THE INDEPENDENT EAR
Insights, Reviews & Interviews
By Willard Jenkins
Vol. 1 No. 2
Independent Ear: Artist's P.O.V.
Louie Bellson
12/7-8/-6
Durham, NC (Duke University)
Louie Bellson's three days in Durham, NC were devoted to a couple of lengthy rehearsals with the Duke University Jazz Ensemble, participating in an interview for a history of jazz lecture class, and performing an evening concert with the jazz ensemble. After cluelessly navigating Duke's east and west campuses (and never the twain shall meet), I arrived late to Louie's interview at the venerable turn-of-the-century lecture hall, but just in time for Bellson's words of wisdom and fond recollections of film-clip driven memories of jazz history. Your correspondent was later drafted to conduct a video taped interview with Louie slated for a documentary on the drum master that Duke is producing.
One was immediately struck by the multi-cultural nature of the 100 or so Duke students in the jazz history class. Louie Bellson, at 84 somewhat frail of health and dealing with Parkinson's, was well-taken care of by our host Professor John Brown. Besides directing all things jazz at Duke, John Brown is a skilled bassist and regular member of Ellis Marsalis' trio among other playing exploits. Past observation led me to conclude that the jazz scene in the state of North Carolina is probably statewide the healthiest in the southeast. Durham alone boasts such important jazz residents as Branford Marsalis and Nnenna Freelon; and Branford made his latest Marsalis Music record "Braggtown" in a Durham studio. John Brown's regular band is loaded with stellar players, including trumpeter Ray Codrington who played with Eddie Harris among others. And let's not forget how many jazz masters are native North Carolinians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Percy and Jimmy Heath, and John Coltrane to name a few.
Part of Louie's stay included a trip to nearby North Carolina Central University for a radio interview, where the HBCU operates the area's leading jazz radio outlet, WNCU 90.7 FM. At the Friday evening concert I ran into an old cohort from DC who had transplanted to Durham and boasted of the area's regular jazz concert activity. So don't overlook North Carolina!
Willard Jenkins: Louie, what are your thoughts about performing with the Duke student jazz ensemble?
Louie Bellson: This band was playing music that if I had to play that kind of music, those kind of arrangements when I was in [school] they'd have to call the paramedics because there's no way in the world I could do that then. But now it shows you what these youngsters can do, what they can accomplish. And if I come back in two years half of them are going to be professionals, I know it, especially that young trumpet player that played [the Clark Terry arrangement]. He did a fabulous job; he had to play the melody and it is very demanding for a trumpet player to play the right notes.
WJ: What do you think about this whole experience of coming here to Duke?
LB: This is something that I'll cherish the rest of my life.
WJ: How have you been treated since you've been here?
LB: It couldn't have been any better; they put us in a nice hotel, they fed us, and even though the rehearsals were a little bit long I didn't hear one person gripe, they realized we had to get the job done and they made it happen. It all turned out good because the rapport between the students and myself… I try to make them feel that I'm here to play and learn like them and what we're gonna do is work hard and make sure we get it right. Thank you or allowing us to do this work, it's a great thing. South Carolina was the same thing, we had a beautiful audience and everything worked out well.
WJ: So you've had good experiences with this NEA Jazz Masters on Tour program?
LB: Yeah. These guys were on the ball, they were there on time. It all worked out beautifully.
The Fans post-concert…
WJ: What do you think about Duke bringing a jazz master like Louie Bellson through this program?
Fan #1: I think it's phenomenal, the fact that they were able to get everything together and have it happen here. Jazz brings together generations, races, genres… it's been a fabulous experience and I'm glad to have been a part of it.
Fan #2: I think that we all have a lot to learn from people like Louie Bellson. It's a wonderful generation that has a lot to teach us, about life, about living… a lot of history they can teach us about that we shouldn't forget. And I think bringing him to Duke allows us to expose the students and faculty to his music.
Fan #3: Arts have always been very strong here. I think it's a golden opportunity for the students.
Fan #4: We particularly appreciate it because we have a son who is into jazz now, so he really appreciates the opportunities to see some of the jazz masters; it's nice when it comes close to home. My son's in high school and he wishes he could do something like playing with a master like Louie Bellson. I hope they continue.
Fan #5: We have a guy with us tonight who is 15 years old whose name is Nicholas. He has been playing the drums since he was 7. His idol is Louie Bellson. In 1975 his father was in a café that Louie Bellson was playing at. His father brought his son [tonight] and Louie Bellson is the idol of both. We caught Nicholas during intermission taking pictures of just the drums. This was a moment in history both for him and his father, and if the NEA hadn't sponsored this that moment wouldn't exist for either of those people.
Latest Release: The Sacred Music of Louie Bellson and the Jazz Ballet, Percussion Power
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