The+Career+of+Drummer+Extraordinaire+Louie+Bellson


 * The Career of Drummer Extraordinaire, Louie Bellson **

Original Author: Bernice Atwater, ENG346 FL12

Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni was a drumming prodigy. His talent for the drums was phenomenal and extensive. The man who was also known as Louie Bellson born on July 6, 1924 in Rock Falls, IL, had a long infamous history of drum playing. His love affair with the drums began at the tender age of three! At fifteen years of age, he discovered the double-bass drum. A couple of years later, his passion for playing resulted in his competing in a contest which led to a victory-conquering 40,000 other drummers. This amazing feat sealed his fate in music (wikipedia.org).

His first gig came when a band came to his hometown of Moline, IL. He was hired immediately from high school. Soon Bellson was in Los Angeles, headlining with some of the big names in the band industry like the Mills Brothers (jazzwax.com). The Mills Brothers (also called The Four Mills Brothers) were a jazz and pop quartet in the 20th century (wikipedia.org). According to drummer world.com, in 1942 he joined the Benny Goodman band. Goodman was a big band, swing, and jazz bandleader. Gene Krupa, another gifted drummer who played for Goodman’s band for a period of time, hailed Goodman as the ‘King of Swing’ (Benny Goodman.com). Bellson was also making film appearances. His first film appearance was in The Powers Girl where he performed with Goodman‘s band. In the film, The Gang’s All Here, Bellson was a drummer (uncredited) in the Benny Goodman Orchestra (wikipedia.org). Bellsonplayed with a host of other musical greats in the film, A Song is Born.

At 24 years of age, Bellson was a US Army veteran of the US Army band. In the later 1940s, Bellson then joined the Tommy Dorsey band. Dorsey was a bandleader of the big band, swing, and jazz genre (wikipedia.org). Bellson recorded a solo piece with the Dorsey band on the band’s album, //Drumlogy// (jazzwax.com)

In the 1940s and 1950s, Bellson collaborated with Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, and Duke Ellington (latimes.com). This was probably the start of the height of Bellson’s career. When the 1950s and 1960s rolled around, Bellson was doing performances with Jazz at the Philharmonic. He was once again with Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey-along with Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald. He played with Dorsey’s band for three years (jazzwax.com). When the band’s activities slowed down, he joined the band of Harry James for a short period of time. The band’s music was recorded by radio transcription. Bellson is featured on two performances on the drums, //Bluebeard’s Blues// by Neal Hefti and //Rank Frank// by Jimmy Mundy. But in 1951, Ellington requested Bellson to be a part of his band. Ellington called Bellson, “the world’s greatest drummer” (drummer world.com).

He continued to work with Ellington on several projects, like Emancipation Proclamation Centennial (a play), //My People// (a movie soundtrack to the movie, Assault on a Queen), and a concert called //The First Sacred Concert//-the most important to Ellington (drummerworld.com). By 1966, he joined Count Basie on tour, along with Harry James, his former boss. In 1967, Bellson put on his musician hat when he made an album, //Repercussion//. He performed in a concert in London at The Queen Elizabeth Hall. It was a tribute to the late Frank King, another drum alum. Also, in London, Bellson records an album, ‘//Louie in// ‘//London’//. On a particular song on the album, //The London Suite//, a choir sings lyrics written by Bellson (drummer world.com).

Buddy Rich, called by many ‘the world’s greatest drummer’, asked Bellson to lead his band while he recovered from a back injury. Buddy Rich, along with Bellson, and Gene Krupa were known as the “Big Three” (drummerworld.com)

Bellson continued to play and record in various circles. In 2006, he created //TheSacred Music of Louis Bellson//and //TheJazz Ballet//. In 2007, he recorded for big bands. //Louie and Clark Expedition 2// came out in 2008.

Bellson’s wings were spreading even more so as worked with other bandleaders and their bands. He even led other bandleaders’ bands. He also created his own bands. According to drummerworld.com, he led his own orchestra for over 40 years.

Bellson has done many other accomplishments resulting in leaving a fascinating legacy in big band, jazz music history. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, he was not only a musician and composer, but an author and educator. He wrote over a dozen books on the drums and percussion. And he gave drum workshops and clinics. He earned many awards and recognitions of achievement. He received honorary doctoral degrees, one of them from Augustana College (nea.gov). The NEA recognized his skill in his craft by awarding him the American Jazz Masters Award in 1994.

