movement which sought to
promote African American literature, art, dance, theatre and music as a means of
establishing a cultural identity and fostering racial pride within the black
community. According to History.com, “the nucleus of the movement included Jean
Toomer, Langston Hughes, Rudolf Fisher, Wallace Thurman, Jessie Redmon Fauset,
Nella Larsen, Arna Bontemps, Countee Cullen, and Zora Neale Hurston. An older
generation of writers and intellectuals–James Weldon Johnson, Claude McKay, Alain
Locke, and Charles S. Johnson–served as mentors.” The massive migration to New
York from America’s southern states fueled by labor shortages as a result of World
War I, coupled with the influx of international immigrants from all over the world
(including the West Indies) helped to swell the size of the black population and to
create in Harlem what for a time came to be referred to as “the greatest Negro city in
the world.”29
All the arts thrived in New York City during this era, and in none of the art forms
was this boom more evident than in music. “If Chicago and Kansas City were the
nation’s cultural mixing bowls, New York City was the full store of ingredients”30.
DeVeaux and Giddens31 explain that when it came to Jazz, New York was the Mecca.
No matter where the musicians came from or how much local renown they had
achieved, when it came to cementing genuine, enduring success, nearly all the greats
had to make their way to New York.
What was it about this city that made it such a focal point for Jazz musicians? Apart
from its cultural inertia (each generation of musicians luring and influencing the
next), DeVeaux and Giddens identify three factors that contributed significantly to
the city’s centrality.
28
See appendix
29
DeVeaux and Giddens, 2009
30
Hasse and Lathrop, 2012
31
Ibid, 29
a) The entertainment infrastructure – concert halls, theatres, museums,
galleries, radio and television, newspapers and magazines book publishers,
record labels and producers, managers, agents, bookers and publicists could
all be found in abundance in New York city like no place else during the early
twentieth century. These ingredients were all vital to the commercialization
of Jazz and the expansion of its popularity across the nation and the globe.
b) The social structure – one of the unique elements of Jazz in its early years
was that the majority of its proponents and performers belonged to ethnic
minorities. Most of the major figures in Jazz history who were not African
American derived from immigrant families originating in Italy, Ireland,
Germany and Russia. Middle European Jews were particularly drawn to the
genre due to similarities in their own modes of music, and formed important
alliances with their African American counterparts. Because of the large
amount of migration taking place at the time, nowhere else in the world
could be found the conglomeration of ethnicities so prevalent in New York.
c) New York City was responsible for developing and advancing several
musical innovations in Jazz. Stride piano, bebop and avant-garde Jazz all
blossomed in New York, but perhaps the city’s most significant contribution
was the development of the Big Band and Jazz Orchestra; media that helped
to propel the popularity of jazz through its association with ballroom
dancing and theatrical performances, later fueling the Swing Era.
The New York Style

“The New York Style, pioneered mainly by Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington,
featured larger bands, elaborate written arrangements, and the frequent insertion of
improvised solos.”32 This style of jazz was tighter and better rehearsed than earlier
ones and in many ways proved the ideal medium for the commercialization of the
genre. This commercialization resulted in the de-emphasizing of improvisation and
experimentation in the music33. The ever-increasing size of local dancehalls, and the
expansion of the scope and reach of the media and entertainment industries, made
these “Big Bands” as they were called the ideal vehicle for the popularization of Jazz
throughout the country and worldwide. This big band style of dance music became
popularly known as “Swing”; so commercially popular in the 1930s and 1940s that
it became synonymous with the word “Jazz”, even though it was just a particular
form of the genre.
There is a school of thought that posits that New York City really had no individual
style of its own, but rather embraced varied styles from other cities across the
country and popularized them. This is definitely not the case, particularly toward
32
Henderson and Stacey, 2014
33
Ibid.
the latter part of the 1920s. There are many innovations in Jazz that are unique to
New York, which probably would not have taken place without the incubatory
environment the city provided. Aside from the big bands, one of the these
innovations was the development of the “Stride” piano style – a combination of
blues and ragtime piano that was unique to New York. Stride would not only
become the basis of the “swing“ movement, but also provide a foundation for
bringing Jazz into classical music because of its “orchestral sound” – the
combination of left hand rhythmic patterns with right hand melodic figures34. Later
on, newer styles like “Bebop” and “Avant-garde” would take root in New York and
become popularized throughout the country.
Because of the time period that James lived in New York, he undoubtedly played big
band music in addition to more traditional styles.
James as a Musician in the US

1920s
As can be seen from family photographs as well as publicly available documents,
James (Jim/Jimmie/Jimmy) Bell was definitely employed as a musician in the United
States during the “Jazz Age”. It is not entirely certain at what point he began to learn
and perform music, who his teachers were, or if this was even his original purpose
for migrating to New York. What we do know for sure, is that five years after
migrating he was already employed as a musician in New York City, as recorded in
the 1925 New York State Census35. The data recorded in this census is not as
detailed as those in subsequent years, so there is no information provided regarding
his occupation other than that it is listed as “Musician”.
1930s
We know for sure that Jim was also playing music in New York well into the 1930s.
The 1940 United States Federal Census (taken on April 1, 1940) lists his occupation
as “Saxophone Player” (incorrectly transcribed as “Boxaphone Player” because of
the recorder’s handwriting). The industry within which he worked is recorded as
“Orchestra” – the name usually given to the big bands and swing bands of that
period.36 This census contains far more data than previous ones, so we are able to
derive a bit more information about his life at that time from these records. His
occupation code is listed as V28 (musicians and music teachers) 90 (miscellaneous
music and recreation) 1 – code classifications supplied by the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s Bureau of the Census Occupation and Industry Classification document.
We also learn from the 1940 census records that Jim worked at least 40 hours the
week prior to April 1 when the census was taken, but he reports no weeks worked
34
Scaruffi, 2005
35
New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 22; Assembly
District: 09; City: New York; County: New York; Page: 37.
36
Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: T627_2646; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 31-948.
and no income for the year 1939 prior to the taking of the census. He reports
receiving income from other sources. It is not clear why he would report no income
for 1939. Was he in another part of the US? Was he out of the country? We know
that he travelled back and forth occasionally and that he was definitely abroad for a
period of time ending on April 11, 1938 when he returned to New York from Port of
Spain on the S.S. Van Rensselaer (he left Trinidad on March 31st).37
Another bit of instructive information is the fact that James – who now lived as a
lodger with his sister Cislyn, her husband Newbold Wilson (they were married on
June 26, 192638) and their thirteen year old son Charles at their 229 W. 111th St.
New York City home39 - is listed in the census as still having “alien” status, although
he had applied for U.S. naturalization back in 1932, and received his naturalization
certificate in 1933. Both Charles and Cislyn were recorded as naturalized in the
Census, even though they had migrated more recently than Jim. This entry raises
certain questions, but is quite possibly an error, since upon his return from Trinidad
in 1938, Jim’s immigration details are listed on the manifest for US Citizens and not
the one for non-citizens. In this document, it is indicated that he was naturalized in
1932 by the Federal Court of New York City.40
The 1940 census also indicates that five years earlier in 1935, Jim, as well as Cislyn,
Newbold and Charles were living at the same address – a fact that corroborates the
evidence provided by the family photographs of his New York residency. The
siblings’ parents had apparently abandoned their plans for migration and left New
York sometime after 1930.
The Missing Period

