Louie or Louis, depending on which LP you’re looking at, or Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni if you check with the county clerk, died on Valentines.  He was 84. He was a two-footer, using two bass drums, this big bang making the descriptive ‘drum explosion’ more than a marketing ploy.  He married Pearly Bailey, which was great, and brave for both of them.  He supported Richard Nixon which was a mistake.  He did these incredible drum ‘battles’ stunts vs. Buddy Rich, and he claimed Duke Ellington claimed him as the greatest drummer in the world.  You should be so lucky.

Here’s a cover that’s not in Google Images to enjoy.

And as Styne says on the back of this LP, “…the beat predominates, which is always best for me.”

Recordings @ ARC where Bellson is top cat:
• Louie Bellson.   150 Miles Per Hour  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ 36, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1977)
• Louie Bellson Big Band.   Dynamite!  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ 105, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1980)
• Louie Bellson And His Jazz Orchestra.   East Side Suite  (Music Masters, 60161T, 5″, compact disc, 1989)
• Louie Bellson and His Jazz Orchestra.   Hot  (Music Masters, CIJD 20160Z, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1988 )
• Louie Bellson And His Jazz Orchestra.   Hot  (Music Masters, CIJD 60160X, 5″, compact disc)
• Louie Bellson / Ray Brown / Paul Smith.   Intensive Care  (Pausa, USA, PR 7167, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1984)
• Louie Bellson/Blue Mitchell.   Jam With Blue Mitchell  (Milestone, USA, 802, 5″, compact disc, )
• Louis Bellson and the Oscar Peterson Trio.   Jazz Giants ’58  (Verve, USA, V-8248, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, )
• The Louie Bellson Quartet.   Live at Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ-350, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1988 )
• Louie Bellson Big Band.   London Scene  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ-157, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1981)
• Louie Bellson.   Louie Bellson’s 7  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ 25, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1976)
• Louie Bellson.   Louie Bellson Explosion  (Milestone, USA, 728, 5″, compact disc)
• Louis Bellson.   The Louis Bellson Explosion  (Pablo, USA, 2310-755, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1975)
• Louis Bellson.   Louis Bellson Swings Jule Styne  (Verve, USA, MG V-2131, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• The Louie Bellson Drum Explosion.   Matterhorn  (Pablo, USA, 2310 834, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1979)
• Louie Bellson & Explosion.   Note Smoking  (Discwasher Recordings, DR 002 DD, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1978 )
• Louie Bellson.   Peaceful Thunder  (BMG, 01612-65074-2, 5″, compact disc, 1992)
• Louie Bellson.   Prime Time  (Concord Jazz, USA, CJ 64, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1978 )
• Louie Bellson & Quintet.   Salute   (2 CD set)  (Chiaroscuro Records, 329, 5”, compact disc, 2002)
• Louie Bellson & the “Explosion” Orchestra.   Sunshine Rock  (Pablo, USA, 2310 813, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1978 )
• Louis Bellson.   Thunderbird  (Jasmine, UK, JAS 40, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, date?)

Where Louis’s name is on the cover :
• Count Basie   [Oscar Peterson, Freddie Green, Ray Brown, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Louis Bellson, John Heard].   Basie and Friends  (Pablo, USA, 2310-925, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1988 )
• Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.   Ellington Uptown  (Columbia, USA, ML 4639, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)
• Count Basie Kansas City 3   [Louis Bellson / Ray Brown].   For the Second Time  (Pablo / Original Jazz Classics, USA, OJC-600, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1990)
• Oscar Peterson / Louis Bellson / John Heard.   The London Concert Royal Festival Hall, 1978  (Pablo Live, USA, 2620 111, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1979)
• Louie Bellson / John Faddis / Milton Hinton / Hank Jones / Bob Malach / Bucky Pizzarelli.   Originals  (Stash, USA, ST-205, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1980)
• Duke Ellington.   Uptown  (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces, USA, CJ 40836, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)

Bellson also appears on many compilation, or Various Artist recordings, but these have yet to be properly catalogued here @ ARC.