Louie Bellson

I met and talked with Louie multiple times, and what everyone says about him is true; he was probably the nicest man who ever picked up a pair of sticks. I've told this story before.

I was talking with Louie at a Modern Drummer festival weekend. He and his wife, Francine, had a table in the lobby, where they were selling Louie's CDs and cassettes. He was totally approachable, unfailingly polite to everyone, signing autographs, taking pictures, etc. A teenage kid, a punk rocker, came up to Louie to say hello. He told him he wanted to buy one of his cassettes, but he'd spent all his money on his ticket. Louie took him aside, handed him a $10 bill and said, "Go buy a cassette, and don't tell my wife I gave you the cash." That's the kind of guy he was. Vinnie Colaiuta was walking around with an armed guard who was pushing people away, and Louie was right there in the lobby socializing with everybody. That day, Louie blew all the young drumming upstarts away. Including Colaiuta.

Another time, I went to see Louie and his band at a jazz club in Lincoln Park, NJ called Gulliver's. Before the first set, Louie was out in the crowd, going from table to table, saying hello and thanking people for coming. I bet Miles Davis never did that, or Tony Williams for that matter.

They don't make 'em like Louie Bellson anymore. And lest I forget, he was an amazing musician too.
 
Tony definitely mingled with crowd I never saw Miles Davis
And I saw Louie too do the same and Art Blakey sat at the edge of stage on the steps and signed every autograph till the very last person
 
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As written elsewhere, and covered in this video about my biggest influences, Louie was right up there with Neil Peart and John Bonham in terms of awe-inspiring drummers, but for a very different reason. I happened to catch this performance on the Tonight Show, after only a year or two of playing the drums. I figured that at this point in his life, he'd been playing at least forty, maybe fifty years - and look at how fluid, how relaxed, how in control he is of the instrument. I told myself right then and there I needed to keep at it, and never give up, so I could someday reach that level myself.

I mean, I'm NOT at that level, and may never be... but I couldn't have a better role model for trying!

 
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bud7h4 said:
Something tells me Zappa might have wanted Bellson on drums


Was that K K R R K K R R K K R R at 1:51? (two kicks + double stroke on the FT)
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Mighta been. His left hand was washing the hats, and the video quality is such I can't pick out if it's a single or a double on the right hand. Watching it fullscreen with headphones on I still can't quite tell.
 
striker said:
I posted this clip recently in another thread. By the way, Bellson's 100th birthday is coming up on July 6.

Oscar Peterson Trio featuring Louie Bellson
"Cute"
Louie Bellson on Drums

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WWWHHOOHHWWOOO.,.!!!.., Grazie ., Grazie ... Many Thanks dear Mr. Striker , for having found - out in You Tube page this my-own Video Clips of Oscar Peterson ''Big'' Trio.,.!!,. Ciao , Fabio -

- x -
 
fabiodrummy said:
WWWHHOOHHWWOOO.,.!!!.., Grazie ., Grazie ... Many Thanks dear Mr. Striker , for having found - out in You Tube page this my-own Video Clips of Oscar Peterson ''Big'' Trio.,.!!,. Ciao , Fabio -

- x -
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Well, the thanks and grazie should go to you for preserving and posting this clip. This clip is a gem and very rare.
 
Today is the 100th anniversary of Louie Bellson's birthday. The City of Rock Falls Illinois has been celebrating this occasion.

The guest drummer this year for the Bellson Music Festival was Steve Smith. Here are a few clips that cover the interviews with Steve Smith, Francine Bellson (his wife), Josh Duffee Jazz drummer, and the Bellson Music Festival.



 
Louie is so missed!

louie bellson alex 1980.jpg

Louie Bellson Alex Sanguinetti Brian Callahan Ashley Wardell.jpg
 
Bozozoid said:
Very big influence to me. As a kid I remember seeing him (📺) doing a solo at a halftime 🏈 game. I was nearly frozen on the couch at his mastery of a double bass white Marine pearl kit. It was Louis and Buddy that cemented in my mind...God I want to be like them. And it remains with me today.
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Never met him but he shone through like a real gent and so calm..god bless him and he was.👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
 
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