One question that arises from an analysis of the available data is that of where James
was in 1930. If we are to trace a timeline, we know that he was present and working
in New York in 1925 as shown by the state census of that year. There is also
photographic evidence of him working with a Long Island band in 1927. We can
also verify his presence in New York in 1932 (as evidenced by his Naturalization
documents), 1935 and also in 1940 as shown in the US Federal Census of that year.
However, one mystery that lingers is the question of Jim’s whereabouts in 1930.
The Federal Census of that year records George, Winifred, Newbold, Cislyn and
Charles all living together in a rented accommodation at #1970 7th Avenue
Manhattan, New York. There were three lodgers living with the family according to
the census (perhaps helping to pay the $75 rent which as a bit expensive in those
days), but there is no record of Jim. Where was he at this time?
37
38
Ancestry.com. New York, New York, Marriage Indexes 1866-1937 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations,
Inc., 2014.
39
Ibid, 15.
40
Ibid.
1930 was a time of great upheaval in the United States, especially in New York. The
Stock Market crash a year earlier had triggered a period of unprecedented economic
turmoil and hardship now referred to as “The Great Depression”. According to
PBS.org, by March 1930 at least 3.5 million Americans were out of work, and
poverty levels were at an all time high. The streets of New York City were crowded
with apple sellers and other hustlers trying to survive. Life would have been
particularly hard for musicians during that period. Did James follow the train of
musicians who went to Kansas City or one of the other musical hubs looking for
work, or was he out of the country?
The 1930 Federal Census also provides some interesting information about the Bell
family five years after their first Census appearance. George was still working as a
Butler, and his wife Winifred, who was listed as a housewife in 1925, had now found
a job as a maid with a private family (perhaps the same one her husband worked
for). Newbold was employed as a Laundry Chauffeur and Cislyn was unemployed -
perhaps at home taking care of their three-year-old son Charles. As mentioned
before, there were three lodgers living in the family’s accommodation, two males
from the West Indies, and a female from Delaware – perhaps the wife of one of the
men. The family, all of whose status was still registered as “alien”, could also have
afforded to have a radio in their home – still a luxury for many in those days - and
were fortunate to all be employed at that time in the country’s history.
Bands
Four of the photographs obtained from the Bell family residence in Rockly Vale,
Tobago, WI (where James lived with his family after his return to the Caribbean) are
extremely well-preserved and offer an amazing glimpse into the life of the musician
that was James A. Bell. The pictures are portraits of what appear to be three of the
groups that Jim played with during the period that he lived and worked in the
United States. The following sections present some details about these groups
(where available), and offer possible inferences and derivations from the images.
Kansas City Revelers

The Kansas City Revelers41 appears to be a small seven-piece band with
instrumentation of (left to right) Drums; Banjo; Piano; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano
Saxophone and Clarinet (played by Jim); Tenor Trombone (the instrument is not
clearly visible, but note the shadow on the curtain behind the player and the bell of
the trombone which is slightly visible behind the neck of Jims Tenor Sax); Trumpet;
and Alto, Tenor and Soprano Saxes, Clarinet, and what looks like an Oboe (played by
woodwind player number two).
Some of the inferences that can be made include:
1) The instrumentation seems to suggest that the band played a mixture of styles.
The typical instrumentation of the New Orleans Dixieland style with a frontline
of trombone, clarinet and trumpet/cornet, and a rhythm section of Banjo, Drums
and Piano suggests that the group may have played a lot of that style of jazz.
41
Appendix Figure 13
2) The absence of a bass voice (Sousaphone/Tuba or String Bass) suggests that the
band had a good enough piano player to cover for that part.
3) The Banjo was an instrument that gained prominence after World War I
(approx. 1918), becoming popular in ragtime and jazz music of the period.
However, it fell out of fashion about 10 years later, being replaced by and large
by the guitar in big bands, and recording ensembles. This helps to frame a bit
better the time period in which this group operated. This information, as well as
the fact that there is no bass voice, may also suggest that the band may have
never recorded as a group.
4) The use of saxophones was a practice that came into vogue during the mid-late
1920s, so this band would have been on the cutting edge of the new trend –
especially having two saxophone/woodwind players.
5) The quality of the image, and Jim’s apparent age (he looks a bit younger in this
photo than in the others) would tend to suggest that this photograph is the
oldest of the four.
6) Based upon what is known about the dating of the other three pictures and
considering the instrumentation considerations, I would estimate that this
picture was taken prior to 1927 – perhaps 1925 or 1926.
Months of searching have not been able to produce any record of the existence of
this group apart from this photograph at the time of writing. It is possible that this
was just one of the bands performing in the hundreds of clubs and dancehalls in
Kansas City during its heyday which never achieved significant notoriety.
Plaza Serenaders
The Plaza Serenaders orchestra is pictured in figure 14 of the appendix, and is a
nine-piece ensemble comprised of (left to right) Baritone Saxophone; Alto, Soprano
Sax and Clarinet (Woodwind Player 1); Sousaphone; Tenor, Soprano Sax and
Clarinet (James Bell); Conductor (center); Alto, Soprano Sax and Clarinet
(Woodwind Player 2); Piano; Banjo and Violin.
The following deductions and inferences were made, based on information gleaned
by examining the band’s instrumentation as displayed in the photograph:
1) The presence of the Banjo indicates that this band was probably performing in
the 1920s while the instrument was still popular. It may also infer that the band
included a lot of ragtime music since the instrument was popular in that style.
2) One of the interesting aspects of the instrumentation is that there is no drum set
– maybe indicating that either the drummer was not present for the shot, or that
they were not playing the more modern big band style of the period, of which
drums were an essential element. Dixieland and ragtime were possible styles
that the band played.
3) The use of the sousaphone indicates that the venue may have been a large one,
since the string bass became the bass instrument of choice in the late twenties
and early thirties – the tubas and sousaphones being preferable for outdoor
performances rather than indoor ones.
4) The violin was usually used as a “sweetener” instrument – doubling the melody
played by the clarinet in early bands. This instrument was largely obsolete in
most Jazz bands by the 1930s so this photo would have most likely been taken
before that period.
5) The billboard next to the band in the photograph provided some very useful
clues. The name of the band is given, and a careful analysis of the faded writing
under the line “Under the direction of” reveals the name of the director – Honey
Potter.
Finding information on either “Honey Potter” or the “Plaza Serenaders” proved

to be extremely difficult, but some meticulous searching revealed the following:
The Plaza Serenaders

