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Louie Bellson
From left: Louie Bellson, Cat Anderson, and Clark Terry at the Palomar Supper Club, April 19, 1952, with the Duke Ellington Orchestra; photo courtesy of Fraser MacPherson estate
Background information
Birth name
Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni
Born
(1924-07-06)July 6, 1924 Rock Falls, Illinois
Died
February 14, 2009(2009-02-14) (aged 84) Los Angeles, California
Genres
Jazz, big band, swing
Occupation(s)
Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader
Instrument(s)
Drums
Years active
1931–2009
Labels
Roulette, Concord, Pablo, Musicmasters
Formerly of
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Spouse(s)
Pearl Bailey
(m. 1952; died 1990)
Musical artist
Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums.[1]
Bellson and his wife, actress and singer Pearl Bailey[2] (married from 1952 until Bailey's death in 1990), had the second highest number of appearances at the White House (only Bob Hope had more).
Bellson was a vice president at Remo, a drum company.[3] He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1985.[4]
^National Endowment for the Arts biography of Louis Bellson Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, January 1994; accessed January 2009.
^Heckman, Don (February 17, 2009). "Los Angeles Times obituary". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
^Chinen, Nate (February 17, 2009). "Louie Bellson, Dynamic Jazz Drummer, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
^"Modern Drummer's Readers Poll Archive, 1979–2014". Modern Drummer. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
LouieBellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although...
and big band drummer, being influenced by the likes of Sonny Payne, LouieBellson, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Max Roach and Art Blakey, as well as other...
With LouieBellson 1974 150 MPH – LouieBellson Big Band 1975 The Louis Bellson Explosion 1976 Live at Concord Summer Festival – LouieBellson's 7 1977...
Oscar Peterson Trio with drummer Buddy Rich on the first album and LouieBellson on the second. Norman Granz then had the vision for Ella and Louis to...
of the conventional single one, after the manner of the jazz drummer LouieBellson. In his early days, he performed lengthy drum solos, most notably in...
Bailey married jazz drummer LouieBellson in London. They remained married until her death nearly 38 years later in 1990. Bellson was six years Bailey's junior...
Gerald Wilson's Big Band and with LouieBellson's Big Band, recording several albums with Bellson. For LouieBellson's Live at the Concord Summer Festival...
record a big band, funk and jazz vocal album. It was recorded with LouieBellson and his 18-piece jazz orchestra at United Western Recorders in Hollywood...
Rich, and LouieBellson were some of his biggest influences while he was growing up, and that he got the double bass idea from LouieBellson. In July 1996...
other ventures. However, only Greer was a permanent departee. Drummer LouieBellson replaced Greer, and his "Skin Deep" was a hit for Ellington. Tenor player...
and Bob Newhart. During the 1960s, he played flute and saxophone with LouieBellson, Pete Christlieb, Frank Rosolino, Arturo Sandoval, Jack Sheldon, and...
Walfredo Reyes Jr. (natively Walfredo de los Reyes Palau IV). Citing LouieBellson and Buddy Rich as musical influences, he has performed or recorded with...
Bob Bain, and bassist Joel Di Bartolo. Occasionally, renowned drummer LouieBellson would sit in for Shaughnessy. When Jay Leno replaced Carson in 1992...
the same category. He was also a drum teacher whose students included LouieBellson, Remo Belli, David Garibaldi, William Kraft, Alan Maitland, Jim Banks...
Peanuts Hucko. Others who played with Dorsey were drummers Buddy Rich, LouieBellson, Dave Tough saxophonist Tommy Reed, and singers Sinatra, Ken Curtis...
(leader) Night Child with Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and LouieBellson Skol with Stephane Grappelli, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker Digital at Montreux...
Early birthdays were spent at venues like Shelly's Manne Hole watching LouieBellson, or at the Brass Ring, where young Lucky got so close to his idol, Buddy...
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