Louie Bellson Biography

Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni (born in Rock Falls, Illinois 1924), who performs as Louie Bellson, is an American jazz drummer. He is one of the few jazz drummers to be considered a worthy rival for Buddy Rich.

Between 1943 and 1952, Bellson performed with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Duke Ellington (for whom he wrote "Skin Deep" and "The Hawk Talks"). In 1952 he married Pearl Bailey and left Ellington to be her musical director. Later in the 1950s and 60s he performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Count Basie, Ellington again, and James again, as well as appearing on several Ella Fitzgerald studio albums.

Once married to American singer and actress Pearl Bailey, Bellson also recorded extensively and led his own bands (occasionally maintaining separate bands on each coast). His sidemen have included Blue Mitchell, Don Menza, Larry Novak, John Heard, Clark Terry, Pete and Conte Candoli, and Snooky Young. He was equally effective as a big band drummer and as a small group drummer.

He may also have been the first person to use double bass drums as part of his drumkit. He secured his double bass role with The Duke Ellington Orchestra. Playing two 24" or 26" Gretsch bass drums. Bellson made history with his performance on the drum feature "Skin Deep."

Not only did Bellson use two bass drums, but he also pioneered the Double Bass Pedal. He sketched it while in high school and it was turned into a reality later on in Bellson's career.

As of 2005, among other performing activities, Bellson visits his home town of Rock Falls, Illinois every July for Louie Bellson Heritage Days, a weekend in his honor close to his July 6th birthday, with receptions, music clinics and other performances by Bellson. At the 2004 event celebrating his 80th birthday, Bellson said, appropriately for the inventor and pioneer of double-bass drumming, "I'm not that old; I'm 40 in this leg, and 40 in the other leg." (Drum! Magazine, September/October 2004, pg. 30, by Rob Howe.)