 The photograph itself doesn’t provide a whole lot of information on the band or
the venue. What we can deduce though, is the following:
o The name of the group would seem to indicate that the group operated
at a venue called “The Plaza” or something similar.
o We know that the gig was a permanent one since the billboard states
that the band operated at the venue every evening (the barely visible
faded print also includes Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays if examined
closely).
o We also know the name of the group’s director – Honey Potter (barely
visible faded print).
 Careful searching for a combination of the terms “Plaza Serenaders” and “Honey
Potter” yielded some newspaper clippings that shed a great deal of light on the
search.
 The first was the ad from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of December 17, 1927 shown
in Appendix Figure 15. The clipping is an advert for a New Year’s Eve
Celebration at a venue called “The Plaza” on Merrick Road, Lindenhurst, Long
Island, New York, which was managed by one Frederick Sheide. The ad is rich
in information since it gives details on the venue’s address, its menu, price of
admission, and available entertainment.
 What kind of venue was the Plaza though? Where exactly was it? Early searches
kept pointing to the Plaza Hotel in New York, but this would be inaccurate since
that hotel is in Manhattan, New York - miles away from Long Island. The décor
around the bandstand in James’ photo also suggests that this was not a very
upscale venue - as would be expected if the setting was at one of New York’s
finest hotels. An ad from a year later found in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of
December 28, 192842, revealed the name of the venue as now being “Club Plaza”.
Almost all the other details in this ad are identical to the one previously
mentioned, except for the name of the house band. The Plaza Serenaders had
now been replaced by the Penn Ramblers as the venue’s featured band.
42 Appendix figure 16
 Another advertisement from July 20, 192843 reveals even more about the venue.
It is billed as a bit of an all-inclusive venue. It is a Club/Restaurant that caters
for parties, banquets, dancing, dining, and other forms of entertainment. What
is really instructive though, is the drawing included in the ad that gives an
excellent idea of the layout of the club. Also noteworthy is the advertisement of
live radio broadcasts from Club Plaza every Wednesday and Friday via radio
station WGBB. It is quite possible that the Plaza Serenaders were also broadcast
live on radio when they played at the venue less than a year earlier.
 It is not certain for how long the Plaza Serenaders maintained their gig at the
Club Plaza, but we do know that they were there on or around December 27,
1927 according to the matching information on the billboard and the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle ad of that date. This photograph was most likely taken around that
time, and adds clarity to Jim’s musical timeline.
Honey Potter
 Even though the billboard in the band’s photo names Honey Potter as its
director, there are no clues provided as to which one of the nine individuals in
the picture he is.
 This information was discovered when a search revealed some information on
Honey Potter in the book Freeport: Images of America44. The most startling
revelation was an image of Honey that could be matched to the Plaza Serenaders
photograph45. He can be identified as the one standing in the center of the
photograph (second from left). According to Kreig and Feeney’s work, Honey
Potter – born Irving Potter – played all over Long Island with his African
American Jazz Band. It also reveals that he was a cornet player who played with
the 367th Infantry band at Camp Upton during World War I. In Long Island his
band was known as the “king pin” of all jazz outfits.
 According to several newspaper advertisements and news articles from the
Brooklyn Daily Eagle as well as other newspapers obtained via the
Newspapers.com subscription service, Potter was a colorful character who was
a popular musician and leader of several Jazz bands and groups of various sizes
in the Long Island area. Some of these groups included the Honey Potter
Orchestra, the Honey Potter Jazz Band, The Syncopators, The Five Sharps, and
the Plaza Serenaders. There are dozens of ads advertising music for various
events as being provided by Honey and one of his groups. Other details revealed
by the newspaper clippings indicate that like most musicians he sometimes got
into trouble – getting stabbed in a fight in his early days46 and getting into a fight
43
Appendix Figure 17
44
Kreig and Feeney, 2012
45
Appendix figure 18
46
Appendix figure 19
with a man over a hat at an event his band had provided music for47. It was not
always bad news for him though, since he is described in the same article as
being the mayor of the colored belt of Freeport (Long Island).
 There are a few other references to Honey Potter discovered in existing
literature. David S. Igneri’s book, which describes the history and significance of
Lake Ronkonkoma (Long Island’s largest lake) and its environs, states, “Name
bands came to Lake Ronkonkoma and played at Turner’s Corner. Honey Potter’s
Band was one of the best known and very exciting.” In addition, Magee’s book
talks about trumpet player Howard Scott getting a job in a band led by a pianist
named Honey Potter, who according to Scott had most of the work in Long
Island, and enjoyed high status in the community of black musicians. Most if this
description fits with the profile of Potter discovered thus far, so it is possible
that the account of him being a pianist could either be an error or would indicate
that he played multiple instruments.
 Additional details found on Potter through ancestry.com based on the clues
discovered provided the following facts:
o Name: Irving S. (Honey) Potter
o Born: 11th March, 1892, Hempstead, New York
o Military Service: 1917 – 1918
o Residence: Freeport, Nassau, New York
o Married: Nellie Potter
o Died: 12th May, 1953
 It is not certain if Jim played with any of Potter’s groups besides the Plaza
Serenaders, but it is a distinct possibility.
Unknown New York Band

