We are proud to present a superb live concert performance, recorded with eight cameras, of the Louie Bellson Big Band, where Louie Bellson lends his talents as leader, time keeper, soloist, composer and arranger.

Louie Bellson, the inventor of the two bass-drum kit, is famous for his memorable participation in the big bands of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James. He also revitalized the Duke Ellington band, where he became known as an arranger, and toured for many years with his wife, singer Pearl Bailey.

His distinguished career has led him to recordings with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson and many other superstars. Driving the band from the drums, Louie Bellson is a leader who controls the performance and has always had the respect of the players.

While exploring contemporary sounds, Bellson keeps up the big-band tradition by leading his own orchestra, which includes 18 of the finest performers on the musical scene, creative soloists playing as a tightly knit ensemble.

🎵 Concert Setlist:

00:08 - The Drum Squad
05:44 - Samantha
10:00 - Blues For Freddy
25:24 - Niles Ahead We've Come a Long
33:03 - Way Together
39:42 - Explosion

🎺 MUSICIANS:

TRUMPETS: Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Benny Bailey, Americo Belotto, Ack Van Rooyen
ALTO SAX: Herb Geller, Andre Villeger
TENOR SAX: Michael Brecker, Thomas Grunwald
TROMBONES: Tom Malone, Jiggs Whigham, Hermann Breuer, Rudi Fussers
BARITONE SAX: Howard Johnson
PIANO: Gil Goldstein
GUITAR: Dean Brown
BASS: Tim Landers
DRUMS: Louie Bellson

⏱️ DURATION: 55 minutes + bonus material

⏺️ WHO IS ARKADIA CONCERTS?
Arkadia Concerts is a branch of the Award-Winning Record and Video labels, Arkadia Records & VIEW, offering the very best in Jazz, Pop, World Music and Performing Arts since 1981. We are proud that no less than 51 NEA Jazz Masters have recorded on our Arkadia Records labels.