Word: bellson
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...over 70 years old, drummer Louie Bellson hasn't lost a step. He's still the well-spring of originality, enthusiasm and efficiency that--at the age of 17--beat 40,000 others in Gene Krupa's drumming contest...
Fifteen Minutes caught Bellson's New York-based quintet at New York City's legendary Blue Note on January 28. Bellson, who followed in Krupa's footsteps along with Buddy Rich and Sam Woodyard, revolutionized jazz drumming by becoming a bandleader himself. Bellson also made a habit of taking the reins when playing in small groups...
Recently, for example, Friedman stuffed 48 of his latest songs into his attache case and hopped a jet for Hollywood. There, after hiring a Capitol Records studio, he gathered together his arranger-conductor (Jazz Great Benny Carter), a crack 49-piece band (including Saxophonist Bud Shank, Drummer Louis Bellson, Guitarist Barney Kessel), Vocalists Carmen McRae and Joe Williams, and a chorus of twelve. Then for the next few days he sat back and listened to the best that the music profession can do with songs like his Look What I Found...
Sammy Davis Jr. wore shiny leather pants-boots, side-zipped leather jacket, open-throated red shirt and a heavy gold medallion on a chain. On the make shift stage and backed by Louis Bellson's orchestra, he socked it to the audience of 485 Hollywood celebrities for a solid forty minutes. "If you don't take it easy, I'm gonna leave!" shouted Joey Bishop from his ringside table. Sammy, sweat glistening on his face, sang and danced even harder. The per formance rated him a standing ovation. Pierre Salinger seemed positively stunned. "The chemistry was fantastic...
Married. Pearl Bailey, 34, Negro blues singer; and Louis Bellson Jr., 28, white drummer in Duke Ellington's band; she for the fourth time ("All this is just crazy but oh my, we're happy"), he for the first; over the threats of Bellson Sr., owner of a music store in Moline, Ill.; in London's Caxton Hall registry, while hundreds of bebop fans waited outside...