Bio & Beyond
Monument Dedication
Memorial Concerts
Posthumous Honors
Celeb Quotes
Site-Seeing
Early Drumsets
Drum Equipment & Layout
Slideshow of Louie Bellson's Drumset
Drummers of the Expedition
Bellson Books
Drum Books (Bellson-Endorsed)
Bellson in Others' Books
Bellson in DVDs
Louie Bellson Legacy
NAVIGATION BAR above
Welcome to the Bellson Beat!
of the Enduring works of LOUIE BELLSON
Louie Bellson was deemed "the world's greatest musician" by Duke Ellington, "the epitome of musical talent and a very gifted composer and arranger" by Oscar Peterson, and "the best person I ever met" by Tony Bennett.
He performed on more than 200 albums with a range of artists, including Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Oscar Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton, and Bellson's first wife Pearl Bailey.
Bellson composed more than 1,000 pieces and wrote a dozen books on drums and percussion. He received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. He was also the recipient of awards from ASCAP and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, was a six-time Grammy nominee, and held four honorary doctorates.
Click pic for short Bio Video
For full bio, click Bio & Beyond page.
For more quotes with photos, click Celebrity Quotes page.
Then, write your say in the Guestbook .
> > > . . . . NEWS FLASH! . . . . Jan 2021 . . . . Louie Bellson charts now digital! . . . . iJazzMusic.com . . . . < < <
Louie Bellson charts now available in repertoire of
www.iJazzMusic.com
A new non-profit jazz music publishing company
Digital download of all music & books!
Featuring the Most Outstanding Composers/Arrangers/Authors from
Europe, Asia, South America and the United States.
> > > . . . . HOT OFF THE PRESS! . . . . Jan 2021 . . . . Bellson Poetry Book! . . . . HudsonMusic.com . . . . < < <
The Poetic Thoughts and Verses of Louie Bellson
www.HudsonMusic.com
Compiled & edited by Dave Black
Featuring the thoughts, insights and musings of Louie Bellson
Louie Bellson had a little-known passion for writing poetry.
Hudson Music is proud to publish the prose and poetry of Louie Bellson, a man universally loved as a gentle and kind soul—as well as a towering figure in the world of drumming.
. . . . Drummer . . . . Bandleader . . . . Composer . . . . Arranger . . . . Clinician . . . . Inventor . . . . Author . . . . Recording Artist . . . . Grammy Nominee . . . . NEA Jazz Master . . . . An American Legend . . . .
Explore A Remarkable Life
From Youth . . . to Legend . . .
. . . The Beat Goes On !
Whether Hometown . . .
"Louie Bellson: Hometown Hero"
Bellson never forgot his roots, in the Q-C area (Moline/Rock Island, IL) where he invented the double-bass drum in his Moline High School Art class in 1941.
. . . National . . .
Click below to watch Bellson perform the third movement of his composition
"East Side Suite" on The Tonight Show w/Johnny Carson. (1992)
. . . or International, . . .
Bellson Site-Seeing Around the World
Displays, Exhibits, Artifacts
Go to (click) Site-Seeing page.
. . . It's all here!
Begin the adventure! Select your next stop on navigation bar at top.
Then, after exploring the site, Take the Bellson Quiz . <---Click
(Click pics to play)
Watch Louie Bellson discuss his beloved mentor, Duke Ellington in "Reminiscing In Tempo." -->
At the 1981 Bands of America Grand National Championship. Louie was featured performing with the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps and co-hosted the TV broadcast.
While giving a clinic at the Hollywood Vintage Drum Show, Bellson is pleased to be reunited with his Billy Gladstone Custom Snare Drum.
(1995 & 2003)
Watch Louie Bellson in these two interviews by NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants -- Oral History Program.
Hear Bellson's 8 extensive interviews as conducted by the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program, a part of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
(----)
Louie Bellson is interviewed by Paul Chiaravalle, President of Chiaravalle & Associates at IAJE (Int'l Assn. for Jazz Educators) re: The Rich Matteson Foundation.
Louie Bellson interview by Fillius Jazz Archive Director Monk Rowe on April 12, 1996 at the Sarasota (Fla.) Jazz Festival.
(Click above pics to play.)
Click candle for In Memoriam page (Louie; widow; Dee Dee).
2013 Oil Portrait Unveiled
Click pics to watch 4 min. video clip of Mrs. B at the unveiling of the stunning portrait of Louie Bellson by artist Michael Del Priore. Chicago Drum Show coordinator Rob Cook presides (May 18, 2013)
Mrs. B was jubilant!
"Hear, Here!"
Tunes that'll knock your socks off!
Play here -->
(Also available at bottom of screen on all pages.)
Soar Like an Eagle 5:32
Well Alright Then 5:00
Love (Instrumental) 2:37
Chicago Suite 1 - State Street Swing 3:10
Celebration (Drums & Strings) 2:18
No One But God 2:37
Louie Bellson Big Band Library
Full arrangements
Titles now available: 50
• "Skin Deep"
• "Hawk Talks"
• "Intimacy of the Blues"
(click chart for more) -->
• According to chart size/use.
• Includes repro, assembly. Shipping cost separate.
Conductor Guides:
Amazon & iTunes
Louie Bellson Artist Store on Amazon
(Click banner for direct link)
AMAZON - CDs produced by Mrs. B on Percussion Power Label
The Sacred Music of Louie Bellson
Louie & Clark Expedition 2
The Bellson Zone
Now Entering the Bellson Time Zone . . . Once you go in, you won't want to come out!!
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www.louiebellson.com bellson_1@att.net