Bellson had returned to the Quad Cities for a performance at the Redstone Room in Davenport, Iowa on October 15, 2008. He performed with the Manny Lopez Band (qconline.com). Bellson also made a special appearance in Moline at West Music on October 14.

According to Jim Mertens, staff writer for AM Corner, the concert was “a hopping night” (amcorner.com). In a prior interview Mertens had with Bellson, to have performed with many of the greatest jazz musicians was unbelievable. “I pinched myself many times to see if I was really there…” said a reminiscent Bellson.

Bellson was married to the entertainer Pearl Bailey, who was African American, for 39 years. In a Jet magazine article, it is mentioned that the marriage was a civil ceremony held in London. It was a “storybook wedding” (“Pearl Bailey Marries Louis Bellson in London” Jet magazine). Fifty guests came to the wedding, including jazz, big band performer Cab Calloway. Bellson’s father opposed the marriage, but his mother sent her blessings by cablegram. In another Jet article, “I’d give up My Career for Pearl Bellson”, Bellson had admitted he would give up his career if he anything threatened his marriage. But there were no marital problems. In the article, “White Drummer Defies Father to Wed Pearl Bailey”, published by Jet, Bellson’s father had send Pearl a 3-page cablegram indicating that interracial marriage was out and the he didn’t want “a colored granddaughter”. Bellson vowed to marry Pearl and have four or more children. Bellson had broken off a relationship with Iris Burton, a former white girlfriend, for Pearl. Pearl’s mother, Ella Robinson, stated that she would treat Bellson fairly. Color hadn’t mattered to her.

The couple had adopted two children, Tony and Dee Dee (listverse.com). Pearl Bailey passed away in 1990.

During October 20-21, 2005, the Smithsonian Institution conducted a jazz oral history interview with Bellson and his second wife, Francine. The interview is detailed and extensive. The musician gives a very open and detailed account of his childhood, career, and personal life. Although, he was born in Rock Falls, Illinois, he moved to Peoria--then to Moline, Illinois where he grew up attending junior high and high school. Moline is where he got his start. Moline is where he met Duke Ellington Ellington had come to town to perform.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bellson’s musical craft was phenomenal and universal. His performances and collaborations crossed the ‘color lines’ because he worked with many famous African American musicians. His accomplishments have influenced black and white people, the young and the old. His career has left a legacy that touches even today’s generations of aspiring musicians. His creativity and love of music is ingenious and inspiring.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bellson passed away February 14, 2009 at 84 years of age in Los Angeles, CA where his memorial services were held. His funeralwas held in Moline, IL. Moline is also the location of his burial.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Works Cited **

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bellson, Louie. Oral History Interview by Anthony Brown and Ken Kimery.Archives Center, National Museum of Amerian History. 20-21 Oct. 2005. Web. 11 Dec. 2102. Smithsonian jazz.org/oral_histories/PDF/joh_LouisBellson.PDF. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Benny Goodman the Official Website of the King of Swing”. Benny Goodman.com. n.d. Web 4 Dec. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Heckman, Don. “Louie Bellson dies at 84; Duke Ellington called him ‘the world’s greatest drummer’. //latimes.com.// Los Angeles Times. 17 Feb. 2009. Web.16 Oct. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“I’d Give Up My Career for Pearl Bellson.” //Jet Magazine// 15 Jan. 1953: pg. 21. Print. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Louis Bellson returns for concert on Oct. 15.” Quad Cities Online 17 Sept. 2008. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Louie Bellson.” //wikipedia.org,// 16 Sept. 2012.Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Louis Bellson.” //legacy.com,// 2009.Web. 5 Dec. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Louis Bellson”. drummerworld.com. n.d. Web 30 Nov. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Mertens, Jim. “Louie Bellson R.I.P”. am corner.com. 16 Feb. 2009. Web 11 Dec. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Myers, Marc. “Louie Bellson (1924-2009).“//jazz wax.com//. 16 Feb. 2009. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">National Endowment for the Arts.//The nation’s highest honor in jazz.//National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters.Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?] <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“Pearl Bailey Marries Louis Bellson in London.” //Jet Magazine// 4 Dec. 1952: pg. 21-22. Print. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“10 Fascinating Interracial Marriages in History.” //list verse.com//. 25 Jan. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">“White Drummer Defies Father to Wed Pearl Bailey.” //Jet Magazine// 27 Nov. 1952: pg 21. Print.

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