Customer Reviews

London Gig

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a recording filled with good quality jazz. A very well-done cd that makes you want more. Check out Walt Johnson on lead trumpet for "Santos".

It was 1966 at Disneyland that this high school kid saw Louis Bellson playing with Harry James and became an instant Bellson fan. There was no put on "mister big stuff" with him. He was a nice guy with tremendous tallent, that took time to talk to me and give me a pair of his sticks which I still have and treasure.
This is a great album with fantastic tunes (which LB wrote and arranged several),great musicians and the GREAT Louis Bellson on drums. A true pleasure for the ears. I highly recomend this album.

This is Louie's best big band recording of the `80s, and maybe his best ever. It is certainly the ne plus ultra of his Pablo series of recordings, which date from the mid `70s and include Explosion and Sunshine Rock (still unavailable on CD). The London Gig tops them both, in my estimation, in the the power of the ensemble and the exuberance of the soloists. Louie himself seems particularly energized, and he kicks off the set with a breakneck tempo on "Sing A Song Of Love." This is a blazer from start to finish, and concludes with a sixth-gear solo from Louie at his most Buddy-ish. Drumming enthusiasts in particular will appreciate the solo space allotted Louie throughout, and he doesn't disappoint, displaying his superb chops on Drum Squad (with a brisk brush solo intro) and Santos. Big band fans in general will enjoy the swinging arrangements (Blues For Freddie, in particular) and the overall musicianship. The London Gig is a tremendous effort from one of the all-time great drummers, and a cogent reminder of why he is.

My son's jazz band plays "Put It Right Here", but these guys make it a little bit sad. I wish my son didn't cry over little things like this, but it's understandable.