Author Topic: Louis Bellson RIP (Read 80 times)

chuckc · « **on:** February 20, 2009, 06:55:16 AM »

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 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2009, 09:54:09 AM »

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 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2009, 10:10:13 AM »

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 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2009, 02:06:08 PM »

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

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2009, 03:46:12 PM »

This is very cool! Bellson from last October.

David Houck · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2009, 03:50:52 PM »

And from 1950 with Ellington.

terryc · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2009, 06:13:15 AM »

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

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:17:59 AM »

Here is Skin Deep.

terryc · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2009, 02:24:54 PM »

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