Percussion Power
2007
Louie & Clark Expedition 2
About This Album
With a title like Louie & Clark Expedition, Vol. 2, it would be easy to joke that jazz legends Louie Bellson and Clark Terry were almost as old as their historical namesakes, who mapped out a route West in 1803. Well not quite, but 83-year-old drummer Bellson and 87-year-old trumpet great Clark Terry make a great case for the notion that the most exciting and hard swinging big-band jazz may come in a legend's ninth decade. This bright, vibrant, 13-piece project, featuring a four-track opening, Tommy Newsom-arranged segment called "The Chicago Suite," was artfully composed by Bellson, one of the most melodic drummers in jazz history. This expedition is a full-scale exploration of a concept the two created in 1994 on Bellson's big-band CD Live from New York; the title of one of that album's tracks was the clever "Louie & Clark Expedition." This time, they're working with a 17-piece band featuring drummers Kenny Washington and Sylvia Cuenca. Bellson's love for his sweet home Chicago is apparent from the heavy, percussive brass explosions throughout "State Street Swing" (featuring a bright and emotional tenor solo by Steve Guerra) and the slightly mournful, sly, and thoughtful "City of Seasons.
Track List (try tracks 5,10,11 and 12)

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