Louie Bellson: Airmail Special - A Salute to the Big Band Masters

Louie Bellson salutes some of the historic "Big Band Masters" in this notable collection of fresh arrangements and originals. Drummer Bellson is likewise a prominent master, carrying on a big band tradition that resists having its blue flames dimmed or dismissed. Witness the most recent contributions of vivid, zestful jazz by his talent-laden orchestras on MusicMasters (Hot, 5008-2-C, and East Side Suite, 5009-2-C). And now Bellson delivers his brand of salute/acknowledgement to some big band leaders whose music and orchestras have constituted a major share of the era's musical literature and swinging jazz firmament. These dozen performances were inspired by Bellson's deep appreciation for his own sources of music excitement and guidance. He offers: "Louis Armstrong said 'We should never forget where we came from and where we're going'; Duke, Benny, Woody, Basie and some others were my mentors." He thought it would be fitting "to take a selection that each of the guys performed and write something" that might be linked to them. He emphasized "it wouldn't be right if we took the original charts and considered them with the same ideas and frames as Time-Life's re-created series of some ten or more years ago." Instead, Bellson's aim was to savor and re-interpret the music, re-casting it with a fresh approach, without forsaking integrity.