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Louie Bellson
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act.
Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941, playing with Benny Goodman; after serving in the military, he worked with the big bands of Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James. His trademark was using two bass drums in his set. From the start, Bellson was able to construct fascinating solos that could hold one’s interest for as long as 15 minutes, yet he also enjoyed playing quietly with combos.
Performing regularly with Duke Ellington during 1951-1953 made Bellson world-famous and he also gained good reviews for his writing, which included “Skin Deep” and “The Hawk Talks.” After marrying Pearl Bailey, he left Ellington to work as his wife’s musical director but he also performed in many different settings, including with Jazz At The Philharmonic, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, Count Basie, and special projects with Ellington. In addition Bellson led his own big band and small groups, recording regularly as a leader.
Since the 1960s, Bellson has been involved in educational work, teaching young musicians his dynamic drumming technique. In the 1970s and 1980s, he could frequently be found on recordings from impresario Norman Granz's Pablo label, as well as the Concord label. He has published many of his scores, including his jazz ballet The Marriage Vows. For more than thirty years he has led big bands internationally, and continued to tour, often with a quintet.
Bellson has performed on more than 200 albums with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton and Bellson's late wife Pearl Bailey.
Composer and author, he has written more than 1,000 compositions and more than a dozen books on drums and percussion. He received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. Also, he is a six-time Grammy nominee.
In 1998, Louie Bellson was hailed (along with Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones and Max Roach) as one of four "Living Legends of Music" when he received the American Drummers Achievement Award from the Zildjian Company.
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Louie Bellson: Tasteful Drummer, Sweeter Guy
by Jack Bowers
To say that drummer extraordinaire Louie Bellson, who left us on February 14, 2009 at age eighty-four, had a remarkable career would be to explicitly understate the record. Bellson's success at age 17 in a nationwide contest sponsored by one of his idols, Gene Krupa, and Slingerland Drums set the talented wunderkind on a path that saw him soon reach the pinnacle of his profession and remain there for nearly six decades. Bellson was not simply another timekeeper; he was ...
read moreLouie Bellson/Clark Terry: Louie & Clark Expedition 2
by George Kanzler
Drummer Louie Bellson and trumpeter/flugelhornist Clark Terry first worked together in the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the '50s and the Duke or, as Terry always refers to him, “The Maestro," remains central to both players' jazz conception. This is more a Bellson big band project than a true collaboration, as Terry only appears on seven of the thirteen tracks and Bellson composed or co-wrote all thirteen. Carrying on in a decidedly Ellington vein, the first four tracks comprise “The Chicago ...
read moreLouie Bellson & Clark Terry: Louie & Clark Expedition 2
by Jerry D'Souza
Drummer Louie Bellson and trumpeter Clark Terry trump age to front a big band with verve and youthful vitality. Though both are in their eighties, age has not diminished the wonderful ability they have shown through their long and distinguished careers to give jazz a glorious presence.
Bellson and Terry collaborated in 1994 on the big band recording, Live From New York (Telarc), which featured a track called “Louie and Clark Expedition." This, then, becomes another odyssey larger in dimension, ...
read moreLouie Bellson and Clark Terry: Louie & Clark Expedition 2
by Edward Blanco
Louie & Clark Expedition 2 marks the historic reunion of legendary drummer Louie Bellson and trumpeter Clark Terry. While the title references the 1803 Lewis & Clark expedition, it's actually a reprisal of the big band effort Live From New York (Telarc, 1994), which featured the composition “Louie & Clark Expedition. Expedition 2 is more than an encore or swan song for the robust 83 year-old Bellson and 87 year-young Terry; it is, indeed, a celebration of life and a ...
read moreJohn Taylor's Jazz Caricatures: Louie Bellson
by John Taylor
Louie Bellson About John Taylor For me, art and music flow into a creative confluence. Encouraged by my family to draw and play the drums at an early age, I continue to find expression in these art forms.Motivation for a career in art and music developed in the 1960's as I observed theme park caricaturists at work and listened to recordings of the inimitable Buddy Rich. Gifted editorial caricaturist, David Levine, ...
read moreLouie Bellson's Big Band Explosion!: The Art of the Chart
by Jim Santella
At the age of seventy-three, drummer Louie Bellson shows no signs of slowing down; his drum set propels his Big Band Explosion! here today as it has in the past for the bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and others. Bellson's casual, friendly manner off the stage shows up in the performances as well; the bandleader encourages all band members to exhibit their wares and allows space for each.
Bellson co-composed nine of ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941, ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941... ...
read more
Electrifying: Eurupeans Only
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In July 1953, drummer Louie Bellson recorded an album in Los Angeles for Norman Granz's Norgran label called Skin Deep. For the big band tracks, he assembled quite a stellar showcase of talent. The band featured Harry “Sweets" Edison, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo and Ray Linn (tp); Hoyt Bohannon, Herbie Harper and Tommy Pederson (tb); Benny Carter and Willie Smith (as); Wardell Gray and Bumps Myers (ts); Bob Lawson (bar); Jimmy Rowles (p); Barney Kessel (g); John Simmons (b) and ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today!
One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941... ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Louie Bellson
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Louie Bellson's birthday today! One of the world’s greatest drummers, Louie Bellson has been an exciting crowd pleaser for over 60 years. A well-respected educator and one of the nicest people in the music business, the still-active Louie Bellson is a class act. Born Luigi Paolino Balassoni, Bellson won a nationwide Gene Krupa drum contest in 1940 and was heard by Tommy Dorsey, who was quite impressed. The drummer started at the top in 1941... ...
read more
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Louie Bellson
Instrument: Drums
Born: July 6, 1924
Died: February 14, 2009
