Louie Bellson Big Band - Dynamite!

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92 MB
256+ VBR LAME mp3
Vinyl rip & scans from Concord Jazz CJ-105


Here's the last installment in our initial "Give The Drummer Some!" triple-play feature on Soundological. It had been a while since I'd heard this LP but the mayor of Grooveville posted an hommage to him last month so I pulled it out again for a listen. Another smokin' big band session, this time in a live environment, with more of the usual high energy and technical prowess from Louie and his gang. There are a couple of ballads thrown in for contrast, with one dedicated specifically to Louie's pal Blue Mitchell who had passed away just weeks prior to this gig. For any serious drum solo fanatics out there, the last track has a five-minute solo by LB, something you won't hear often in his studio recordings.


AMG Review by Scott Yanow

Recordings by Louie Bellson's various big bands tend to be a slight disappointment, full of fire and explosive moments but sometimes lacking in subtlety and surprises. This effort finds the classic drummer at the head of a 14-horn, 19-piece orchestra that is certainly full of power. Bellson, his tenor star Don Menza and altoist Matt Catingub wrote all of the six songs, and among the key soloists are Menza, Catingub, trumpeter Bobby Shew, altoist Dick Spencer and guitarist John Chiodini (featured on "Where Did You Go"). Nothing all that unusual occurs (although Don Menza's Sambandrea Swing" is exciting), but modern big-band fans will enjoy the effort.


Louis Bellson - Drums
Nelson Hatt - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Walt Johnson - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Ron King - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Bobby Shew - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
John Thomas - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Nick DiMaio - Trombone
Dana Hughes - Trombone
Alan Kaplan - Trombone
Bob Payne - Trombone
Dick Spencer - Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo, Saxophone
Matt Catingub - Clarinet, Flute, Sax (Alto)
Andrew MacKintosh - Sax (Baritone)
Gordon Goodwin - Sax (Tenor)
Don Menza - Sax (Tenor)
John Chiodini - Guitar
Frank Collett - Piano
John Williams Jr. - Bass
Jack Arnold - Percussion, Vibraphone


1 Sambandrea Swing
2 Deliverence
3 Concord Blues for Blue
4 Cinderella's Waltz
5 Where Did You Go?
6 Explosion


Louie's discography as bandleader on blogopolis:

1970 Soul on Top with James Brown at Always Come Correct

1975 The Louis Bellson Explosion

1978 Louie Bellson Jam

1978 Ecué Ritmos Cubanos with Walfredo de Los Reyes at never enough rhodes

1979 Dynamite!


Although the man has recorded over 60 albums as leader since 1954, I could only find a total of five floating around out there, three of which come courtesy of yours truly. If anyone out there has additions, then give the drummer some and leave them in the comments so I can update the post accordingly. I had a copy of Sunshine Rock as well but it has gone missing . Should it pop up, it'll find its way onto the blog but for now you can pick up your stick of TNT HERE or HERE.