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Louis Bellson Collection

|| About the Collection ||

Louis Bellson, one of the great jazz drummers of all time, became famous in the 1950s for using two bass drums simultaneously. He was also well known for his intense 15-minute drum solos, which he demonstrated in his performances with the bands of Benny Goodman (1943 and 1946), Tommy Dorsey (1947-1949), and Harry James (1950-1951), and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. In addition to being able to drive a big band to exciting effect, Bellson can play very quietly with a trio with equal effectiveness. A talented composer, Bellson contributed "Skin Deep" and "The Hawk Talks" to Ellington's permanent repertoire. Bellson married Pearl Bailey in 1952, and the following year left Ellington to be her musical director.

|| Collection Details ||

General

Span Dates: 1943-1996
Bulk Dates: 1950s-1970s
Major Language(s): English
Repository: Music Division, Library of Congress

Physical Collection

Number of Items: 8000
Number of Containers: 66
Contents: Music manuscripts (scores & parts), printed music, photos (framed and loose), recorded sound formats, video recordings, business papers, correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, books.
Processing History: Unprocessed but easily used
Transfers: Recorded sound materials transferred to M/B/RS.
Transfers: Certain restrictions as to the use or copying of these materials may apply. Consult a Reference Librarian in the Music Division for further permission information.

Access/Copyright

On Microfilm?: No
Copyright Info: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html
Preferred Citation: Louis Bellson Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress