Louie Bellson Interview With Jon Hammond Hammond Cast

Publication date 2023-03-11 Usage Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 InternationalCreative Commons Licensebyncnd Topics Louie Bellson, Jazz Drummer, Band Leader, Double Bass Drums, Johnny Hodges, Pearl Bailey, Educator, HammondCast, CBS Radio, KYOU, KYCY, Jon Hammond Language English Louie Bellson Interview With Jon Hammond HammondCast on CBS KYOU / KYCY Radio - August 2003, he appeared at Jazz Club Nouveau in San Francisco with tenor saxophonist Don Menza - Louie Bellson's Wiki: Birth name Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni Born July 6, 1924 Rock Falls, Illinois Died February 14, 2009 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California Genres Jazz, big band, swing Occupation(s) Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader Instrument(s) Drums Years active 1931–2009 Labels Roulette, Concord, Pablo, Musicmasters Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums.[1] Bellson performed in most of the major capitals around the world. Bellson and his wife, actress and singer Pearl Bailey[2] (married from 1952 until Bailey's death in 1990), had the second highest number of appearances at the White House (only Bob Hope had more). Bellson was a vice president at Remo, a drum company.[3] He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1985 Bellson was born in Rock Falls, Illinois, in 1924, where his father owned a music store. He started playing drums at three years of age. While still a young child, Bellson's father moved the family and music store to Moline, Illinois.[5] At 15, he pioneered using two bass drums at the same time, a technique he invented in his high school art class.[6] At age 17, he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Slingerland National Gene Krupa contest.[7] After graduating from Moline High School