Another one of the Bell family photographs48 shows James and eight other men
posing for a staged picture. Yet another photo49 is taken with just himself and two
of the men. Finding any corroborative details on these pictures has proven
extremely difficult thus far, and as such, many inferences were made based on
anecdotal evidence. Here is what is known for sure:
 The pictures were taken by the White Studio of Schenectady, New York, which was
one of the leading photography studios in region at the time – particularly noted for
their Broadway and theatre work. This fact is proven by the studio’s signature in
the bottom right corner of each photograph. The company still exists in some form
today, having a website that advertises their wedding photography packages.
However, efforts to contact them via their listed phone number and email address
proved futile.
 The photos were taken on or around September 9th, 1935, as evidenced by the date
in the salutation to his mother in figure 21.
47
Appendix figure 20
48
Appendix figure 21
49
Appendix figure 22
Some of the inferences that can be made include:
 The group was a band of musicians. Their attire, the number of individuals (9) and
the fact that they are sitting and standing around a central figure holding some sheet
music (probably the conductor/bandleader) all are indicative of this. This pose was
actually a popular one during that period, and many bands of that era used similar
staging in their photos.
 The band was probably doing fairly well as a group. They are well dressed – note
the velvet waistcoats in their tuxedos. Additionally, the fact that they were able to
hire one of New York’s top studios to take the shots indicates that they were
reasonably successful.
 James was a close friend of the conductor as well as the gentleman on his left. This
can be deduced from the fact that he took a separate photograph with just these
two. Their identities (as well as everyone else in the picture) are unknown, but a
logical assumption is that these might have been Dugas Crawford and Walter R.
Thomas, the two individuals who signed as witnesses on his Naturalization
application in 1932.
Several details about this group are unknown and left to further research. The name
of the band, the identities of its members, the instruments they played – all this
information and more, is yet to be discovered.
As a Composer
Jim’s musical accomplishments were not only restricted to his exploits as a player.
He also delved a bit into composition. Testimonials from his children recount that
he was a fine musician who could easily transcribe tunes he heard on the radio, so it
is not hard to imagine that he would have also ventured into composition.
A search conducted at the Bell family residence in Rockly Vale, Tobago on December
27, 2013 produced a US Library of Congress copyright registration card for a tune
called “Thumbs Down on Love”, submitted on February 10, 193950. For the
submission he used the name Jimmie Bell (James Augustus Bell), probably because
of the popularity of the name James Bell (searches turned up dozens of individuals
with the same name in New York). Evidence of the registration of the instrumental
work was found in the Library of Congress’ Catalog of Copyright Entries for Musical
Compositions in 193951. Attempts were made to discover whether any sheet music
still exists for this work, or if any additional compositions were registered, however
up to the time of writing these efforts have not yet proven successful.
Another item found during the same search at the Bell residence on December 27,
2013 was a piece of sheet music that had unfortunately been partially destroyed52.
50
Appendix figure 23
51
Appendix figure 24
52
Appendix figure 25
It is not known whether or not this is an original composition, or a transcription of
someone else’s work, but it is included in this paper as a point of interest.
Return to the West Indies

