This two-CD set has its interesting moments. Drummer Louie Bellson and his quintet (which also includes trumpeter Bobby Shew, George Young on tenor, pianist Willie Pickens and bassist Keter Betts) perform seven selections including Horace Silver's "Blowin' the Blues Away," George Young's "For Diz" and "When You Wish Upon a Star." The second CD has a 27-minute medley that pays tribute to drummers Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Shelly Manne and Chick Webb. In addition there is a nearly 34-minute "Jazzspeak" in ...
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This two-CD set has its interesting moments. Drummer Louie Bellson and his quintet (which also includes trumpeter Bobby Shew, George Young on tenor, pianist Willie Pickens and bassist Keter Betts) perform seven selections including Horace Silver's "Blowin' the Blues Away," George Young's "For Diz" and "When You Wish Upon a Star." The second CD has a 27-minute medley that pays tribute to drummers Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Shelly Manne and Chick Webb. In addition there is a nearly 34-minute "Jazzspeak" in which Bellson talks about the drummers, the many bandleaders that he has worked with and a variety of miscellaneous music-related subjects. Although interesting, much of it is probably not worth hearing twice. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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