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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2009 » Archive through February 25, 2009 » Louis Bellson RIP « Previous Next »

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chuckc
Member
Username: chuckc

Post Number: 55
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 6:55 am:   Edit Post

Well, the drumming community has lost another true icon in jazz drumming. Louis Bellson passed away on Tuesday. Before moving to bass I spent many years as a drummer, both rock, jazz and big band. I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Bellson at several clinics put on by the now defunct Brockstein's Music here in Houston (who's namesake owner, Herb was the CEO of ProMark Drumsticks) He was an amazing drummer who I always considered the "grandfather" of the double bass setup. I'm sure that Neil Peart of Rush and Keith Moon of The Who, amoung others, owed a debt of gratitude for the stylizing of the late great Louis Bellson
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 2179
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 9:54 am:   Edit Post

sad to see- i remember seeing louis in some jazz movies cause they couldnt find someone who could copy his playing. he also had his issues with narcotics i believe. i think he did some johnny carson shows since carson was a closet drummer. am sure there is a whos who of who he played with.
cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 414
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 10:10 am:   Edit Post

Louie was one of two regular drummers in the Tonight Show Orchestra during the Carson years - it would be either him or Ed Shaughnessy, depending on who was in town & available (on the rare occassions when neither were, Jack Arnold got the call).

Peter
alemberic
Member
Username: alemberic

Post Number: 82
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 2:06 pm:   Edit Post

The loss of such an icon is always sad. In Louis Bellson's case, it is an even bigger loss; he, Buddy Rich, and Gene Krupa were kind of a triumverate of the big band era. Of course, he was also a fantastic small combo and/or jazz drummer. RIP--

Eric
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7610
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 3:46 pm:   Edit Post

This is very cool! Bellson from last October.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7611
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, February 20, 2009 - 3:50 pm:   Edit Post

And from 1950 with Ellington.
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 719
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 6:13 am:   Edit Post

I think my dad had a 78 record of his called 'Skin Deep', was this one of his solo tunes??
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 7623
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, February 23, 2009 - 8:17 am:   Edit Post

Here is Skin Deep.
terryc
Senior Member
Username: terryc

Post Number: 720
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 2:24 pm:   Edit Post

Nice one dave..as usual you always come up with the goods.
Oh yes..we did a latin version of 'milestones'..many thanks for the links as the keyboard player found the chord theory useful too

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