RIP Louie

Treyzer · #1 02-16-2009, 12:33 PM

We just lost another great! I met the man a few times. He was so gracious and cool, also a great drummer!

http://louiebellson.info/news.html

Carlo Tanori · #2 02-16-2009, 03:05 PM

R.I.P. Louie.

Carlo Tanori

millsbass5 · #3 02-16-2009, 03:13 PM

WOW...My sincere condolences.This guy could thrash w/the best of them.(In a jazz kinda way.)

Uncletoad · #4 02-16-2009, 07:08 PM

Day's like this I feel especially old. Seems like my heroes and mentors and icons are passing one by one as the days go by. Slowly the world is changing with their passing and to my perspective becoming just a little less rich without them. I'm to old for the new guard to inspire me. I'm haunted by the voices of the past.

BigOldHarry · #5 02-16-2009, 07:38 PM

Ah, no kidding. Sad, sad, sad. A giant is gone.

Anyone reading this who doesn't know who Louie Bellson was,:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Bellson

Jake deVilliers · #6 02-16-2009, 07:56 PM

Bummer. Its the end of an era, a great era and guys like Bellson, Brown and Peterson aren't easily replaced.

Vaya con dios

shamus63 · #7 02-16-2009, 08:22 PM

A monster drummer, for sure!

I'd bank money that Keith Moon got a lot of his style and chops from him.

R.I.P.

Nathan Parker · #8 02-16-2009, 08:44 PM

That is a shame. The big band I played in during college years had a few drum charts that were signed by him. Sadly, I wasn't there when he did, that was several years before I got there. What a big loss.

ryco · #9 02-16-2009, 08:54 PM

NO! omg! Great, great drummer! Thank you for all the GREAT music!

He hosted a Jazz Fest in Reno in '72. My Jazz Choir was in the night concert with his band.
After the show I walked up to him backstage and asked if he knew Keith Moon because they both played double kick set.
He smiled stuck out his hand and said "Yes. A very nice young fellow!" Mind you I'm 15 at the time!

Now he is with his baby, Pearl. Great guy!

dchan · #10 02-17-2009, 10:31 AM

One of my favorite albums is Duke Ellington's Uptown. But I'm picky - I like the version that starts with "Take the A Train" first and not Louie Bellson's "Skin Deep" first.

Why? For one, my preferred version has a better song order, which is really important to me. But my main reason is to have Louie end the album by kicking up a storm on those two bass drums in his solo - that and those final chords really end the album satisfyingly for me.

flyman · #11 02-17-2009, 02:36 PM

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment...,4875433.story

flyman

JmJ · #12 02-17-2009, 02:37 PM

Sorry to hear it, his cymbals will be ringing in my ears for years to come.

reedo35 · #13 02-17-2009, 03:47 PM

The Bellson book was one of the best Rhythm studies I ever used.
Sorry he's gone.

Treyzer · #14 02-17-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Day's like this I feel especially old. Seems like my heroes and mentors and icons are passing one by one as the days go by. Slowly the world is changing with their passing and to my perspective becoming just a little less rich without them. I'm to old for the new guard to inspire me. I'm haunted by the voices of the past.

Well said Phil, very well said.

Thought I'd give this a bump so more people could pay respects

robgrow · #15 02-17-2009, 09:34 PM

I got to meet Louie Bellson at a recording session several years ago. He was awesome in the studio, but even better, he was a super nice guy and came up to me and said hello and shook my hand. I was thrilled to say the least and will always remember that.

lunarpollen · #16 02-18-2009, 12:57 PM

This is the first I've heard of this news... very sad that another one of the greats has gone... also sad that there hasn't been more mention of it in the media...

Treyzer · #17 02-18-2009, 02:16 PM

Since we seem to have doubled up on this thread, can the mods combine them?

buddyro57 · #18 02-18-2009, 04:28 PM

As a grad student at U of South Carolina, I got to play with Bellson 2 times during a residency. One was a big band gig, the other was a combo gig, the first was with college kids (like myself), the other with seasoned professionals. His was the easiest, most natural time feel in the world, you couldn't help but swing hard, because his time was so fierce- you could no more move him than slow down a Greyhound Bus. I am sure that I was a drag to play with, but he as as kind as could be- very encouraging and upbeat....pardon the pun!
Here's to a nice man and great player!
Jon Schwabe