It is not known at this time exactly when James left New York to return to Tobago, or
why he abandoned his musical career to settle in an island that could never hope to
offer him anything close to the musical opportunities he enjoyed in the US.
However, these facts are known about his return:
Family
 After returning to Tobago, James married one Cynthia Roslyn Scott in July 1949, also
originally from Grenada and settled in Cinnamon Hill, Tobago – moving to Rockly
Vale, in or around 1953.
 The union produced six children – Ann, James, George, Marilyn, Roger and Joan
 His son James recalls in his testimonial how Jim would often entertain the family
with his clarinet and saxophone on evenings, helping to cultivate in them a love for
music and to pass on his own passion for the art.
Employment
 Upon his return, he worked for a period of time as a Food Controller – perhaps for
the island’s colonial government. His employment identification card from 1944
corroborates this fact.
 Family testimonials as well as other documentary evidence discovered at the Bell
residence (not available for this paper at the time of writing) indicate that he also
worked as a proprietor and businessman; selling cocoa and conducting business
with various retailers in Trinidad, and later managing the family’s property and
assets.
 Several family members (children) have testified that on occasion James used to
teach saxophone lessons at the family home. It is not certain how much would be
charged for these lessons or how profitable they were, but this activity allowed him
to stay in touch with his music. In a phone interview conducted with Mr. Cuthbert
Louis (a saxophonist from Tobago) at 6:15 pm on January 9, 2014, he reveals that he
met Jim early in the 1970’s (71 or 72) and took about two or three saxophone
lessons with him. The lessons would take place at the Bells residence, and since Jim
did not have his own sax at the time, he would play Louis’ horn when necessary in
the lesson. The lesson consisted of lots of scales and exercises, and Jim would stress
the importance of needing to practice everyday. Son James recounts in his
testimonial that at times during lessons Jim would be out front while the student
practiced in a back room. He would be able to tell immediately when mistakes were
being made and made sure to let the student know about it.
Tobago Special Reserve Police Band
We also know from family testimonials and other evidence that James worked as an
assistant director for a while with a Tobago Special Reserve Police Band. Not much
is known about this group apart from whatever evidence is available from the
photograph acquired from the Bell family residence53 (two other photographs were
subsequently obtained from the Tobago museum and are included in the appendix).
The following individuals can be identified from the picture:
1. James – seated, third from left. Assistant Director.
2. Captain Robert H. Harrower - seated, third from right. Band director. Canadian
immigrant and officer who was influential in establishing the Scout movement in
Tobago54.
3. Basil Pitt – standing, left (behind bass drum). Went on to become an elected
Member of Parliament and Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.
4. Lionel P. Mitchell – standing, fifth from left. Went on to become one of Tobago’s
most respected musicians, educators and citizens.
5. Elton McNeil – trumpeter, seated second from left
Unfortunately, James was forced to resign from his position as a special Reserve
Police Officer in 1946. The letter pictured in appendix figure 27 is a response by the
Commissioner of Police in Trinidad acknowledging receipt of James’ letter of
resignation from the service. The letter also reveals the reason for his resignation –
the deteriorating health of his father George. Was this the reason he had to leave
New York behind and move back to Tobago? It is possible that as the only son of his
parents he was required to take over the family’s properties and business interests.
It is not known if this resignation ended all his ties with the band or not. It is also
not known how long after he resigned the band continued to remain in existence. It
definitely does not exist today, and most Tobagonians are not even aware that
Tobago once had its own Police Band (the only Police Band that currently exists is
based in Trinidad). Jim’s first daughter Ann, born in 1949, recalls Captain Harrower
coming to visit the family home though, as well as the band being in existence when
she was a little girl. It may then be safe to estimate that the band may have
continued to exist into the late 1940s or early 1950s.
Anecdotal Information
Many of the family stories that I’ve heard about James’ musical exploits include
those of his performing with several of the more famous musicians of the Jazz Age.
Some of the names cited include Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald55. Interviews
conducted with some of his contemporaries (Mr. Harry Wilson and Mr. Neal Wilson
on December 23, 2013 in Tobago) also yielded names like Chick Webb and Tommey
Dorsey. Part of the objective of this research project was to find documented
53
Appendix figure 27
54
Appendix figure 30
55
See testimonial of daughter Joan
evidence of these collaborations. Despite intense searching, so far I have not been
able to find any information that links Jim to any of the major stars of the era. The
search term “James Bell” (or even James A. Bell) is rather broad and produces
hundreds of results for one of the more popular names of the period. Other variants
inevitably tend to yield little or no useable results.
One interesting find though is that of a testimonial from Freddie Skerritt, a drummer
and saxophone player born in Montserrat in the West Indies. He recounts an
experience of his as follows: “around 1931, I joined Frankie Newton’s group.
Frankie came out of Dickie Well’s place and went straight to the 101 Ranch. We had
Jimmy Bell on tenor, ‘Dusty’ Neal on drums, and Either Gene Anderson or ‘Sharkey’
on piano. There was no trombone or bass, and I played alto and baritone Saxes.”56
Whether the Jimmy Bell that Skerritt talks about is the same James A. Bell who is the
subject of this research is not absolutely certain, but it seems to be quite possible.
Frankie Newton was a trumpeter who played in several bands in New York in the
1920s and 1930s, so the location is right. The tenor saxophone was also one of Jim’s
main instruments, so that fact also lines up. More research is needed to correlate
other aspects of the story to determine if there is a specific match.
Conclusion
A wise man once said the more we know, the more we realize how much we don’t
know. This is exactly the case with this research project. The discoveries made and
the analyses carried out have indeed helped to cast some light on the life and times
of this relatively unknown musician, James Augustus Bell. However, there is so
much more left to explore and to find out. Many questions remain, including:
 How did a young Caribbean boy dream of becoming a musician and end up being a
part of the making of history – the creation of a genre? Where was that dream born?
Was it before or after his migration? How was the dream inspired?
 How did he learn to play? Did he go to school to study the art for a while, or did he
just learn through the experience of playing in the clubs and other venues? Who
were his mentors and/or teachers?
 Did he really perform with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Web and other Jazz
stars of the time?
 Why did he suddenly abandon a promising musical career to return to his
homeland?
 Why did he never travel back to the US even though he was a naturalized citizen?
 Who are the unidentified gentlemen in those photographs?
A plethora of questions exist that many never all be truly answered, nevertheless
the satisfaction is in the process of discovery.
56
Griffiths, 1998
James A. Bell Timeline
1903
Birth: Sauteurs, Grenada, West Indies
February 14
1920
Departure from Port of Spain, Trinidad
May 22
Arrival: New York New York
May 31
1925
Residence: Building 6, 99th Street, New York
