A guitarist and vocalist of rare originality, Kelvyn Bell has spent decades creating a sound that defies easy category — jazz, funk, blues, energy music, and improvisation, all woven together with the instinct of a true innovator. Born in St. Louis in 1956, he studied guitar under Oliver Lake and came of age in the Black Artists Group before moving to New York City in the late 1970s, where he quickly established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on the scene. He has had a long creative partnership with saxophonist Arthur Blythe, was a founding member of Joseph Bowie's legendary jazz-funk band Defunkt, and led his own ensemble Kelvynator. He has worked with Steve Coleman, Michele Rosewoman, Jean-Paul Bourelly, Bob Stewart, and the poet Quincy Troupe. Kelvyn Bell brings his singular guitar voice to the Harlem Jazz Series on September 25, 2026.
Tickets=$30