In the 1950s, Bell appeared on Billie Holiday's album Lady Sings the Blues, and played with Lester Young, Stan Kenton, Johnny Hodges, Cab Calloway, Carmen McRae, and Dick Haymes.
He left Ellington's orchestra in 1962, and went on to play with Dizzy Gillespie before taking a series jobs on Broadway as a pit musician.
[3] Bell gave a performance of his original compositions, including the pieces he wrote for those plays, on March 19, 1972, as part of the Music at La MaMa concert series.
[4] He also wrote the music for the Cotton Club Gala, which was originally produced at La MaMa in 1975[5] and was revived and directed by Ellen Stewart in 1985.
[7] With Buck Clayton With Cy Coleman With Duke Ellington With Earl Hines With Johnny Hodges With Friedrich Gulda With Sonny Stitt With Charles Thompson With others