June 1
1926
Files Declaration of Intention Papers for Naturalization
December 14
Residence: 169 W 128 St., New York?
1927
Played with the Plaza Serenaders at Club Plaza, Lindenhurst, LI, NY
December 27
1932
Files Petition for Citizenship papers
October 21
Residence: 231 W 116 St., New York
1933
Certificate of Naturalization issued
February 6
1935
Residence 229 W. 111th St. New York City
April 1
Photograph with New York Musicians
September 9
1938
Departure: Port of Spain, Trinidad
March 31
Arrival: New York, New York
April 11
1940
Residence: 229 W. 111th St. New York City
April 1
c. 1940
Assistant Director: Tobago Police Band
1944
Employed as a Food Controller Tobago, WI
1946
Resigned from Tobago Special Reserve Police
November 1
1949
Married: Cynthia Roslyn Scott Tobago W.I.
July
1973
Death: Tobago, WI
October 3
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Journal Of Black Studies 22, no. 1: 1-10 (1998). MLA International Bibliography, EBSCOhost
(accessed October 27, 2014).
Scaruffi, Piero. “New York: stride piano” A History of Jazz Music, 2005. Accessed November
11, 2014. http://www.scaruffi.com/history/jazz3.html
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle at Newspapers.com, Page 18. Accessed November 10, 2014.
http://www.newspapers.com/image/59874443/
Ward, Geoffrey C. 2000. Jazz: A History of America’s Music. New York: Random House, Inc.
Wishart, David J. Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press, 2004.
Google eBook.
Appendix
Figure 1: James Bell's Naturalization Declaration of Intent Filed December 14, 1926
Figure 2 - Petition for US citizenship filed by James in 1932
Figure 3 - James' Certificate of Naturalization issued in 1933
Figure 4: Passenger List showing immigration details for George A. Bell, Winifred M. Bell, and James St. Clair in 1907
Figure 5: Passenger record showing the migration of George, Winifred and Cislyn on May 14th, 1921
Figure 6: 1940 US Federal Census Record showing information in James Bell, Newbold, Cislyn and Charles Wilson
Figure 7 - Manifest of the SS Van Rensselear showing James' Arrival from Trinidad in 1938
Figure 8 - Postcard with image of the Dutch Ship SS Van Rensselaer that brought James to New York in 1938
Figure 9 - James as a 17 year old circa 1920
Figure 10 - James' Mother Winifred (seated) and Sister Cislyn circa 1920
Figure 11 - James' Father George Bell
Figure 12 - George Bell's Variety Store, Mt. Grace, Tobago W.I.
Figure 13 - James (fourth from left) with the Kansas City Revelers.
Figure 14 - James (fourth from left) with the Plaza Serenaders. Band Leader Irving 'Honey' Potter stands at the center of the photo.
Figure 15 - Newspaper Ad. From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 27 December, 1927 Advertising the Plaza
Serenaders with Honey Potter
Figure 16 - Newspaper Ad. From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 28, 1928 for a New Years Eve
Celebration at Club Plaza, Lindenhurst, LI, NY
Figure 17 - Newspaper Ad For Club Plaza From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle for 20 July, 1928
Figure 18 - Page 85 of Kreig & Feeney's book "Freeport: Image of America" showing Honey Potter's
photograph
Figure 19 - Newspaper clipping from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of July 15, 1916 reporting Honey Potter's
stabbing
Figure 20 - Newspaper clipping from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of March 11, 1923 that mentions Potter as
Mayor of Freeport's colored belt.
Figure 21 - James (standing second from left) with a group of unidentified musicians circa 1935.
Figure 22 - James (left) with a two fellow musicians in 1935
Figure 23 - Library of Congress Copyright Office Copyright Registration Card for Jim's 1939 composition
"Thumbs Down on Love"
Figure 24 - Evidence of Copyright Registration for Jim's "Thumbs Down on Love" from the Catalog of
Copyright Entries: Musical Compositions 1939 - US Copyright Office.
Figure 25 - Possible composition by James. Found December 27, 2013 at the old Bell family residence,
Rockly Vale, Tobago.
Figure 26 - Documents found at the Bell family residence Rockly Vale, Tobago, December 27, 2013,
showing evidence of Jim's employment as a food controller after returning from the US
Figure 27 - James (seated third from left) as assistant director of the Tobago Police Service Band
Figure 28 - Picture of the Tobago Police Band c. 1940 provided by the Tobago Museum
Figure 29 - Photograph of the Tobago Police Band c. 1940 provided by the Tobago Museum
Figure 30- Article provided by the Tobago Museum talking about the early development of music in
Tobago
Figure 31 - Letter acknowledging receipt of Jim's resignation from Tobago's Special Reserve Police
Testimonial of James M. Bell, 2nd child of James Augustus Bell. Via
email, November 2, 2014.
Kerry,
I know this has been long overdue and I'm really sorry it took so long, but I sincerely
hope that it can be of help:
I recall that, as a little boy, on some evenings, just around dusk, Daddy would gather the
family in the living room, take out his clarinet (his two instruments were the saxophone
and the clarinet) and serenade us with music (I can still see him sitting in a chair next to
the door with his clarinet in his mouth playing for us). At that time we didn't have any
television or other electronic distractions, only a radio and a gramophone. That
gramophone is still around and is still playable.
I also recall that Daddy used to give saxophone lessons. Those lessons used to take
place on Sunday mornings in the back room of our house. The aspiring musician would
pass through the living room, through the dining room and into the back room where he
would begin his session. Now if Daddy happened to be in the living room while that
practice session was taking place and the musician played a wrong note, Daddy would
pick it up right away.
Daddy taught quite a few musicians their craft in playing the saxophone and those
included members of one of Tobago's best-known big bands, "The Little Seven
Orchestra", led by the Dennis brothers of Mason Hall.
I remember too that at one time there was a band from the USA, I think it may have
been from the University of Michigan but don't fault me if I am wrong about their origin,
and they put on a concert at the Scarborough Police Headquarters, which at the time
was located at Piggott St. (that building is now occupied by Radio Tambrin) and Daddy
was a special guest at that performance. I can't say with any degree of certainty whose
guest he was.
During my primary school days, a schoolmate used to tease me saying my father left
Tobago to study to become a doctor, but came back to Tobago with a saxophone in his
hand. I can only guess that he picked that up from his parents or other older folks in his
community. Be that as it may, he did come back a very accomplished musician and one
of, if not the, finest musician that Tobago produced.
As seen in the photograph of the Tobago Police Band, he was one of two officers in the
Band. When he returned to Tobago from the USA, he was given a Commission in the
Police Service and was second in command of the Band, which was then led by Captain
Harrower. It is sad that Tobago no longer has its own Police Band.
Another story which I also heard during my teen years, was one where, after returning
from the States, Daddy went to a dance which was held at what was then the "Princess
Building" on the grounds near the Queens Park Savannah (that property is where NAPA
in now located). I was told that when he entered, there weren't many people in
attendance and Daddy realized that the saxophonist in the band wasn't doing justice
to the instrument. He asked if they would give him a session and they agreed (in those
days, musicians would walk with their mouthpiece and reed, I don't think they still
do). So he took over the sax and started to play. It was said that unlike the earlier lack
of interest in the dance by patrons, when word got around of Daddy's playing, there was
traffic jam around Princess Building that night.
Many years later after I had moved to Trinidad to work, I was hanging out on Frederick
St. one day with a relative of my neighbour from across the street in Tobago (there was
this spot that he used to be during the day and whenever I passed , if I had the time, I
would stop and say hello and chat awhile), when he introduced me to an elderly man
who I had seen chatting with him on several occasions. It turned out that the gentleman
was also a musician, lived in Belmont (the closest village to Princess Building) and knew
of Daddy as a musician. Given his apparent age and those factors, I told him the story I
had heard about Daddy and the dance at Princess Building and he said that it was true.
When Daddy passed away and we were bringing the coffin out of the house to the
hearse to take it to the church, as we reached by the door, we heard a drum-roll. The
whole of "Little Seven", all those men that he had taught to play the sax, who had
passed through our house to the back room to practice their craft, were all there with
their instruments to pay their respects to him. In those days families didn't have vehicles
as we now do, so we used to walk. We had live music as we walked the mile or so to
the church and after the service more music to the cemetery. It was an unrequested and
well-appreciated gesture to a man who helped them improve their musicianship and their
lives.
Hope the above can add some perspective.
Uncle Jimi
Testimonial of Joan M. Bell-Eversley, 6th child of James Augustus Bell. Via
20 Maracas Gardens,
St. Joseph,
Trinidad.
14th November, 2014
Hi Kerron,
I’m not quite sure if there is a specific format I should use to pen what I shared with you when
you interviewed me re. your research project. Anyway, I’ll just mention some things about my
father, your grandfather, James A. Bell, that remain with me, and that impacted me personally,
which we spoke about when you came to Trinidad last.
I remember several occasions when, after lunch on a Sabbath, some of us siblings would be
trying to rehearse a song to render at youth meeting later on in the afternoon, that Daddy would
come to us, music score he’d just done, in hand, humming out the various parts of the song,
(alto, tenor etc.) that we were struggling with. Many times, he may have been hearing that
melody for the 1st time, but his brilliance as a musician was evident, and I thought, explosive. It
hit me even at a young age that this man had extraordinary talent.
I am the last of the children, as you know and I believe that’s why it was easy for him to take me
with him on many of his visits to the homes of his friends, who we affectionately knew as uncles
and aunts. We didn’t have a piano at home, and I remember being in shock, when at around 8
years of age, on one such visit to Uncle Jules and Auntie Dorothy De Freitas, I saw my father sit
at their piano and begin to play like any professional I had heard. I was so proud of him then,
and wished that he would have played publicly, so I could have boasted a little more about his
versatility with musical instruments. Up until then, I had thought that his prowess was with the
violin and the saxophone mainly.
I always knew that he was an expert on the sax. and that was his favorite instrument.
Everywhere we went as children and as teenagers and even up until recently, once it was
discovered that we were Bells, by someone who had been privileged to hear him play, the
comments to us would include adjectives like “genius”, “brilliant”, “talented”, “the best”, “a
musician ahead of his time in this country”, and all my insides would warm with pride. Some
testified also, that once he was present at a party or at a show, the crowd would call for him,
and he would be called on stage to perform impromptu. When I asked him about this, he said,
he handled that, by always walking with his mouthpiece in his pocket. I also remember some
grown-up musicians coming to the house to sit at his feet as it were, for guidance and to be
taught by the master. I knew he had to be good, because one of those men was the leader of
the best band in Tobago, Dennis from “Little Seven”. At his funeral, that same band came and
played in our yard, prior to taking my father’s body to the church, and led the procession thereto,
and also led and played in tribute from the church to the cemetery, where he requested to be
buried, overlooking the sea.
As I told you, I consider a significant peak in his career to have been in the USA. He often
reminisced about playing in the band that accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, and in Duke Ellington’s
band. Needless to say, those had become household names for us. He even gave us a joke
that had us in fits of laughter about one of the band member’s going to have his hair steamed
and “waved”, and that all of it fell off in the process.
We often listened to the Victrola [Gramophone] (which you know I still proudly display in my
living room), and sang from memory, many of the songs that came from those heavy records. I
could recall my favorite as a child: “Daddy won’t you buy a baby brother or sister for me”. He
also kept in the Victrola some of the pictures we showed you, of him in a band in the US, and of
him as leader of the only police band to this day, that there ever was in Tobago.
One day while doing chores and listening to the radio, Daddy suddenly exclaimed, “That’s my
song, that’s my song, they’re playing my song.” As we gathered, he explained that when he was
in the US he had written a song that was being aired as we spoke. I was not aware of copyright
laws and so on, being young at the time; but I was exposed enough to know that he should
have gotten the credit for the song and should have been financially compensated for it as well.
As far as I know, my father did nothing about it; there being no computers at that time, and very
little telephones on the island, would not have helped in any investigation. I grieved for him and
for my lost chance at becoming famous through my father’s international accomplishments.
Daddy was well travelled. He loved Tobago, but I always thought that he missed the part of his
life in the US. I never heard him say he wanted to go back, but when he reminisced about his
music experience there, I could see in his eyes and hear in his voice, that he used to have
something there that Tobago did not give him. Even now I feel a big tinge (if one could have a
BIG tinge) of sadness for him.
Daddy certainly was held in high esteem in Tobago. He was known as the greatest on the
saxophone. He was a sound musician. He owned several properties. He was well read and
could converse on any topic. He stood tall and handsome. He had a beautiful, talented, kind and
well respected wife, and six wonderful and intelligent children. Some of us sing, some play the
guitar and flute. The boys even had a band. Some of us still take part in national music festivals
in choirs. What is significant though, is that my father never taught us to play the saxophone. I
don’t know if any of my brothers showed interest (that was not an instrument girls in our culture
played at that time). And even if that were the case, I don’t know if he felt that music would have
been futile as a career, or he simply did not make the time to teach us, or it was just not in his
personality to “push it”.
One thing I’m sure about though, is that, were he alive today, he would have been really proud
of his grandson, who must have inherited the natural talent from him. Kerron, we are all so very
proud of you. Beyond that, I’m especially grateful to God that you had the courage and the drive
to pursue your dream of music, even amid all other choices of careers that are available to you
and which may have come so much more easily for you. All the best with this paper,
congratulations on your upcoming graduation and may God continue to bless you, and continue
to bless others through you and your music.
Yours Lovingly,
Auntie Joan
JOAN BELL EVERSLEY
Testimonial of Marilyn E. Bell-Joseph, 4th child of James Augustus Bell. Via
Reflections on my Father, James (Jim) Augustus Bell – The Man, The Musician
by Marilyn Bell-Joseph
When I think of my father, I conjure up memories of a tall, slim, distinguished-looking man, a

man with a commanding and imposing presence; when he stood, he seemed to tower over
everyone. Even as a child, in the 1950’s, I was conscious of his complex and sometimes
perplexing personality. In our household, he was the authoritarian figure, who, by a look,
inspired obedience and compliance. When he spoke and issued a directive, one seldom
questioned. Yet there was a softer side to him. Occasionally, he would share in a good joke and
burst into hearty laughter. Despite his seemingly autocratic and austere nature, he would exhibit
expressions of caring and tenderness. I still smile in reminiscence, when I picture him
romantically embracing my mother, his wife, Cynthia Bell (née Scott) and serenading her with
the song “I’ll be loving you, always, with a love that’s true, always.”
I remember, especially, that time when I took the decision to formalize my acceptance of the
Seventh-day Adventist faith through baptism. I was only nine or ten years old at the time and
still attending primary school. Since I was the fourth child in the family and none of my older
siblings, as yet, had indicated that interest, he felt that I was too young to make such an
important commitment. He forbade me to pursue my intent. I complied. However, a few months
later, when the opportunity for baptism again presented itself, I was determined to follow
through with my conviction, in defiance of him (if necessary), despite the consequences.
However, on the advice of my mother, and still conscious of his patriarchal position, I went to
him, once more, with the same desire for his blessing. This time, inexplicably, without hesitation,
he hugged me tenderly and said “God bless you my child.” I was so touched by his affirmation
of my faith that this incident remains inextricably etched on my memory.
I loved my father, even though I did not always understand him, and even though we sometimes
held opposing views. I like to think that we shared a special relationship. The first four children
of the family – Ann, James (Jimi), George and myself (Marilyn) were born within short periods of
each other (over five years), three years after came Roger, and another four years passed
before Joan (the last) was born. For quite some time, I was the youngest girl in the family, and
according to my mother, Daddy and I were very close. She told me that as a toddler, I was so
comfortable with him, that on mornings when he was in the garden and she sent me to call him
for breakfast, I would invariably shout to him “Jim! Your breakfast is ready!” He was always
amused by my familiarity.
I can recall distinctly that, as I grew, he taught me certain things that I would always associate
with him. There was a particular time of the year that was considered appropriate for the
planting of corn and pigeon peas. I could see him in our backyard making the holes in the
ground, a predetermined distance apart, and I would follow him, dutifully, counting the specific
number of seeds of corn and peas, respectively, then dropping them into the holes, which he
then covered to complete the exercise. At harvest time, when I surveyed the rows and rows of
produce, I always felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from our team-work.
Daddy had certain idiosyncrasies which, when combined, I have seldom seen in one person. He
was a martinet for order and precision. Even in the simplest of household duties, there was
always a “correct” way to do something. In the lighting of a match, he demonstrated that it
should be held downwards and the box be struck away from one’s person. If dishes could not
be washed immediately, then they had to be rinsed and stacked. At the time of washing, similar
items had to be washed together and in a particular order. He taught me how to poach eggs and
how to fry them, sunnyside up, without touching the egg. In later years, when he was
experiencing stomach problems, he drank milk quite frequently. He showed me the preferred
consistency for mixing milk. Of course, once I mastered the techniques, whenever he required
any of these, I had the singular privilege of having to prepare them for him.
James Bell was a stickler for adherence to protocol, convention, etiquette and discipline –
principles that have helped shape me into becoming the person I am today, and which I have
found myself passing on to my own children. Whether it was a matter of dress, entertainment or
even table deportment, he paid attention to detail and insisted on excellence from his offspring.
He considered it a violation of good manners to be seen reading or be heard singing at the
dining table. Moreover, we were always diligent enough not to be caught with our elbows on the
table, lest we were rebuffed by his stern upbraiding. In all our upbringing, we never saw our
father touch a piece of meat or other food with his hands, while dining. He ate European style;
and I still marvel at the deftness and dexterity with which he maneuvered knife and fork to
separate every piece of meat from chicken or fish bones, and stacked food on the back of the
tines of his fork, prior to consumption. It was truly a lesson in fine dining elegance to watch him
eat.
My father belonged to the Anglican faith, but was not a church-going individual. He, however,
had great respect for the religion embraced by his wife and children – Seventh-day Adventism.
In the main, he facilitated our involvement in Church programs and church-related activities.
Although he was not an active participant in religious services at home, he seldom excused
himself from family worship. Even now, I could recall him requesting his favorite song, “We
speak of the realms of the blest, That country so bright and so fair; And oft are its glories
confessed, But what must it be to be there.” Whenever I sing it, or hear it being sung, I cannot
help but think fondly of my father.
I could see my father sitting in his favorite chair in our living room, next to the uniquely carved
book-case, his right leg crossed over his left, his right foot moving rhythmically up and down at
the ankle, his fingers tapping on the chair, in tune with some piece of music he had been
listening to on the radio or simply being played out in his head. He spent many hours in that
chair, reading insatiably from his treasured collection of science fiction novels, classics and
other genres of literature. He was an avid seeker of information and never missed the news
reports – he was au courant with international affairs, as much as he was with local and regional
issues.
Daddy was brilliant, widely-read, knowledgeable and conversant with almost any topic that was
raised. He was an intelligent, articulate man, eloquent in diction, with an immense vocabulary.
He was critical of mediocrity and held us all to the highest standards of lexicon and grammar.
The use of dialect was frowned upon in our home. My father was, to me, a walking dictionary,
thesaurus and encyclopedia. Whenever we were faced with any linguistic challenge, Daddy was
the one to whom we would readily turn – he always knew; but he insisted on us finding out for
ourselves. On achieving desired results, commendation from him was viewed as among the
highest of accolades.
My father had an engaging personality. However, Daddy’s sharpness of mind and lucidity of
thought were periodically marred by the consumption of alcohol, a weakness with which he
struggled for much of his adult life, which, together with excessive use of tobacco, in later years,
affected his health and the quality of his life and eventually contributed to his demise. If ever I
felt disappointed in my father as a role model, it would have been at those times when the
choices he made were compromised.
Despite my father’s frailties, and he certainly was not perfect, I was always proud of him and his
achievements. I only regret that I did not spend more time finding out from him, directly, more of
what he had done over the years. Daddy was an accomplished musician. When he played the
saxophone or the clarinet, everything else paled into insignificance. So extensive were his
talents, that it was said that he could play any instrument he touched. He shared with us stories
of his career. He told us that while in the United States of America, he played with world famous
people as Duke Ellington. He even revealed that the renowned singer Ella Fitzgerald got her
first break in the business when she was allowed to sing with their band. After he returned to
Trinidad and Tobago, he delivered an impromptu performance at a house in Belmont, one
afternoon, and created an extensive pile-up of traffic in Port-of-Spain, as people stopped to
listen to him play.
His reputation preceded him, and I witnessed, one day, a group of men arrive at our home,
engaging him in spirited conversation about his career. It turned out that they were members of
a musical band from Trinidad belonging to a father-son team, Fitz von Bryan and Ken von
Bryan. A few days later they staged a full open air concert in our front yard, free of charge, in
honor of my father, James Bell. The pictures Daddy kept with the old records, in the storage
compartment of the vintage Victrola at our home, supported the stories he told. One of our
favorite pictures was the one which he took with the first Tobago Police Band, which came
under his leadership. It is my understanding that after he relinquished responsibility, for health
reasons, there was never again a Police Band in Tobago.
Daddy had a keen sense of musicality. He could listen to a song and write the score. He would
correct a note of a song he did not even know. My own appreciation of music was fostered as a
result of him calling me to stop whatever I was doing to listen to a piece of classical music. He
taught me one of his favorite Negro Spirituals – “Look down, look down that lonesome road
before you travel on.” My father was responsible for teaching several people to play various
instruments. At his passing, in 1973, the Little Seven Orchestra, a band, the members of which
were taught by him, paid him the ultimate tribute, in giving him a final farewell reminiscent of his
own musical contributions, by performing at our home prior to the funeral, and playing along the
streets for the duration of the procession. It was one of my most poignant memories, the
honoring of my father, James Bell, the man, the musician.

Finding Jim - A Survey of The Life and Times of James Augustus Bell - Jazz Musician

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California Baptist University

Finding Jim: A Survey of the Life and Times of James

Presented in partial fulfillment of the course

Instructor: Dr. Stephen Posegate

November 17, 2014

Jim’s Migration to the US

Cultural Factors of Migration

An analysis of Jim’s Declaration of Intent form20 reveals some interesting

Jazz in the 1920’s and 30s

Photographs taken of James as a musician23 indicate that he worked in Kansas City

Kansas City Jazz

The Kansas City Style

New York Jazz

The New York Style

James as a Musician in the US

The Missing Period

Kansas City Revelers

Finding information on either “Honey Potter” or the “Plaza Serenaders” proved

The Plaza Serenaders

Unknown New York Band

Return to the West Indies

Ancestry.com Learning Center. “Seven Keys to Understanding Naturalization Records”.

Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. “Occupation and Industry

History. “Harlem Renaissance.” Accessed November 11, 2014.

Hope the above can add some perspective.

When I think of my father, I conjure up memories of a tall, slim, distinguished-looking man, a

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